Vegetation as Site Indicator

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Garey Arnold
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1 Vegetation as Site Indicator

2 Vegetation as Site Indicator Presentation summary General plant ecology - why plants grow where they do How plants indicate fertility Tree and soil relationships with vegetation Vegetation Identification examples 2

3 Limiting Factors Vegetation as Site Indicator Every environmental factor has both minimum and maximum levels, beyond which a particular species cannot survive. E.g. No humans permanently above 5 km 3

4 Tolerance limits Vegetation as Site Indicator 4

5 Vegetation as Site Indicator Vegetation Studies Scientists have studied plant species survival strategies, e.g. stress tolerance, competitiveness and speed of colonisation Each species has been scored for environmental tolerances, e.g. Nitrogen, salt Species have been grouped by habitat preferences, e.g. NVC classification 5

6 Vegetation as Site Indicator Plant environmental limiting factors Temperature Water Nutrients Grazing Fire People Competition from other plants 6

7 Vegetation as Site Indicator Plants as Fertility indicators Plant species indicate fertility (and wetness) Tall herbs and annuals suggest RICH Small woody perennials suggest POOR Each species has a Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR) score Some species have wider range than others 7

8 Soil Moisture Regime (SMR) Vegetation as Site Indicator Moisture and Nutrient grid wavy hair-grass, common bent, bracken, common violet, great woodrush, slender St.John's wort, tormentil, devil's bit scabious Ellenberg SNR score Very Poor Poor Medium Rich Very Rich HUMUS MOR MOR - MODER MODER - MULL MULL MULL wood sage burdock Slightly Dry Fresh Moist cowberry, bellheather, heather blaeberry, heather, crowberry, greenribbed sedge Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR) wavy hair-grass, common bent, bracken, common violet, great woodrush, slender St.John's wort, tormentil, devil's bit scabious wood sorrel, scaly male fern, hard fern, heath bedstraw, heath woodrush raspberry, holly, greater stitchwort, cow-wheat, chickweed, broom, gorse, bracken, barren strawberry bramble, creeping soft-grass, broad buckler-fern, wood anemone, foxglove, honeysuckle, yorkshire fog, sweet vernal-grass bluebell (wild hyacinth), hazel, ivy, hawthorn, falsebrome, rosebay willowherb, germander speedwell, wood sedge, pignut, primrose, cocksfoot, red fescue, yarrow tufted hair-grass, male fern, herb robert elder, yellow archangel, wood spurge, common hemp-nettle, spear thistle, white clover, false oatgrass, hogweed dog's mercury, goosegrass (sticky willies), wild garlic, stinging nettle, hedge wound wort, ground ivy, wood avens, enchanter's nightshade, lesser celandine, red campion, wood speedwell, common horsetail, creeping thistle, rough meadow-grass Very Moist mat grass, heath rush compact rush, lady fern, yellow pimpernel, creeping buttercup, soft rush bugle, wild angelica Wet purple moor-grass, harestail cottongrass, cross leaved heath, deer grass, lousewort sharp flowered rush marsh thistle wood horsetail, common valarien, meadow sweet, golden saxifrage 8 Very Wet common cottongrass, bog myrtle marsh marigold ALL PLANTS MAYBE FOUND IN CONDITIONS ADJACENT TO THE CELL DISPLAYED N.B.: Plant names in 'red type' are amendments by Scott Wilson, to the published Bulletin 124 _

