The development of ISIS: a habitat-based invertebrate assemblage classification system for assessing conservation interest in England

A database summarising the relationships between invertebrate species and habitat type could help inform the development of site management plans, the assessment of trends within the wider countryside and the evaluation of site quality. The requirements for such a habitat-based invertebrate assemblage classification system are discussed. For the purposes of nature conservation, it is clear that a system that details both type and quality of any given invertebrate assemblage would be very beneficial. Such a system would clarify biodiversity interest for both entomologists and conservation staff alike. English Nature's approach to this system is detailed, the basic approach employing a series of broad assemblage types that are sensitive to changes in hydrology and disturbance regimes, and a series of specific assemblage types that can be used to assess changes in site quality. Examples of the current wetland assemblage types are given. This approach is tested using pairwise Bray-Curtis similarity indices. The results are promising, although it is clear that the system requires further work. Finally, the future of the project is outlined, with the expectancy that a fully operational prototype will be ready by 2006.