Community science: invertebrate monitoring

Riverfly: Guardians of the Rivers Initiative: Anstruther Improvements Association (AIA) coordinates a group of local volunteers, trained in the Riverfly Partnership’s national Anglers’ Riverfly Monitoring Initiative (ARMI).

The community science group carries out monthly invertebrate monitoring at two locations along the Dreel Burn. Volunteers are working with the University of St Andrews to collate a baseline survey which will feed into the national Riverfly invertebrate monitoring programme, Riverfly Partnership monitoring programme.

Riverflies are sensitive to pollution and changes on their river, so monitoring their presence, abundance and diversity on a regular basis can be used to assess the water quality of a river and act quickly if an issue is identified.