A survey of the vegetation of Ben Nevis - Scottish Natural Heritage

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 090 (ROAME No. F02LD01) woodland floor with its fragrant violet-blue flowers in spring. In some examples there is much Pteridium aquilinum. There are mats and patches of bryophytes, in which the most common species are Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Thuidium tamariscinum, Scleropodium purum, Hylocomium splendens, H. brevirostre, Hypnum cupressiforme, Polytrichum formosum and Mnium hornum. W11 Quercus petraea-Betula pubescens-Oxalis acetosella woodland, not classified to any sub-community Most of this woodland has a canopy of alder. For this reason, combined with the riverside habitat, one might expect it to be Alnus-Fraxinus-Lysimachia woodland (W7). However, the grassy ground layer is clearly of the W11 type, showing that the soils are drier and more acidic than in W7. This is why the woodland is classed as W11 rather than W7. In some places there is birch Betula pubescens in the canopy, and a shrub layer of hawthorn and willow. The ground layer has a lush sward of Anthoxanthum odoratum, Agrostis capillaris and Holcus mollis, among which are scattered plants of Potentilla erecta, Oxalis acetosella, Conopodium majus, Viola riviniana and V. palustris. The mosses Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus and Thuidium tamariscinum are very common, but other bryophytes are very sparse. There are few or none of the characteristic species of any of the sub-communities, so the vegetation is classed to community level only. Even though it does not fit clearly into a sub-community, this type of species-poor W11 ground layer is common in upland Britain (Averis et al. 2004). At this site it forms a narrow strip of woodland along the banks of the River Nevis in the lower, western part of Glen Nevis at the south-western edge of the study area. W17a Quercus petraea-Betula pubescens-Dicranum majus woodland, Isothecium myosuroides- Diplophyllum albicans sub-community This is the most common type of woodland on steep, rocky, north-facing slopes, cliff ledges and ravine sides in the study area. It is extensive on the north-facing slopes of Glen Nevis and in the north of the study area. There are only a few small patches on the south-facing slopes of Glen Nevis. It is a heathy, bryophyte-rich woodland of steep, rocky slopes with well-drained soils and has a canopy of birch Betula pubescens, oak Quercus petraea and rowan Sorbus aucuparia. The most noticeable thing about this type of woodland is the almost unbelievable profusion of bryophytes. They cover almost every available surface – rocks, soil, fallen logs, the bases, trunks and branches of the living trees – with thick green swathes and swags. The most common species are Isothecium myosuroides, Hypnum jutlandicum, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Hylocomium splendens, Sphagnum quinquefarium and the liverworts Diplophyllum albicans and Frullania tamarisci. The western liverworts Plagiochila spinulosa, Mylia taylorii and Scapania gracilis grow in large, conspicuous, ochre-gold hummocks and patches, and there is an array of scarcer, more exacting oceanic species such as Saccogyna viticulosa, Bazzania tricrenata, Anastrepta orcadensis, Herbertus aduncus, Pleurozia purpurea, Mastigophora woodsii, Plagiochila punctata, Lepidozia pearsonii and Anastrepta orcadensis. The more montane oceanic liverworts Bazzania pearsonii, Plagiochila carringtonii, Scapania ornithopodioides and Mastigophora woodsii grow in this type of vegetation on the north-facing slopes near Steall waterfall in upper Glen Nevis. The oceanic filmy fern Hymenophyllum wilsonii is common in W17a, growing in glistening green, lacy-leaved cascades among the mats of mosses and liverworts as if it was a bryophyte itself. There is a sparse sprinkling of vascular plants such as Calluna vulgaris, Vaccinium myrtillus, Deschampsia flexuosa, Agrostis canina and Oxalis acetosella. 14
Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 090 (ROAME No. F02LD01) W17b Quercus petraea-Betula pubescens-Dicranum majus woodland, Typical sub-community This type of heathy, mossy woodland occurs on well-drained rocky slopes in Glen Nevis and on the wooded crags in the north of the study area. It has a canopy of birch Betula pubescens and rowan Sorbus aucuparia over a vigorous sward of Vaccinium myrtillus or Calluna vulgaris or both. The shrub layer is spiked through by grasses such as Deschampsia flexuosa and Anthoxanthum odoratum, and speckled with Potentilla erecta, Melampyrum pratense, Dryopteris dilatata and Pteridium aquilinum. There is a mossy ground-layer of species such as Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum jutlandicum, Pleurozium schreberi, Thuidium tamariscinum and Sphagnum quinquefarium. W17c Quercus petraea-Betula pubescens-Dicranum majus woodland, Anthoxanthum odoratum- Agrostis capillaris sub-community A grassy, bryophyte-rich woodland, W17c is common on the slopes of Meall an t-Suidhe, on the slopes of Glen Nevis and on the steep north-facing slopes in the north of the study area. The canopy is of birch Betula pubescens and rowan Sorbus aucuparia. Under this is a thin sward of Deschampsia flexuosa, Agrostis canina, Anthoxanthum odoratum and Luzula multiflora and a scattering of herbs such as Blechnum spicant, Galium saxatile, Potentilla erecta, Viola riviniana and Oxalis acetosella. Around these plants are deep, almost continuous carpets of bryophytes made up of Hylocomium splendens, H. brevirostre, Hypnum jutlandicum, Thuidium tamariscinum, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Pleurozium schreberi, Dicranum scoparium and Sphagnum quinquefarium. W18d Pinus sylvestris-Hylocomium splendens woodland, Sphagnum capillifolium/quinquefarium- Erica tetralix sub-community There are several patches of this type of damp pine woodland on the south side of the river in Glen Nevis. It occurs in open groves of tall, stately, red-stemmed trees, with broad spreading canopies of dark green needles. Locally there is an understorey of birch and rowan. The trees grow in a tall and tussocky sward of Molinia caerulea interleaved with Deschampsia flexuosa and Potentilla erecta, and sprigged with Vaccinium myrtillus. There are green tufts of Blechnum spicant and a speckling of Pteridium aquilinum. There is a great array of bryophytes including Sphagnum capillifolium, S. palustre, S. quinquefarium, Hypnum jutlandicum, Hylocomium splendens, Rhytidiadelphus loreus and Diplophyllum albicans. In some places Sphagnum spp. are scarce or even absent, marking a slight transition towards the drier Vaccinium myrtillus-V. vitis-idaea sub-community W18b. W18e Pinus sylvestris-Hylocomium splendens woodland, Scapania gracilis sub-community This is also a damp pine woodland with an open canopy of Scots pine Pinus sylvestris, birch Betula pubescens and rowan Sorbus aucuparia growing in a ground layer of Molinia caerulea and Vaccinium myrtillus. Here, however, the carpet of bryophytes such as Sphagnum quinquefarium, Hypnum jutlandicum, Hylocomium splendens, Plagiothecium undulatum and Pleurozium schreberi is enriched with oceanic or western species such as Mylia taylorii, Bazzania tricrenata, Plagiochila spinulosa, Herbertus aduncus, Pleurozia purpurea and the fern Hymenophyllum wilsonii. This more oceanic type of vegetation is less widespread than the Sphagnum-Erica sub-community and is confined to small pockets of steep, rocky ground on the north-facing side of Glen Nevis. 15
Page 1: COMMISSIONED REPORT This report sho
Page 5: Acknowledgements Scottish Natural H
Page 8 and 9: Scottish Natural Heritage Commissio
Page 10 and 11: Meall Cumhann and the eastern slope
Page 12 and 13: 2 BACKGROUND STUDY This section giv
Page 14 and 15: 2.2 Flora Scottish Natural Heritage
