SECTION I: CHANNEL VEGETATION TYPES


To be assessed within a 10m wide transect across the channel at each spot-check (see Figure below).

Channel vegetation types are recorded in categories that assess the habitat structure they provide at the time of survey, not their morphological character described in textbooks. The purpose is to provide information on the range of functional habitats that channel vegetation may be providing for invertebrates and other animals. This is especially important in rivers with otherwise limited structural diversity. 


None/Not visible

If <1% vegetation cover, or none is visible, even though water clarity is good, enter ✓ in this box. When the bed of the channel is not visible (e.g. when enclosed in a culvert) also enter ‘NV’. Also enter ‘NV’ if the water is too turbid to determine submerged plant cover, even though entries for emergent, amphibious and floating forms can be made if present.


Liverworts/mosses/lichens

Aquatic liverworts (e.g. Scapania), mosses (e.g. Fontinalis) and lichens (e.g. Collema). Includes vegetation that is submerged, or in the splash zone.

Example of Liverworts/mosses/lichens


Emergent broad-leaved herbs

Broad-leaved plants rooted on the river bed or along the water’s edge. Leaves and flowers grow above water level e.g. fool’s water-cress (Apium nodiflorum) and water-speedwell (Veronica spp.).

Example of emergent broad-leaved herbs


Emergent reeds/sedges/rushes/grasses/horsetails

Narrow-leaved monocotyledons (e.g. reeds, sedges, rushes, grasses and horsetails) rooted below water-level or along the water’s edge. Examples include branched bur-reed (Sparganium erectum), reedmace (Typha), common/Norfolk reed (Phragmites australis), sedges (Carex spp.), rushes (Juncus spp.) bulrush (Schoenoplectus spp.), reed sweet-grass (Glyceria maxima) and water horsetail (Equisetum fluviatile).

Example of emergent reeds/sedges/rushes/grasses/horsetails


Floating-leaved (rooted)

Plants rooted on the river bed but with either broad floating leaves such as yellow water-lily (Nuphar lutea) and broad-leaved pondweed (Potamogeton natans); or linear floating leaves such as those produced by unbranched bur-reed (Sparganium emersum).

Example of floating-leaved (rooted) vegetation


Free-floating

Plants floating on, or just under, the water surface, and not rooted to the river bed. Examples include duckweeds (Lemna spp.), frogbit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae), hornwort (Ceratophyllum spp.) and water soldier (Stratiotes aloides).

Example of free-floating vegetation


Amphibious

Plants rooted at the edge of the river, or on the bank, but shoots or leaves trail across the water. Examples include amphibious bistort (Persicaria amphibia), creeping bent-grass (Agrostis stolonifera), floating sweet- grass (Glyceria fluitans), marsh foxtail (Alopecurus geniculatus), and water forget-me-not (Myosotis scorpioides).

Examples of amphibious vegetation


Submerged broad-leaved

Rooted submerged plants with underwater leaves no more than four times longer than broad. Some part of the plant, or some leaves, may reach the surface but the majority are submerged. Includes submerged ‘cabbage-like’ leaves of yellow water-lily (Nuphar lutea), perfoliate and several other broad-leaved pondweeds (Potamogeton perfoliatus, P. lucens, P. alpinus), Canadian pondweed (Elodea canadensis), and starworts (Callitriche spp.).

Example of submerged broad-leaved vegetation


Submerged linear-leaved

Rooted submerged plants with narrow, unbranched, laminar leaves (blade/strap/belt-shaped) that are either totally submerged or just have their tips or upper parts floating on the surface. The most typical examples are unbranched bur-reed (Sparganium emersum) and the underwater leaves of arrowhead (Sagittaria sagittifolia), bulrush (Schoenoplectus spp.) and flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus).

Example of submerged linear-leaved vegetation


Submerged fine-leaved

Rooted submerged plants with fine, branched, leaves. Examples include the feathery leaves of water milfoil (Myriophyllum spp.) and the longer ‘shoe-lace’ appearance of some water-crowfoot species (Ranunculus spp.) and fennel pondweed (Potamogeton pectinatus).

Example of fine-leaved submerged vegetation


Filamentous algae

Blanketweed (Cladophora), mole pelt (Vaucheria) and other obvious filamentous algal growths (e.g. Enteromorpha). Do not record diatom films that occur alone, or coating aquatic plants or stones.

Example of filamentous algae