Appendix 1. Variables recorded in the STAR environmental database.

Parameter / Description (units) / Shortcode
RHS spot checks (extracted for macrophyte section – spot-checks 6-8)
1 / Bank modification – Reinforced / 6-point exponential scale / BmodRI
2 / Bank modification – Resectioned / 6-point exponential scale / BmodRS
3 / Channel modification – Resectioned / 3-point exponential scale / ChModRS
4 / Channel modification – Reinforced / 3-point exponential scale / ChModRI
5 / Channel features – Vegetated Mid-channel Bar / 3-point exponential scale / ChFeVMB
6 / Channel features – Mature Island / 3-point exponential scale / ChFeMI
7 / Channel features – Exposed Boulders / 3-point exponential scale / ChFeRO
8 / Bank top vegetation Simple or Complex / 6-point exponential scale / BtopSC
9 / Bank face vegetation Simple or Complex / 6-point exponential scale / BfaceSC
10 / Land use – Broadleaf/mixed woodland (semi-natural) / 6-point exponential scale / LusBL
11 / Land use – Coniferous Plantation / 6-point exponential scale / LusCP
12 / Land use – Improved/Semi-inproved Grassland / 6-point exponential scale / LusIG
13 / Land use – Tall Herbs / 6-point exponential scale / LusTH
14 / Land use – Tilled Land/Orchard / 6-point exponential scale / LusTL/OR
15 / Land use – Suburban/Urban Development / 6-point exponential scale / LusSU
16 / Land use – Scrub & Shrubs / 6-point exponential scale / LusSC
17 / Land use – Parkland or Gardens / 6-point exponential scale / LusPG
18 / Land use – Rough Unimproved Grassland/Pasture / 6-point exponential scale / LusRP
19 / Land use – Coniferous Woodland (semi-natural) / 6-point exponential scale / LusCW
20 / Land use – Wetland/Mooreland/Heath / 6-point exponential scale / LusWL/MH
RHS sweep-up
21 / Channel realigned / 2-point exponential scale / ChanReal
22 / Trees / 10-point exponential scale / Trees
23 / Shading of channel / 2-point exponential scale / Shade
RHS metrics
24 / Habitat Quality Assessment / quantitive (0-100) / HQA score
25 / Habitat Modification Score / quantitive (0-100) / HMS score
MTR environmental database
26 / Slope / m/km / Slope
27 / Distance to source / km / Dis Source
28 / Height Source / m / Height Source
29 / Channel depth / m (weighted average of 4-point scale in m) / Depth
30 / Channel width / m (weighted average of 4-point scale in m) / Width
31 / Channel Substrate – Firm / % of macrophyte section / Firm
32 / Channel Substrate – Soft / % of macrophyte section / Soft
33 / Channel Substrate – Stable / % of macrophyte section / Stable
34 / Channel Substrate – Unstable / % of macrophyte section / Unstable
35 / Channel Substrate – Bedrock / % of macrophyte section / BE
36 / Channel Substrate - Boulders/Cobbles / % of macrophyte section / BO/CO
37 / Channel Substrate - Gravel/Pebbles / % of macrophyte section / GP
38 / Channel Substrate – Sand / % of macrophyte section / SA
39 / Channel Substrate - Silt / % of macrophyte section / SI
40 / Channel Substrate - Clay / % of macrophyte section / CL
41 / Channel Substrate - Artificial / % of macrophyte section / AR
42 / Reinforced channel / % of macrophyte section / RI
43 / Resection channel / % of macrophyte section / RS
44 / Flow type – Free fall / % of macrophyte section / FF
45 / Flow type – Chute / % of macrophyte section / CH
46 / Flow type – Chaotic Flow / % of macrophyte section / CF
47 / Flow type – Unbroken standing wave / % of macrophyte section / UW
48 / Flow type – Broken standing wave / % of macrophyte section / BW
49 / Flow type – Upwelling / % of macrophyte section / UP
50 / Flow type – Rippled / % of macrophyte section / RP
51 / Flow type - Smooth / % of macrophyte section / SM
52 / Flow type – Not perceptable / % of macrophyte section / NP
53 / Number classes substrate type / 8-point exponential scale / n_cl-sub
54 / Number classes flow types / 9-point exponential scale / n_cl_flo
55 / Proportion constructional degradation / proportion of reinforcement, resectioned parts, dams/weirs and reflectors/groynes; / sum_cD
56 / Shading of riparian vegetation / 5-point exponential scale / Sha
STAR protocol
57 / Altitude of site [m] / quantitive / altitude
58 / Source pollution (yes/no) / log 10 / source_p
59 / Non source pollution (yes/no) / log 10 / non_s_p
60 / Eutrophication (yes/no) / log 10 / eutroph
61 / Forest land use / % catchment (arcsin sq. root) / forest
62 / Urban sites land use / % catchment (arcsin sq. root) / urban
63 / Natural grassland land use / % catchment (arcsin sq. root) / grassld
64 / Cropland land use / % catchment (arcsin sq. root) / crop
65 / Pasture land use / % catchment (arcsin sq. root) / pasture
66 / shoreline covered with woody riparian vegetation / % (arcsin sq. root) / shorl_wv
67 / no bank fixation / % (arcsin sq. root) / no_bankf
68 / no bed fixation / % (arcsin sq. root) / no_bedf
69 / stagnation / yes/no / stagn
Hydrochemistry
70 / pH / pH / pH
71 / Conductivity / μS/cm (log 10) / cond
72 / Oxygen / mg/l (log 10) / oxygen
73 / Ammonium / mg/l (log 10) / amm
74 / Nitrate / mg/l (log 10) / nitrate
75 / Ortho-phosphate / µg/l (log 10) / ortho_P
76 / Total phosphate / µg/l (log 10) / total_P

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