9 Very Wet Wet V. Moist Soil Moisture Regime (SMR) Moist Fresh Sl. Dry Vegetation as Site Indicator Moisture and Nutrient grid Each species has a different range across nutrient and wetness classes Bramble Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR) Very Poor Poor Medium Rich Very Rich Ellenberg SNR HUMUS MOR MOR - MODER MODER - MULL MULL MULL wood sage burdock cowberry, bellheather, heather blaeberry, heather, crowberry, green-ribbed sedge wavy hairgrass, common bent, bracken, common violet, great woodrush, slender St.John's wort, tormentil, devil's bit scabious wood sorrel, scaly male fern, hard fern, heath bedstraw, heath woodrush raspberry, holly, greater stitchwort, cowwheat, chickweed, broom, gorse, bracken, barren strawberry bramble, creeping softgrass, broad buckler-fern, wood anemone, foxglove, honeysuckle, yorkshire fog, sweet vernalgrass bluebell (wild hyacinth), hazel, ivy, hawthorn, false-brome, rosebay willowherb, germander speedwell, wood sedge, pignut, primrose, cocksfoot, red fescue, yarrow tufted hairgrass, male fern, herb robert elder, yellow archangel, wood spurge, common hempnettle, spear thistle, white clover, false oatgrass, hogweed dog's mercury, goosegrass (sticky willies), wild garlic, stinging nettle, hedge wound wort, ground ivy, wood avens, enchanter's nightshade, lesser celandine, red campion, wood speedwell, common horsetail, creeping thistle, rough meadow-grass So the SNR value is an average mat grass, heath rush purple moorgrass, harestail cotton-grass, cross leaved heath, deer grass, lousewort common cottongrass, bog myrtle compact rush, sharp flowered rush lady fern, yellow pimpernel, creeping buttercup, soft rush marsh thistle bugle, wild angelica wood horsetail, common valarien, meadow sweet, golden saxifrage marsh marigold 9 ALL PLANTS MAYBE FOUND IN CONDITIONS ADJACENT TO THE CELL DISPLAYED N.B.: Plant names in 'red type' are amendments by Scott Wilson, to the published Bulletin 124 _

10 Very Wet Wet V. Moist Soil Moisture Regime (SMR) Moist Fresh Sl. Dry Vegetation as Site Indicator Moisture and Nutrient grid Each species has a different range across nutrient and wetness classes Heather Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR) Very Poor Poor Medium Rich Very Rich Ellenberg SNR HUMUS MOR MOR - MODER MODER - MULL MULL MULL wood sage burdock cowberry, bellheather, heather blaeberry, heather, crowberry, green-ribbed sedge wavy hairgrass, common bent, bracken, common violet, great woodrush, slender St.John's wort, tormentil, devil's bit scabious wood sorrel, scaly male fern, hard fern, heath bedstraw, heath woodrush raspberry, holly, greater stitchwort, cowwheat, chickweed, broom, gorse, bracken, barren strawberry bramble, creeping softgrass, broad buckler-fern, wood anemone, foxglove, honeysuckle, yorkshire fog, sweet vernalgrass bluebell (wild hyacinth), hazel, ivy, hawthorn, false-brome, rosebay willowherb, germander speedwell, wood sedge, pignut, primrose, cocksfoot, red fescue, yarrow tufted hairgrass, male fern, herb robert elder, yellow archangel, wood spurge, common hempnettle, spear thistle, white clover, false oatgrass, hogweed dog's mercury, goosegrass (sticky willies), wild garlic, stinging nettle, hedge wound wort, ground ivy, wood avens, enchanter's nightshade, lesser celandine, red campion, wood speedwell, common horsetail, creeping thistle, rough meadow-grass So the SNR value is an average mat grass, heath rush purple moorgrass, harestail cotton-grass, cross leaved heath, deer grass, lousewort common cottongrass, bog myrtle compact rush, sharp flowered rush lady fern, yellow pimpernel, creeping buttercup, soft rush marsh thistle bugle, wild angelica wood horsetail, common valarien, meadow sweet, golden saxifrage marsh marigold 1 ALL PLANTS MAYBE FOUND IN CONDITIONS ADJACENT TO THE CELL DISPLAYED N.B.: Plant names in 'red type' are amendments by Scott Wilson, to the published Bulletin 124 _

