Watts, Aspen; Engels, Stefan; Martín-Puertas, Celia; Bennion, Helen; Boyle, John; Moyle, Madeleine (2026): Low-resolution chironomid counts for centennial-scale sediment sequences from 5 West Midlands (UK) meres [dataset]. PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.988851
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Published: 2026-02-24 • DOI registered: 2026-03-25
Abstract:
This dataset provides palaeoecological data for 5 West Midlands Meres (UK). The meres that were sampled are Aqualate Mere, Comber Mere, Cop Mere, Crose Mere, and White Mere. Chironomid counts are presented against depth (cm) and age (year CE). The data provides information on the changes in the lake ecosystem, and has been used to identify the effects of external drivers on biodiversity parameters, with a focus on the effects of eutrophication of shallow meres on alpha and beta diversity dynamics of the chironomid fauna. Sediment cores were retrieved from the respective lakes using gravity corers deployed from a boat, in April 2023. The gravity cores were sampled at (a) the deepest end (30.5-38.5 cm), (b) 10.5 cm, and (c) consecutive 1-cm-thick samples between 0-3 cm core depth. A total of 25 samples from the sediment sequences were treated with warm KOH (10%) to de-flocculate the material, and subsequently rinsed over a 100 µm mesh. Chironomid head capsules (HCs) were picked from the residue using a Bogorov sorting tray, and mounted onto microscope slides using Euparal mounting medium. HCs were identified using Brooks et al., (2007, doi:10.1007/s10933-007-9191-1). Cricotopus (Isocladius) intersectus-type and Cricotopus (Isocladius) laricomalis-type were combined into a single group (C. intersectus-type sensu lato (s.l.)), as they are similar in appearance and ecological role (Brooks et al., 2007, doi:10.1007/s10933-007-9191-1).
Related to:
Watts, Aspen (2025): Disentangling the drivers of Insect Armageddon: determining the impact of anthropogenic disturbances on midge diversity [dissertation]. Birkbeck, University of London
References:
Boyle, J F (1995): A simple closure mechanism for a compact, large-diameter, gravity corer. Journal of Paleolimnology, 13(1), 85-87, https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00678113
Brooks, Stephen J; Langdon, Pete G; Heiri, Oliver (2008): The Identification and Use of Palaearctic Chironomidae Larvae in Palaeoecology. In: Brodersen, Klaus Peter (Ed.), Technical Guide No. 10, Quaternary Research Association, London,, Journal of Paleolimnology, 40(2), 751-753, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10933-007-9191-1
Coverage:
Median Latitude: 52.879576 * Median Longitude: -2.593272 * South-bound Latitude: 52.781090 * West-bound Longitude: -2.872160 * North-bound Latitude: 52.994610 * East-bound Longitude: -2.295570
Date/Time Start: 2023-04-09T09:00:00 * Date/Time End: 2023-04-14T18:00:00
Minimum DEPTH, sediment/rock: 0.01 m * Maximum DEPTH, sediment/rock: 0.39 m
Event(s):
AQUA23-1-GC * Latitude: 52.781090 * Longitude: -2.338760 * Date/Time Start: 2023-04-11T09:00:00 * Date/Time End: 2023-04-11T18:00:00 * Elevation: 66.4 m * Lake water depth: 1.6 m * Location: Hatchmere, Cheshire, United Kingdom * Method/Device: Gravity corer (GC) * Comment: 38.5 cm lake sediment sequence retrieved using a gravity corer deployed from boat. Gravity corer, according to Boyle (1995).
COMB23-2-GC * Latitude: 52.994610 * Longitude: -2.612500 * Date/Time Start: 2023-04-12T09:00:00 * Date/Time End: 2023-04-12T18:00:00 * Elevation: 83.6 m * Lake water depth: 11.8 m * Location: Hatchmere, Cheshire, United Kingdom * Method/Device: Gravity corer (GC) * Comment: 30.5 cm lake sediment sequence retrieved using a gravity corer deployed from boat. Gravity corer, according to Boyle (1995).
COP23-1-GC * Latitude: 52.862780 * Longitude: -2.295570 * Date/Time Start: 2023-04-09T09:00:00 * Date/Time End: 2023-04-09T18:00:00 * Elevation: 103.0 m * Lake water depth: 3.9 m * Location: Hatchmere, Cheshire, United Kingdom * Method/Device: Gravity corer (GC) * Comment: 32.5 cm lake sediment sequence retrieved using a gravity corer deployed from boat. Gravity corer, according to Boyle (1995).
