Liam Godwin

I am researching how the effects of land-use change across the Flow Country impacts stream and river ecosystems. Primarily I am looking at how peatland dominated catchments respond to restoration by drainblocking and plantation removal. I measure streams with varying cathcment land use dominance and observe how these vary in terms of water quality (nutrients, colour, turbidity, pH, dissolved metals, suspended sediments), flow regime and temperature. I attempt to link these different environmental factors to stream/river macroinvertebrates, salmon and waterbirds communities that use these streams.

Of particular interest to my work are the populations of wild Atlantic Salmon around the Flow Country as they are one of the few areas of Scotland that have maintained relatively stable populations. These wild salmon are important due to their inherent conservation, economic, and cultural value to the region.