WFD Rocky Shore Macroalgal Species: Presence Data for England and Wales

Environment Agency data records the presence of macroalgal species on intertidal rocky shores for Water Framework Directive ecological assessments in England and Wales. Monitoring follows the Reduced Species List method, with data collected during seasonal surveys from June to September. The dataset is a subset owned by the Environment Agency and was last updated on 2026-07-06.

Use Cases

• Assess coastal water quality based on macroalgal species presence as bioindicators.
• Model biodiversity patterns on rocky shores based on species occurrence data.
• Track changes in macroalgal communities over time based on seasonal monitoring data.

Strengths

• Data collection follows the standardized UK Technical Advisory Group Reduced Species List method.
• Monitoring occurs during a defined seasonal window from June to September.
• Data is owned and updated by the Environment Agency, a regulatory body.

Limitations

• Row count and column-level documentation are unknown, limiting suitability assessment.
• The dataset is a subset of a larger collection; completeness relative to the full dataset is unclear.
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to monitoring sites in England and Wales.

Provenance

Source

Environment Agency

Collection Method

Intertidal rocky shores were searched for a set time period, recording the presence of algae from the WFD Reduced Species List.

Time Range

Monitoring occurs June to September annually.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-06 07:20:51.365342; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Transitional and coastal waters of England and Wales.