🌊 Misbourne
eDNA Biodiversity Report Card
17 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 | 45 |
| Salmo trutta (Brown Trout / Sea Trout) | Salmonidae | 9 | 41 |
| Phoxinus phoxinus (Minnow) | Cyprinidae | 7 | 47 |
| Oncorhynchus gorbuscha (Pink Salmon) | Salmonidae | 5 | 24 |
| Oncorhynchus mykiss (Rainbow Trout) | Salmonidae | 4 | 14 |
| Barbatula barbatula (Stone Loach) | Nemacheilidae | 3 | 11 |
| Squalius cephalus (Chub) | Cyprinidae | 2 | 10 |
| Esox lucius (Pike) | Esocidae | 2 | 2 |
| Leuciscus leuciscus (Dace) | Cyprinidae | 1 | 7 |
| Alburnus alburnus (Bleak) | Cyprinidae | 1 | 4 |
| Anguilla anguilla (European Eel) | Anguillidae | 1 | 2 |
| Cyprinus carpio (Common Carp) | Cyprinidae | 1 | 2 |
| Species | Family | Sites | ESVs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baetis rhodani (Large Dark Olive) | Baetidae | 10 | 23 |
| Cloeon dipterum (Pond Olive) | Baetidae | 9 | 36 |
| Paraleptophlebia submarginata (Turkey Brown) | Leptophlebiidae | 7 | 12 |
| Baetis vernus (Medium Olive) | Baetidae | 4 | 15 |
| Caenis horaria (Angler's Curse) | Caenidae | 4 | 13 |
| Ephemera danica (The Mayfly) | Ephemeridae | 4 | 5 |
| Serratella ignita (Blue Winged Olive) | Ephemerellidae | 3 | 5 |
| Procloeon pennulatum (Large Spurwing) | Baetidae | 3 | 4 |
| Baetis scambus (Small Dark Olive) | Baetidae | 2 | 5 |
| Species | Family | Sites | ESVs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nemurella pictetii (Pictet's Stonefly) | Nemouridae | 3 | 6 |
| Species | Family | Sites | ESVs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glyphotaelius pellucidus (Northern Caddisflies) | Limnephilidae | 10 | 34 |
| Sericostoma personatum (Sericostomatid Caddisflies) | Sericostomatidae | 5 | 11 |
| Limnephilus marmoratus (Northern Caddisflies) | Limnephilidae | 5 | 5 |
| Rhyacophila dorsalis (Free-living Caddisflies) | Rhyacophilidae | 4 | 5 |
| Limnephilus extricatus (Northern Caddisflies) | Limnephilidae | 3 | 4 |
| Silo nigricornis (Humpless Case-maker Caddisflies) | Goeridae | 3 | 3 |
| Drusus annulatus (Northern Caddisflies) | Limnephilidae | 2 | 5 |
| Lepidostoma hirtum (Lepidostomatid Caddisflies) | Lepidostomatidae | 2 | 4 |
| Oxyethira simplex (Microcaddisflies) | Hydroptilidae | 2 | 3 |
| Halesus radiatus (Northern Caddisflies) | Limnephilidae | 2 | 3 |
| Apatania cimbrica (Apataniid Caddisflies) | Apataniidae | 2 | 2 |
| Goera pilosa (Humpless Case-maker Caddisflies) | Goeridae | 1 | 2 |
| Athripsodes cinereus (Long-horned Caddisflies) | Leptoceridae | 1 | 2 |
| Agapetus fuscipes (Saddle-case Makers) | Glossosomatidae | 1 | 1 |
| Hydropsyche angustipennis (Net-spinning Caddisflies) | Hydropsychidae | 1 | 1 |
| Hydroptila martini (Microcaddisflies) | Hydroptilidae | 1 | 1 |
| Athripsodes albifrons (Long-horned Caddisflies) | Leptoceridae | 1 | 1 |
| Lype phaeopa (Tube-case Caddisflies) | Psychomyiidae | 1 | 1 |
| Site | Location | Species | Genera | EPT Families | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M6 | Chalfont St Giles | 341 | 232 | 4 | 🌟 |
| M5 | Bottom House Farm | 295 | 189 | 5 | |
| M10 | Denham Country Park (downstrea... | 267 | 198 | 11 | |
| M4 | Quarrendon Mill | 265 | 187 | 8 | |
| M2 | Mop End | 254 | 186 | 9 | |
| M9 | Higher Denham | 240 | 170 | 6 | |
| M8 | over the Misbourne | 233 | 156 | 9 | |
| M3 | Shardeloes | 227 | 154 | 6 | |
| M1 | Doctors Meadows (upstream site... | 216 | 167 | 4 | |
| M7 | Chalfont St Peter Community Ce... | 42 | 36 | 3 |
🌟 = Most diverse site on river
The Misbourne 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 756 distinct genetic sequences (Species) representing 754 identified species and 225 families.
Compared to other chalk streams surveyed, the Misbourne shows one of the most biodiverse rivers in the study, ranking #2 of 11. The river supports 17 families of mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies (EPT) - key indicators of water quality.
Notable findings include the detection of conservation priority species (Water vole, Water shrew) and invasive species requiring management attention.
756 Species detected across 10 sites — CSV format, opens in Excel
