Brook & Craft is a documentation resource focused on the use of benthic macroinvertebrates as indicators of water quality in Polish inland waters. The content covers field sampling methods, laboratory procedures, biotic index calculations and the regulatory context established by the EU Water Framework Directive and its Polish implementation.
Scope
Coverage is limited to freshwater macroinvertebrates — primarily insects (Plecoptera, Ephemeroptera, Trichoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera), crustaceans (Amphipoda, Isopoda) and oligochaetes — in wadeable rivers and streams. Marine, estuarine and lentic habitats are outside the scope of this resource.
Geographically, emphasis is on Central Polish lowland rivers and Carpathian foothill streams, where distinct substrate types and flow regimes influence community composition and require adapted sampling approaches.
Content Sources
Articles draw on publicly available guidance documents, technical standards and peer-reviewed literature, including:
- Guidance issued by the Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection (GIOŚ) on WFD biological monitoring
- CEN standard EN 27828 (kick-sampling of macroinvertebrates) and related ISO protocols
- Publications of the Institute of Nature Conservation Polish Academy of Sciences
- Peer-reviewed studies published in journals such as Hydrobiologia, Aquatic Ecology and Polish Journal of Ecology
Disclaimer
Brook & Craft does not carry out fieldwork, laboratory analyses or ecological assessments. The site does not offer consultancy, certification or regulatory advice. All information presented is for general documentation purposes.
If precise data from an individual study or monitoring programme is required, consult the original source directly. Water quality classifications for specific water bodies in Poland are published by GIOŚ at gios.gov.pl.
Contact
For corrections, suggestions or questions about content, use the contact form on the home page.