Tilbury Fort Marshes Terrestrial Invertebrate Survey Report 2022.
Abstract
The Tilbury Fort Marshes are a network of brackish watercourses and dry grassland compartments surrounding Tilbury Fort in Tilbury, south Essex, UK. This report details the results of a terrestrial invertebrate assessment made in 2022 based on four survey visits undertaken during June and July, which employed pitfall trapping in addition to active sampling methods. The survey produced a total of 388 species, 63 of which had a conservation status, including seven Section 41 Species of Principal Importance. Whole invertebrate assemblage analyses using Pantheon valued the importance of saltmarsh and brackish pool and ditch habitats particularly highly and found the saltmarsh and transitional brackish marsh invertebrate assemblage to be in particularly favourable condition. Although the invertebrate interest of the grassland was much lower than expected due to overgrazing by horses, the site supported a modest pollinator fauna, including two species of Section 41 bumblebee. Herbivore dung was also an important resource for a number of species of high conservation value. The list of recorded species and their status codes are presented in appendices at the end of the paper.