Parameter(s):
| # | Name | Short Name | Unit | Principal Investigator | Method/Device | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Event label | Event | Watts, Aspen | |||
| 2 | Latitude of event | Latitude | Watts, Aspen | |||
| 3 | Longitude of event | Longitude | Watts, Aspen | |||
| 4 | Date/Time of event | Date/Time | Watts, Aspen | |||
| 5 | Date/Time of event 2 | Date/Time 2 | Watts, Aspen | |||
| 6 | Elevation of event | Elevation | m | Watts, Aspen | ||
| 7 | Comment of event | Comment | Watts, Aspen | |||
| 8 | Site | Site | Watts, Aspen | |||
| 9 | DEPTH, sediment/rock | Depth sed | m | Watts, Aspen | Geocode | |
| 10 | Age | Age | a AD/CE | Watts, Aspen | ||
| 11 | AGE | Age | ka BP | Watts, Aspen | Geocode | |
| 12 | Chironomini larvula | Chironomini larvula | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | 1st instar |
| 13 | Chironomus anthracinus-type | C. anthracinus-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 14 | Chironomus plumosus-type | C. plumosus-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 15 | Cladopelma lateralis-type | C. lateralis-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 16 | Cryptochironomus | Cryptochironomus | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 17 | Demicryptochironomus | Demicryptochironomus | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 18 | Dicrotendipes nervosus-type | D. nervosus-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 19 | Einfeldia dissidens-type | E. dissidens-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 20 | Endochironomus albipennis-type | E. albipennis-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 21 | Endochironomus impar-type | E. impar-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 22 | Endochironomus tendens-type | E. tendens-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 23 | Glyptotendipes barbipes-type | G. barbipes-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 24 | Glyptotendipes pallens-type | G. pallens-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 25 | Lauterborniella | Lauterborniella | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 26 | Microtendipes pedellus-type | M. pedellus-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 27 | Parachironomus varus-type | P. varus-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 28 | Parachironomus vitiosus-type | P. vitiosus T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 29 | Polypedilum nubeculosum-type | P. nubeculosum-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 30 | Polypedilum sordens-type | P. sordens-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 31 | Stictochironomus | Stictochironomus | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 32 | Chaetocladius-type B | Chaetocladius-T B | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 33 | Corynoneura edwardsi-type | C. edwardsi-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 34 | Cricotopus intersectus-type | C. intersectus-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | Cricotopus (isocladius) intersectus-type s.l. |
| 35 | Cricotopus trifasciatus-type | C. trifasciatus-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | Cricotopus (Isocladius) trifasciatus-type |
| 36 | Cricotopus bicinctus-type | C. bicinctus-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 37 | Cricotopus cylindraceus-type | C. cylindraceus-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 38 | Epoicocladius | Epoicocladius | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 39 | Eukiefferiella claripennis-type | E. claripennis-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 40 | Georthocladius | Georthocladius | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 41 | Heterotrissocladius maeaeri-type | H. maeaeri-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 42 | Hydrobaenus johannseni-type | H. johannseni-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 43 | Limnophyes | Limnophyes | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 44 | Oliveridia | Oliveridia | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 45 | Orthocladius-type S | Orthocladius-T S | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 46 | Parakiefferiella bathophila-type | P. bathophila-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 47 | Psectrocladius barbimanus-type | P. barbimanus-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | Psectrocladius (Psectrocladius) barbimanus-type |
| 48 | Psectrocladius sordidellus-type | P.sordidellus-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | Psectrocladius (Psectrocladius) sordidellus-type |
| 49 | Psectrocladius barbatipes-type | P. barbatipes-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | Psectrocladius (Mesopsectrocladius) barbatipes-type |
| 50 | Ablabesmyia | Ablabesmyia | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 51 | Procladius | Procladius | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 52 | Cladotanytarsus mancus-type | C. mancus-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 53 | Micropsectra radialis-type | M. radialis-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 54 | Stempellinella | Stempellinella | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 55 | Tanytarsus chinyensis-type | T. chinyensis-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 56 | Tanytarsus lugens-type | T. lugens-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium | |
| 57 | Tanytarsus mendax-type | T. mendax-T | # | Watts, Aspen | Wet sieved (100 µm) followed by hand picking from Bogorov sorting tray, mounted on permanent microscope slides, Euparal mounting medium |
License:
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY-4.0)
Status:
Curation Level: Enhanced curation (CurationLevelC)
Size:
1152 data points