Scotland's Wildlife – an assessment of biodiversity in 20

6 Lowland and farmland ecosystems
6.1 Habitat extent
According to the Countryside Survey report for Scotland, published in 2009, nearly a
quarter of Scotland’s land area (24%) is arable & horticulture, improved or neutral
grassland. The three farmland habitats occur predominantly in the lowlands, where they
occupy 58% of the land area. Farming on the most nutrient-rich lowland soils can be as
intensive as anywhere in the UK.
Arable & horticulture broad habitat
Land under the arable & horticulture broad habitat covered 6.6% of Scotland in 2007.
The extent of arable and horticulture decreased by 13.6% between 1998 and 2007,
from 618,000ha to 534,000ha. The decrease was due mainly to conversion of arable to
improved grass (14%) and neutral grass (4%), and several other habitats (8%). Much of
the 2007 extent had been arable in 1998 (84%), the rest having been converted from
neutral grassland (4%) and improved grassland (12%), typical of the crop rotation cycle.
The interchange of gains and losses between habitats is illustrated in Figure 6.1.
Figure 6.1
Change in extent of arable & horticulture broad habitat between 1998 and 2007
Source: Countryside Survey 2007
Note: negative changes (losses) are scaled differently from positive changes (gains)
losses
84% unchanged
gains
4% neutral grass
12% improved grass
500000
400000
300000
200000
100000
0
-100000
-200000
area (ha)
The proportion of competitive species (tall perennials) increased. The proportion of
fast colonisers associated with disturbance (ruderals) and plants associated with
nutrient availability (fertility) decreased.
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