Can stable isotopes be used to trace and quantify the sources, transport and deposition of fine sediments in rivers impacted by invasive signal crayfish?

This project is funded through the National Environment Isotope Facility (NEIF) and will investigate the fine sediment of the River Nene Catchment. The project team comprises of Dr Catherine Sanders (PI, University of Lincoln), Dr Savannah Worne (CO-I, Loughborough University) and Dr Janet Richardson (CO-I, Edge Hill University).

Reducing fine sediment (FS) pollution is a key goal of the government Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS), which currently covers 34% of agricultural land and aims to expand to 70% by 2028, targeting a 40% reduction in river sediment loads by 2038. However, whether FS are selectively stored within the channel – where the greatest pressures are seen – is a function of the river hydrology and geomorphology, the grainsize and physiochemistry of the FS, and biological variables such as plant and animal presence and behaviour.

We will will use stable isotopes to provide the first independent assessment of the relative environmental risk from fine sediment, considering not just sediment volume but also the hydro-morphological and ecological interactions within the river system. Stable Isotopes (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) will be used to delineate source areas, which will be combined with modelling to understand sediment flux within the Nene Catchment.

Fine sediment can impact the functioning of a river system, by impacting water quality and ecology. Understanding where fine sediment is coming from within a catchment, and how it is stored within rivers is a key area of research. We will use stable isotopes to 'fingerprint' where sediment is coming from within the River Nene Catchment to help support decision making of catchment management options.

In progress