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The County Clare Wetlands Survey Patrick Crushell & Peter Foss 2008 ___________________________________________________________ Non-Calcareous springs Non-calcareous springs that are irrigated and kept permanently moist by acidic to neutral water that is base-poor and typically oligotrophic. They may be associated with skeletal mineral or peaty soils. Vegetation is typically dominated by mosses and a few higher plant species. Non-Calcareous Springs occur in lowland and upland areas, are often very limited in extent and may be associated with a variety of different habitats such as woodland, heathland, grassland, bogs, wet clay banks or gravel deposits or on exposed bare rock. As these spring sites are often small in extent they are threatened by a range of land reclamation, turf cutting, afforestation and drainage activities, which can rapidly degrade their structure and function. Damage to this habitat type is likely to have increased in severity since the 1990’s. To date this habitat type has not been reported from County Clare although it is likely to occur in the non-limestone region of the county. Reed and large sedge swamps Swamps are commonly found around lakes, on slow flowing river banks and estuaries. They are usually species-poor stands of vegetation that are dominated by Reeds and other large grasses or large, tussock-forming Sedges. Most reed and large sedge swamps are overwhelmingly dominated by one or a small number of species, as in the case of reed beds. Stands of vegetation can range from very dense to open. Unlike tall-herb swamps below, in reed and large sedge swamp the broad-leaved herb component is a minor element in the vegetation. Swamps support a number of EU protected species including Otter, Sedge Warbler, Water Rail, Moorhen and other water fowl. The principal threats to this habitat include nutrient enrichment and damage arising from agricultural practices (overgrazing, mowing and drainage), human developments around lakes and utilization of lakes for increased sport and leisure activities. Examples of this habitat are evident throughout Clare, an example of the habitat can be seen within Oysterman's Marsh NHA. 25
The County Clare Wetlands Survey Patrick Crushell & Peter Foss 2008 ___________________________________________________________ Tall herb swamps Annex 1 habitat under the EU Habitats Directive. Tall-herb swamps are comparatively species-rich stands of vegetation dominated by herbs that occur in wet areas where the water table is above the ground surface for most of the year, or where water levels fluctuate regularly as in the case of tidal sections of rivers. Tall herb swamps are not dominated by reeds. Swamps support a number of EU protected species including Otter, Reed Warbler, Water Rail, Moorhen and other water fowl. The principal threats to this habitat include nutrient enrichment and damage arising from agricultural practices (overgrazing, mowing and drainage), human developments around lakes and utilization of lakes for increased sport and leisure activities. Reported from area adjacent to Clonlea Lough, County Clare by Tubridy (2006). Wet grassland Annex 1 habitat under the EU Habitats Directive. Rushy fields or wet grassland can be found on flat or sloping ground in upland and lowland areas. It occurs on wet or waterlogged mineral or organic soils that are poorly-drained or, in some cases, subjected to seasonal or periodic flooding. On sloping ground, wet grassland is mainly confined to clay-rich gleys and loams, or peaty soils that are wet but not waterlogged. Wet grassland occurs on areas of poorly-drained farmland that have not recently been improved, seasonally flooded alluvial grasslands such as the River Shannon callows, and wet grasslands of turlough basins. Agricultural intensification over the past century, drainage, increased fertilisation and more recently, abandonment of pastoral systems, which contributes to rank vegetation and scrub encroachment, all lead to the loss of some typical flora and to a reduction in the area of the habitat nationally. Common throughout Clare, can be seen throughout the lowlands of the county. 26
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Fossitt Classification Level Fossit
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Fossitt Classification Level Fossit
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Appendix 8. The County Clare Wetlan
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Report Cover Vol I - Clare County Library

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