Clwyd Lab Dwr Invertebrate Sampling

Last Friday we visited the Clwyd Lab Dwr Hub to provide training in invertebrate sampling and bankside identification. The Clwyd Lab Dwr Hub is coordinated by the Ruthin Friends of the Earth group, who have been collecting chemical data on the Afon Clwyd and its tributaries for the last 18 months.

What can invertebrates tell us about the river?

Using a method called ‘kick-sampling’ we are able to collect aquatic invertebrates in a net and record species and abundance in order to gain information on what is in that section of river. Different invertebrates have different sensitivities to pollution - so this data can be useful to detect any early warning signs that a river might be under pressure.

If you would like to get involved in our citizen science project Lab Dwr, you can find information on our Lab Dwr webpage.