🌊 Chess
eDNA Biodiversity Report Card
14 EPT families
Outstanding diversity of pollution-sensitive invertebrates indicating pristine water quality.
Top 15 families detected by eDNA analysis:
| Species | Family | Sites | ESVs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gasterosteus aculeatus (Three-spined Stickleback) | Gasterosteidae | 10 | 59 |
| Salmo trutta (Brown Trout / Sea Trout) | Salmonidae | 9 | 40 |
| Phoxinus phoxinus (Minnow) | Cyprinidae | 8 | 53 |
| Barbatula barbatula (Stone Loach) | Nemacheilidae | 7 | 27 |
| Squalius cephalus (Chub) | Cyprinidae | 5 | 27 |
| Gobio gobio (Gudgeon) | Cyprinidae | 5 | 21 |
| Leuciscus leuciscus (Dace) | Cyprinidae | 4 | 30 |
| Oncorhynchus gorbuscha (Pink Salmon) | Salmonidae | 4 | 11 |
| Oncorhynchus mykiss (Rainbow Trout) | Salmonidae | 3 | 4 |
| Anguilla anguilla (European Eel) | Anguillidae | 1 | 1 |
| Esox lucius (Pike) | Esocidae | 1 | 1 |
| Species | Family | Sites | ESVs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baetis rhodani (Large Dark Olive) | Baetidae | 9 | 18 |
| Paraleptophlebia submarginata (Turkey Brown) | Leptophlebiidae | 7 | 18 |
| Baetis vernus (Medium Olive) | Baetidae | 6 | 34 |
| Serratella ignita (Blue Winged Olive) | Ephemerellidae | 5 | 13 |
| Ephemera danica (The Mayfly) | Ephemeridae | 4 | 6 |
| Cloeon dipterum (Pond Olive) | Baetidae | 4 | 5 |
| Baetis scambus (Small Dark Olive) | Baetidae | 2 | 2 |
| Procloeon pennulatum (Large Spurwing) | Baetidae | 1 | 4 |
| Ephemera vulgata (Drake Mackerel) | Ephemeridae | 1 | 1 |
| Heptagenia sulphurea (Yellow May Dun) | Heptageniidae | 1 | 1 |
| Species | Family | Sites | ESVs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nemurella pictetii (Pictet's Stonefly) | Nemouridae | 5 | 9 |
| Species | Family | Sites | ESVs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glyphotaelius pellucidus (Northern Caddisflies) | Limnephilidae | 9 | 25 |
| Silo nigricornis (Humpless Case-maker Caddisflies) | Goeridae | 6 | 7 |
| Sericostoma personatum (Sericostomatid Caddisflies) | Sericostomatidae | 4 | 11 |
| Limnephilus extricatus (Northern Caddisflies) | Limnephilidae | 2 | 4 |
| Leptocerus tineiformis (Long-horned Caddisflies) | Leptoceridae | 2 | 3 |
| Chaetopteryx villosa (Northern Caddisflies) | Limnephilidae | 2 | 3 |
| Wormaldia subnigra (Finger-net Caddisflies) | Philopotamidae | 2 | 3 |
| Apatania cimbrica (Apataniid Caddisflies) | Apataniidae | 2 | 2 |
| Drusus annulatus (Northern Caddisflies) | Limnephilidae | 2 | 2 |
| Enoicyla pusilla (Northern Caddisflies) | Limnephilidae | 2 | 2 |
| Halesus radiatus (Northern Caddisflies) | Limnephilidae | 2 | 2 |
| Rhyacophila dorsalis (Free-living Caddisflies) | Rhyacophilidae | 2 | 2 |
| Lepidostoma hirtum (Lepidostomatid Caddisflies) | Lepidostomatidae | 1 | 3 |
| Athripsodes albifrons (Long-horned Caddisflies) | Leptoceridae | 1 | 2 |
| Apatania vepsica (Apataniid Caddisflies) | Apataniidae | 1 | 1 |
| Limnephilus marmoratus (Northern Caddisflies) | Limnephilidae | 1 | 1 |
| Site | Location | Species | Genera | EPT Families | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C6 | Chenies | 301 | 213 | 8 | 🌟 |
| C3 | Broadwater Bridge | 257 | 191 | 5 | |
| C9 | Scotsbridge Mill | 254 | 190 | 10 | |
| C8 | Loudwater (trout rise) | 244 | 175 | 8 | |
| C7 | Chorley Wood pump | 232 | 175 | 6 | |
| C4 | Marsh Field | 226 | 168 | 8 | |
| C10 | Elms below lake inlet (downstr... | 177 | 129 | 7 | |
| C2 | Upstream Chesham Moor on main ... | 171 | 129 | 4 | |
| C1 | Queens Head (upstream site) | 82 | 68 | 3 | |
| C5 | Latimer Bridge | 23 | 22 | 2 |
🌟 = Most diverse site on river
The Chess flows through the Colne catchment, where our eDNA survey sampled 10 sites along its length. Analysis of water samples revealed a rich invertebrate community with 676 distinct genetic sequences (Species) representing 673 identified species and 222 families.
Compared to other chalk streams surveyed, the Chess shows above average for diversity, ranking #4 of 11 rivers. The river supports 14 families of mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies (EPT) - key indicators of water quality.
Notable findings include the detection of conservation priority species (Eurasian otter, Water vole) and invasive species requiring management attention.
676 Species detected across 10 sites — CSV format, opens in Excel
