Fen Management Handbook - Scottish Natural Heritage

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Target for species marked as: (some NVC community types have individual targets for different habitat types) 220 Negative Indicators (non-woody species) X O Impatiens glandulifera Galium aparine Ulex europaeus Glyceria fluitans Carex rostrata Equisetum fluviatile Potentilla palustris Menyanthes trifoliata Molinia caerulea Eurhynchium praelongum Brachythecium rutabulum Juncus spp Rubus fruticosus Pteridium aquilinum Urtica dioica Epilobium hirsutum Typha latifolia Glyceria maxima Phalaris arundinacea Phragmites australis NVC Community Singly or in combination
10.3.3 Vegetation Mapping An initial identification of the plant communities present in a fen, with approximate mapping of the community boundaries, is crucial for identification of key species and informing the understanding of physical mechanisms affecting a site. This is usually based on a survey using the NVC methodology (Rodwell J. S. ed. 1991 – 2000). The NVC methodology is both rigorous (i.e. careful application of the method will yield consistent and reliable results) and robust (i.e. it is not sensitive to minor differences in technique). However, it is a plant community classification method, not a mapping or monitoring method. The recording method is based on selecting locations for quadrats that appear typical of the community that is being observed, well within the boundaries of that apparent community. A set of NVC quadrats can provide an almost complete species list for a defined area, which can be quickly completed by a check for other species outside the quadrats, using the DAFOR abundance scale. This can provide the basis for the qualitative monitoring of the community in that part of the site. Basic fen monitoring techniques Quadrats are square frames (usually 4 square metre (2x2m) on fens) used to sample vegetation. The presence of plant and moss species and their relative density or abundance is recorded within the quadrat. The location of the quadrat is described with a GPS, or marked with a post, so that the vegetation can be re-surveyed and described repeatedly at the same location in future to detect changes. Further information on quadrat methodology can be found in Ecological Census Techniques (Sutherland, 2006). Transects, or lines, are used to sample vegetation along a gradient or gradual change of the vegetation. The transect can be up to 100 m long or more, the length depending on the changes or gradient to be monitored. Vegetation is normally sampled with a quadrat at fixed intervals, say every 5 m, along the transect, or where tall vegetation (such as reed encroachment) or abiotic changes (such as change in slope, groundwater seepage zone) occur. The environment is also normally measured along the same transect so that changes in vegetation can be correlated to changes in the environment, and vice-versa. Advantages of vegetation community mapping and survey include: – The NVC methodology can provide a clear and rigorous description of the plant communities present on the site. – A set of well recorded NVC quadrats can provide useful species presence and abundance data for a defined location. – Where well-defined, boundaries between communities can be accurately mapped using appropriate techniques. – Two sets of data are generated; geographical data for the community extent and qualitative data for the community composition in a particular area of the site. – The data can be presented graphically, as readily comprehensible maps. – GIS mapping gives precise measurement of areas, allowing changes to be quantified. 221
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The Fen Management Handbook Edited
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Acknowledgements Production of the
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1. Introduction and Basic Principle
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Estimates of the original coverage
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Guiding principles for fen manageme
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Section 12: Fens from an Economic P
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2.1 Diversity and conservation sign
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Part of Cropple How Mire in Cumbria
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The moss flora of base-rich springs
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Bog bean growing in a transitional
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Mesotrophic openwater transition fe
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Water shrews (Neomys fodiens), also
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2.4.1 Vegetated margins of open wat
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2.4.3 Grazed or cut fen in floodpla
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2.6 Amphibians Amphibians are depen
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The mud snail Omphiscola glabra (12
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Old trees and dead wood Continuous
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Vascular plants Flat-sedge Blysmus
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3. Understanding Fen Hydrology Quan
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Groundwater discharge to fens is us
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Water Table 3.4.1.4 Spring fed fen
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3.5 Factors determining fen type 3.
