SNH Invertebrate Site Condition Monitoring 2015-16: Rum SSSI

Quality Control

We have a very high level of confidence in this dataset. The recorder and/or determiner is a highly experienced ecologist. Where necessary, rare specimens were compared against reference collections, those held in the National Museums Scotland collection and identities confirmed with experts.

Method steps

1. Surveys targeted the invertebrate assemblage feature of Rum SSSI; however, other invertebrate taxa were also sampled. One visit was made to Rum in May 2015 and two in July 2015. A combination of bugvac sampling and active searching was used to survey invertebrates living amongst thick ground vegetation. During visit one (13-15/05/2015) the coastal heath and grassland at Harris, the upland habitat of Hallival and Barkeval, sand dunes at Kilmory, and the peatland habitat throughout the centre of the island surveyed. During visit two the central peatland area was surveyed on 06/07/2015, and the grassland atop Bloodstone Hill on 08/07/2015. During visit three (20-24.07/2015) black bog-rush (Schoenus nigrescens) dominated wet heath was surveyed in Glen Harris and along the Dibidil path. Transects comprising five pitfall traps were also installed in four locations: the raised beach and coastal heath at Harris, the shoulder of Barkeval (580 m), sand dunes at Kilmory, and the central peatland southeast of Ard Nev. Traps were installed on 06 & 07/07/2015 and collected on 20-23/07/2015. In addition, a small oligotrophic lochan near Minishal was surveyed on 15/05/2015 using a 1-mm diameter mesh pond net.

Rum SSSI