Page 18 and 19: 3 SURVEY METHODS We did the fieldwo
Page 68 and 69: layer under the dense sward of tall
Page 70 and 71: There is a distinguished lichen flo
Page 72 and 73:
Table 3 (continued) Scottish Natura
Page 74 and 75:
5 EVALUATION Scottish Natural Herit
Page 76 and 77:
Scottish Natural Heritage Commissio
Page 78 and 79:
Page 80 and 81:
Page 82 and 83:
Page 84 and 85:
Page 86 and 87:
Page 88 and 89:
5.2.3 Vegetation types of special i
Page 90 and 91:
Page 92 and 93:
Page 94 and 95:
5.2.3.1 Qualifying EC Habitats Dire
Page 96 and 97:
Page 98 and 99:
Page 100 and 101:
5.2.3.2 Non-qualifying EC Annex I H
Page 102 and 103:
5.3 Flora Scottish Natural Heritage
Page 104 and 105:
Vascular plants Scottish Natural He
Page 106 and 107:
Page 108 and 109:
Page 110 and 111:
Table 10 (continued) Scottish Natur
Page 112 and 113:
Table 10 (continued) Scottish Natur
Page 114 and 115:
Page 116 and 117:
Page 118 and 119:
Page 120 and 121:
trunks of the trees in richly-colou
Page 122 and 123:
Page 124 and 125:
Page 126 and 127:
Page 128 and 129:
References Scottish Natural Heritag
Page 130 and 131:
Page 132 and 133:
W4b Betula pubescens-Molinia caerul
Page 134 and 135:
W4c Betula pubescens-Molinia caerul
Page 136 and 137:
W7c (continued) Scottish Natural He
Page 138 and 139:
W9b (continued) Scottish Natural He
Page 140 and 141:
W11b Quercus petraea-Betula pubesce
Page 142 and 143:
W11 Quercus petraea-Betula pubescen
Page 144 and 145:
W17a Quercus petraea-Betula pubesce
Page 146 and 147:
W17b Quercus petraea-Betula pubesce
Page 148 and 149:
W18d Pinus sylvestris-Hylocomium sp
Page 150 and 151:
W18e Pinus sylvestris-Hylocomium sp
Page 152 and 153:
Page 154 and 155:
Page 156 and 157:
Page 158 and 159:
Page 160 and 161:
Page 162 and 163:
Page 164 and 165:
Page 166 and 167:
Page 168 and 169:
Page 170 and 171:
H20c (continued) Scottish Natural H
Page 172 and 173:
Page 174 and 175:
Page 176 and 177:
Page 178 and 179:
Page 180 and 181:
Page 182 and 183:
Page 184 and 185:
Page 186 and 187:
Page 188 and 189:
Page 190 and 191:
Page 192 and 193:
M12 (continued) Scottish Natural He
Page 194 and 195:
W15a (continued) Scottish Natural H
Page 196 and 197:
Page 198 and 199:
Page 200 and 201:
Page 202 and 203:
Page 204 and 205:
Page 206 and 207:
Page 208 and 209:
Page 210 and 211:
Page 212 and 213:
Page 214 and 215:
Page 216 and 217:
Page 218 and 219:
CG10c (continued) Scottish Natural
Page 220 and 221:
Page 222 and 223:
Page 224 and 225:
Page 226 and 227:
Page 228 and 229:
Page 230 and 231:
Page 232 and 233:
Page 234 and 235:
Page 236 and 237:
Page 238 and 239:
Page 240 and 241:
Page 242 and 243:
Page 244 and 245:
Page 246 and 247:
Page 248 and 249:
Page 250 and 251:
Page 252 and 253:
Page 254 and 255:
W12a (continued) Scottish Natural H
Page 256 and 257:
U12b (continued) Scottish Natural H
Page 258 and 259:
Page 260 and 261:
Page 262 and 263:
Page 264 and 265:
Page 266 and 267:
Page 268 and 269:
Page 270 and 271:
U17b (continued) Scottish Natural H
Page 272 and 273:
U17c (continued) Scottish Natural H
Page 274 and 275:
Page 276 and 277:
Page 278 and 279:
Page 280 and 281:
Fell-field Scottish Natural Heritag
Page 282 and 283:
Page 284 and 285:
Page 286 and 287:
Page 288 and 289:
Page 290 and 291:
Page 292 and 293:
Page 294 and 295:
Page 296 and 297:
Page 298 and 299:
Page 300 and 301:
Page 302 and 303:
Page 304 and 305:
Page 306 and 307:
Page 308 and 309:
Page 310 and 311:
Page 312 and 313:
Page 314 and 315:
Page 316 and 317:
Page 318 and 319:
Page 320 and 321:
Page 322 and 323:
Page 324 and 325:
Page 326 and 327:
Page 328 and 329:
Page 330 and 331:
Page 333 and 334:
Page 335 and 336:
Page 337 and 338:
Page 339 and 340:
Page 341 and 342:
Page 343 and 344:
Page 345 and 346:
Page 347 and 348:
Page 349 and 350:
Page 351 and 352:
Page 353 and 354:
Page 355 and 356:
Page 357 and 358:
show all

A survey of the vegetation of Ben Nevis - Scottish Natural Heritage

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?