Citizen science and aquatic macroinvertebrates: public engagement for catchment-scale pollution vigilance

ABSTRACT

The Riverfly Partnership, launched in 2004, is a UK network of organisations and individuals working to protect river habitats and macroinvertebrate communities. The Riverfly Partnership’s Anglers’ Riverfly Monitoring Initiative (ARMI), launched in 2007, supports citizen science volunteers to monitor macroinvertebrates in their local rivers. In Manchester and surrounding areas, ARMI monitoring began in 2011 with volunteers from a fishing club active across the Irwell catchment. Whilst there has been mixed success establishing a robust long-term monitoring program, volunteers investigate issues raised by the local community and data provide a baseline against which river pollution events can be compared. For example, in April 2017 citizen scientists responding to a report of dead crayfish by an angler identified a pollution incident resulting in a catastrophic loss of macroinvertebrates along a 19 km reach of the River Irwell. Recognizing the limitations of the ARMI methodology for urban and degraded rivers nationwide led to the development of the Urban Riverfly index through the Riverfly Partnership so that citizen scientists can more effectively contribute to the work of government agencies mitigating urban river pollution. Citizen science has importantly been a catalyst for public engagement and environmental projects which should encourage wider public participation in river catchment management.

RÉSUMÉ

Le Riverfly Partnership, inauguré en 2004, est un réseau d’organisations et d’individus œuvrant à la protection des habitats riverains et des communautés de macro-invertébrés au Royaume-Uni. La Anglers’ Riverfly Monitoring Initiative (ARMI) du Riverfly Partnership, lancée en 2007, soutient les bénévoles de science citoyenne dans la surveillance des macro-invertébrés des rivières locales. À Manchester et dans les environs, les activités de surveillance de l’ARMI ont débuté en 2011 à l’initiative de bénévoles d’un club de pêche du bassin versant de l’Irwell. Bien qu’il soit compliqué de mettre en place un programme robuste de suivi à long terme, les bénévoles investiguent néanmoins les problèmes soulevés par la communauté locale et les données recueillies fournissent un niveau de référence pour identifier des événements polluants. Par exemple, après qu’un pêcheur local ait rapporté avoir vu des écrevisses mortes en avril 2017, des scientifiques citoyens ont identifié un événement polluant ayant entraîné la mortalité massive de macro-invertébrés le long d’un segment de 19 km de la rivière Irwell. Face aux limites de l’application de la méthodologie de l’ARMI aux rivières urbaines dégradées, l’indice Urban Riverfly a été développé par le Riverfly Partnership pour permettre aux scientifiques citoyens de contribuer plus efficacement au travail d’atténuation de la pollution des rivières urbaines fait par les agences gouvernementales. La science citoyenne est un important catalyseur d’engagement public et permet la réalisation de projets environnementaux encourageant la participation plus effective du public à l’aménagement des bassins versants.

KEYWORDS:

• Urban rivers
• biological monitoring
• Anglers’ Riverfly Monitoring Initiative
• Riverfly
• Rivers Trust

MOTS CLÉS:

• Rivières urbaines
• surveillance biologique
• Anglers’ Riverfly Monitoring Initiative
• Riverfly
• Rivers Trust

Acknowledgments

With thanks to all the people who have contributed their time, skills and resources to macroinvertebrate monitoring, community events and wider environmental work at the Salford Friendly Anglers’ Society and now the Mersey Rivers Trust. Particular thanks to Mike France, Tony Quinn, Arthur Hamer, Dave Vickery and Ian Hedley for their collection of monthly monitoring data and for insights. This manuscript benefited greatly from detailed and constructive comments by anonymous reviewers and the editor’s suggestions – thank you.

Disclosure statement

A.M. is accredited as a trainer for the Riverfly Partnership and has received past consultancy for Riverfly training. M.D. is Projects Manager for the Mersey Rivers Trust. B.F. is the Anglers’ Riverfly Monitoring Initiative Project Manager for the Riverfly Partnership.

Additional information

Funding

Initial funding for volunteer training and equipment was provided by a UK National Lottery Awards for All grant of £9800 to the Salford Friendly Anglers’ Society.