11 Very Wet Wet V. Moist Soil Moisture Regime (SMR) Moist Fresh Sl. Dry Vegetation as Site Indicator 1 Moisture and Nutrient grid Each species has a different range across nutrient and wetness classes Bell Heather So the SNR value is an average Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR) Very Poor Poor Medium Rich Very Rich Ellenberg SNR HUMUS MOR MOR - MODER MODER - MULL MULL MULL wood sage burdock cowberry, bellheather, heather blaeberry, heather, crowberry, green-ribbed sedge mat grass, heath rush purple moorgrass, harestail cotton-grass, cross leaved heath, deer grass, lousewort common cottongrass, bog myrtle wavy hairgrass, common bent, bracken, common violet, great woodrush, slender St.John's wort, tormentil, devil's bit scabious wood sorrel, scaly male fern, hard fern, heath bedstraw, heath woodrush compact rush, sharp flowered rush raspberry, holly, greater stitchwort, cowwheat, chickweed, broom, gorse, bracken, barren strawberry bramble, creeping softgrass, broad buckler-fern, wood anemone, foxglove, honeysuckle, yorkshire fog, sweet vernalgrass lady fern, yellow pimpernel, creeping buttercup, soft rush marsh thistle bluebell (wild hyacinth), hazel, ivy, hawthorn, false-brome, rosebay willowherb, germander speedwell, wood sedge, pignut, primrose, cocksfoot, red fescue, yarrow tufted hairgrass, male fern, herb robert bugle, wild angelica wood horsetail, common valarien, meadow sweet, golden saxifrage marsh marigold ALL PLANTS MAYBE FOUND IN CONDITIONS ADJACENT TO THE CELL DISPLAYED elder, yellow archangel, wood spurge, common hempnettle, spear thistle, white clover, false oatgrass, hogweed dog's mercury, goosegrass (sticky willies), wild garlic, stinging nettle, hedge wound wort, ground ivy, wood avens, enchanter's nightshade, lesser celandine, red campion, wood speedwell, common horsetail, creeping thistle, rough meadow-grass N.B.: Plant names in 'red type' are amendments by Scott Wilson, to the published Bulletin 124 _

12 Vegetation as Site Indicator Some species are more specialist indicators than others 1

13 Very Wet Wet V. Moist Soil Moisture Regime (SMR) Moist Fresh Sl. Dry Vegetation as Site Indicator Each species has a different footprint Range may vary on conditions Species overlap wavy hairgrass, common bent, bracken, common violet, great woodrush, slender St.John's wort tormentil, devil's bit scabious, SNR must be estimated from presence and abundance of several characteristic species Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR) Very Poor Poor Medium Rich Very Rich Ellenberg SNR HUMUS MOR MOR - MODER MODER - MULL MULL MULL wood sage burdock cowberry, bellheather, heather blaeberry, heather, crowberry, green-ribbed sedge mat grass, heath rush purple moorgrass, harestail cotton-grass, cross leaved heath, deer grass, lousewort common cottongrass, bog myrtle wavy hairgrass, common bent, bracken, common violet, great woodrush, slender St.John's wort, tormentil, devil's bit scabious wood sorrel, scaly male fern, hard fern, heath bedstraw, heath woodrush compact rush, sharp flowered rush raspberry, holly, greater stitchwort, cowwheat, chickweed, broom, gorse, bracken, barren strawberry bramble, creeping softgrass, broad buckler-fern, wood anemone, foxglove, honeysuckle, yorkshire fog, sweet vernalgrass lady fern, yellow pimpernel, creeping buttercup, soft rush marsh thistle bluebell (wild hyacinth), hazel, ivy, hawthorn, false-brome, rosebay willowherb, germander speedwell, wood sedge, pignut, primrose, cocksfoot, red fescue, yarrow tufted hairgrass, male fern, herb robert bugle, wild angelica wood horsetail, common valarien, meadow sweet, golden saxifrage marsh marigold ALL PLANTS MAYBE FOUND IN CONDITIONS ADJACENT TO THE CELL DISPLAYED elder, yellow archangel, wood spurge, common hempnettle, spear thistle, white clover, false oatgrass, hogweed dog's mercury, goosegrass (sticky willies), wild garlic, stinging nettle, hedge wound wort, ground ivy, wood avens, enchanter's nightshade, lesser celandine, red campion, wood speedwell, common horsetail, creeping thistle, rough meadow-grass N.B.: Plant names in 'red type' are amendments by Scott Wilson, to the published Bulletin 124 _

