Report Cover Vol I - Clare County Library

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The County Clare Wetlands Survey Patrick Crushell & Peter Foss 2008 ___________________________________________________________ Rich fen and flush Alkaline (rich) fen is an Annex 1 habitat under the EU Habitats Directive. Saw sedge (Cladium mariscus) fen, a particular type of rich fen, is a priority habitat under the EU Habitats Directive. Rich fen and flush are peat forming wetlands that receive mineral nutrients from sources other than rainfall, usually groundwater or flowing surface waters that are at least mildly base-rich or calcareous, and are usually found over areas of limestone bedrock. The substratum is waterlogged peat and this usually has a high mineral content. Fens differ from bogs because they are less acidic and have relatively higher mineral levels. They are therefore able to support a much more diverse plant and animal community. They occur in a variety of situations including valleys or depressions, valley head fens, within transition mire and tall reed beds, on the landward side of hard-water oligotrophic lakeshore communities, calcium-rich flush areas in blanket bogs, dune slack areas, fens adjacent to raised and blanket bogs, in turlough sites, depressions in limestone pavement and wet hollows in machair, and spring fed habitats including cliffs, and even saltmarsh. Alkaline fen may also occur as a secondary regenerating habitat on mined out bog sites which have been excavated to the fen peat layer. Vegetation is typically dominated by Black Bog-rush (Schoenus nigricans) and/or small to medium Sedges (grass like plants). Rich fen and flush can be important for orchids. A well-developed layer of brown moss is also characteristic. Rich fen are also important habitats insects and for a number of rare snail species. Like most peatland types in Ireland, fens have declined in extent mostly as a result of activities such as peat mining, agricultural drainage, infilling, and fertiliser pollution and eutrophication. Only limited measures have been introduced to address these damaging activities, which are likely to have increased in severity since the 1990’s. The habitat is relatively widespread throughout the limestone region of the Burren. An example of the habitat has been reported from Ballycullinan Lake SAC. 31
The County Clare Wetlands Survey Patrick Crushell & Peter Foss 2008 ___________________________________________________________ Poor fen and flush Poor fen and flushes include peat-forming communities that are fed by groundwater or flowing surface waters that are acid. In most cases the substratum is acid peat which has a higher nutrient status than that of surrounding acid bogs. The vegetation of poor fens and flushes is typically dominated by sedges and extensive carpets of mosses, in particular, Sphagnum moss. Poor fens occur in a variety of situations including areas flushed by moving water in upland and lowland blanket bogs, flushed depressions in grassland areas, cutover bogs and wet heath areas. Like most peatland types in Ireland, poor fens have declined in extent mostly as a result of activities such as peat cutting and mining, afforestation, agricultural drainage, infilling, and fertiliser pollution and eutrophication. Present throughout many of the upland bog sites within the county such as Lough Acrow Bogs NHA. Transition mire and quaking bog Annex 1 habitat under the EU Habitats Directive. Transition mires and quaking bogs are peat-forming communities developed at the surface of waters with little or moderate amounts of nutrients, with characteristics intermediate between rich (alkaline) and poor (acidic) fen types. For this reason, they are considered as a separate habitat but they may occur within, or on the fringes of other peat-forming systems. They present a large and diverse range of plant communities. In large peaty systems, the most prominent communities are swaying swards, floating carpets or quaking mires formed by medium-sized or small Sedges, associated with Sphagnum or brown mosses. Transition mires and quaking bogs are usually associated with the wettest parts of a bog or fen and can be found in wet hollows, infilling depressions, or at the transition to areas of open water. The vegetation frequently forms a floating mat or surface scraw over saturated, spongy or quaking peat. Standing water may occur in pools or along seepage zones. The vegetation typically comprises species that are characteristic of bog, fen and open water habitats. In some cases the mire occupies a physically transitional location between bog and fen vegetation, for example on the margin of a raised bog, or may be associated with certain valley and basin mires. Like most peatland types in Ireland, transition mire have declined in extent mostly as a result of activities such as peat cutting and mining, afforestation, agricultural drainage and reclamation, infilling, and fertiliser pollution from adjacent farmland. Extensive patches of this habitat were recorded from the area around Oystermans Marsh NHA. 32
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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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