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- Flooding - frequency and magnitud
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3.7 Further information and advice
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Groundwater inflow. Groundwater lev
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It is likely that groundwater disch
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Case Study 3.3 Hydro(geo)logical im
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4. Understanding Fen Nutrients Nutr
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nutrients. For example, at high con
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4.2.1 Groundwater and surface water
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4.2.3 Point and diffuse sources of
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Area of acute nutrient enrichment o
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4.4 Classifying water chemistry usi
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4.6 Identifying nutrient enrichment
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Negative indicator species for diff
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Many of the floristic changes which
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Case Study 4.1 Understanding Fen Nu
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5.1 Why do fens need management? In
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5.2 Checklist of key stages in deci
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5.3.3 Scale Although fens are linke
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5.4 Site survey to establish what i
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variability and how these relate to
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- The fauna which inhabit the fen c
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- Prioritise objectives to achieve
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inundation are less likely to be sp
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5.13 References Barsoum, N., Anders
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Case Study 5.2 Fen Management and R
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- 14km of livestock fencing install
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Case Study 5.3 Fen Management and R
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6. Fen Management and Restoration -
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Both the benefits and potentially l
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Cattle forced by flooding to the ed
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At low/medium stocking density, cat
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Goats have narrow muzzles and a fle
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Fens usually feature a range of dif
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Excessive poaching where cattle hav
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extensive areas of wetlands which w
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‘Soft track’ machines, such as
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The design of the pipeline allows f
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Protocol for burning standing reedb
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Long rotation scrub clearance may b
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‘Bird-eye’ and incineration A t
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6.7 Restoring fen meadow Many forme
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Current Management The current mana
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Case Study 6.2 Fen Vegetation Manag
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species diversity of wetland passer
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The temptation to burn large areas
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Outcomes In the eight years that th
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Anglesey sites is now underway supp
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Close grazed short sward of sedges
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Turf cutting Turf cutting has been
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7.1 A framework to assist decision
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Surface water level change e.g. - a
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and the surface to acidify, resulti
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Smaller excavations are preferable
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Morton Lochs, which extend to appro
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Although shallow excavations are pr
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At Leighton Moss in Lancashire, are
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Excavating spoil within the area to
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uilt dams can only be formed in dit
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Case Study 7.1 Fen Water Management
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Page 167 and 168: Case Study 7.4 Fen Water Management
Page 169 and 170: 8. Managing Fen Nutrient Enrichment
Page 171 and 172: Summary table of key techniques for
Page 173 and 174: 8.2 Managing the source of nutrient
Page 175 and 176: Marginal interceptor ditch at Cors
Page 177 and 178: 8.3.4 Bund creation In some cases i
Page 179 and 180: emoval or soil stripping, both of w
Page 181 and 182: 8.5 Monitoring nutrient reduction D
Page 183 and 184: Recent photo of stripped surface sh
Page 185 and 186: 9.1 Scope for fen creation The Grea
Page 187 and 188: 9.3 What type of fen? New fens can
Page 189 and 190: 9.5 Restraints on fen creation Plan
Page 191 and 192: 9.6 Check list of issues to conside
Page 193 and 194: 9.7 Site assessment Planning and de
Page 195 and 196: LIDAR maps can provide a general un
Page 197 and 198: generally more acidic than silts an
Page 199 and 200: Site visits and careful assessment
Page 201 and 202: 9.8.4 Plastic membranes On sites wi
Page 203 and 204: Use of seed bombs ‘Seed bombs’
Page 205 and 206: Experience has shown that the most
Page 207 and 208: 9.10.2 Creation of niches for plant
Page 209 and 210: Meade, R. & Wheeler, B.D. 2007. Rai
Page 211 and 212: - On-going measurement of the effec
Page 213 and 214: with appropriate training. Providin
Page 215 and 216: 10.3 Biological monitoring techniqu
Page 217: Undesirable species for key NVC com
Page 221 and 222: It is good practise to record with
Page 223 and 224: 10.4 Biological monitoring techniqu
Page 225 and 226: for Ornithology, the Bat Conservati
Page 227 and 228: Box 2: Construction, installation a
Page 229 and 230: 10.8 Monitoring surface water flows
Page 231 and 232: - Phytometric tests measure how wel
Page 233 and 234: Storage of data and information on
Page 235 and 236: period, simply because it is design
Page 237 and 238: Another consideration is the likely
Page 239 and 240: 11.1 An historical perspective Poll
Page 241 and 242: Inviting volunteer involvement in f
Page 243 and 244: 11.3.3 Stakeholders ‘Stakeholders
Page 245 and 246: have been designated under access a
Page 247 and 248: 11.6.4 Boardwalks Boardwalks are no
Page 249 and 250: 11.6.5 Water borne access Waterways
Page 251 and 252: - Explore opportunities to stimulat
Page 253 and 254: Case Study 11.1 Fens and people - S
Page 255 and 256: Case Study 11.2 Fens and People - H
Page 257 and 258: 12. Fens from an Economic Perspecti
Page 259 and 260: 12.1.3 Biomass energy and Biofuels
Page 261 and 262: 12.2 Environmental regulation 12.2.
Page 263 and 264: the peat carbon store is depleted t
Page 265 and 266: Another mechanism for funding wetla
Page 267 and 268: Whitlaw Mosses in Scotland (see det
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12.8 References Dickie, I., Hughes,
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Nitrogen fixation conversion of gas
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Appendix III - List of species refe
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Table 1 - Mammal species associated
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280 Bittern Botaurus stellaris All
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Grasshopper Warbler 282 Locustella
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Table 4 - Fish species associated w
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Table 5 - Legally protected inverte
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288 Community Topogenous fens S24 P
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290 Community S8 Scirpus lacustris
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292 Community M11 Carex demissa - S
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294 Community M23 Juncus effusus /
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Appendix V - Legal and regulatory c
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298 Type of Works Guidance for UK C
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Appendix VI - Fen management for br
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However, three of the four species
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Sensitive periods Harvest mice bree
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species like bittern, and then drop
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Sensitive periods Species breed wit
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Great Crested Newt Great crested ne
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Appendix VIII - Fen management for
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Mollusca (snails, slugs and mussels
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Other than for rare or exceptional
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There is usually some degree of sub
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Management requirements for protect
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Appendix IX - Further reading Secti
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Koerselman, W., Bakker, S.A. & Blom
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Section 5: Fen Management and Resto
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Patzelt, A, Wild, U. and Jörg Pfad
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Index A access 103, 110, 190, 226,
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cutting 114 disposal 117 management
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Fen Management Handbook - Scottish Natural Heritage

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