Fen Management Handbook - Scottish Natural Heritage

Negative indicator species for different fen community types (adapted from JNCC, 2004)
Species
Common reed
(Phragmites australis)
Reed canary-grass
(Phalaris arundinacea)
Reed sweet-grass
(Glyceria maxima)
Bulrush/reedmace
(Typha latifolia)
Great willowherb
(Epilobium hirsutum)
Common nettle
(Urtica dioica)
Rushes
(Juncus species)
Fen community (NVC) in which species can be considered a
likely indicator of enrichment
M4, M5, M6, M9, M10, M13, M14, M21, M22, M25, M29, S9, S10, S19, S20,
S12
M4, M5, M6, M9, M14, M21, M22, M25, M29, S9, S10, S19, S20, S12, S27
M4, M5, M6, M9, M14, M21, M22, M25, S9, S10, S19, S20, S12, S27
M4, M5, M6, M29, S9, S10, S19, S20
M4, M5, M6, M9, M14, M21, M22, M25, S27
M4, M5, M6, M9, M14, M21, M22, M25, M29, S4, S24, S25, S27
M4, M5
Flote-grass (Glyceria spp.) Any of the core oligo/meso-trophic fen communities.
Algal mats/blooms or
duckweed cover
All community types where standing open water occurs
Note: Algal mats are filamentous algae on the water surface, algal blooms are
planktonic algae within the water column
Nutrient inputs at
Whitecross Fen (Scotland)
are visible in the vegetation
as zones along the farmland
(in red) and directly under
the factory outflow (blue
arrow).
Detailed information on the nutrient (and water) requirements for different plant
species or vegetation communities can also be useful in understanding a fen’s
nutrient regime and enrichment status. The box below summarises some of the
key references in this respect. Using such information requires a more detailed
vegetation survey of the site, as the information requires the correct identification
of community types and/or plant species.
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