14 Vegetation as Site Indicator Working out SNR - Numerical Method species abundance [%] SNR value product tufted hair grass wavy hair grass 50 (5) 30 (3) x 9 5 = soft rush 10 (1) 8 8 sum 90 (9) 68 use the 5 most abundant species 1 weighted average SNR = 68 / 9 = 7.5 poor - medium

15 Very Wet Wet V. Moist Soil Moisture Regime (SMR) Moist Fresh Sl. Dry Vegetation as Site Indicator Working out SNR - Shortcut Method Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR) Very Poor Poor Medium Rich Very Rich Ellenberg SNR HUMUS MOR MOR - MODER MODER - MULL MULL MULL wood sage burdock wavy hair grass tufted hair grass soft rush cowberry, bellheather, heather blaeberry, heather, crowberry, green-ribbed sedge wavy hairgrass, common bent, bracken, common violet, great woodrush, slender St.John's wort, tormentil, devil's bit scabious wood sorrel, scaly male fern, hard fern, heath bedstraw, heath woodrush raspberry, holly, greater stitchwort, cowwheat, chickweed, broom, gorse, bracken, barren strawberry bramble, creeping softgrass, broad buckler-fern, wood anemone, foxglove, honeysuckle, yorkshire fog, sweet vernalgrass bluebell (wild hyacinth), hazel, ivy, hawthorn, false-brome, rosebay willowherb, germander speedwell, wood sedge, pignut, primrose, cocksfoot, red fescue, yarrow tufted hairgrass, male fern, herb robert elder, yellow archangel, wood spurge, common hempnettle, spear thistle, white clover, false oatgrass, hogweed dog's mercury, goosegrass (sticky willies), wild garlic, stinging nettle, hedge wound wort, ground ivy, wood avens, enchanter's nightshade, lesser celandine, red campion, wood speedwell, common horsetail, creeping thistle, rough meadow-grass medium moist use the 5 most abundant species consider abundance of species mat grass, heath rush purple moorgrass, harestail cotton-grass, cross leaved heath, deer grass, lousewort common cottongrass, bog myrtle compact rush, sharp flowered rush lady fern, yellow pimpernel, creeping buttercup, soft rush marsh thistle bugle, wild angelica wood horsetail, common valarien, meadow sweet, golden saxifrage marsh marigold ALL PLANTS MAYBE FOUND IN CONDITIONS ADJACENT TO THE CELL DISPLAYED N.B.: Plant names in 'red type' are amendments by Scott Wilson, to the published Bulletin 124 _

16 Juncus sp. (rushes) Rough peatland species distribution flushed unflushed wet unflushed dry 8 9a 9b 9c 9d 9e 10 11b (11d) 11c 11a Calluna vulgaris (heather) / Vaccinium myrtillus (blaeberry) Molinia caerulea (purple moor grass) Erica tetralix (heath) Trichophorum cespitosum (deergrass) Agrostis sp. (bents) Eriophorum sp. (cotton grass) Narthecium and Rhacomitrum lichens

17 ESC Nutrient indicator plants SNR Taxonomic name R N 2 Rubus chamaemorus 1 1 Betula nana 1 1 Empetrum nigrum 2 1 Erica tetralix Eriophorum vaginatum 2 1 Trichophorum cespitosum 2 1 Drosera intermedia & rotundifolia 2 1 Narthecium ossifragum 2 1 Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 2 2 Erica cinerea 2 2 Vaccinium vitis-idaea 2 2 Calluna vulgaris 2 2 Listera cordata 2 2 Vaccinium myrtillus 2 2 Juncus squarrosus 2 2 Purple - Heaths 1

18 SNR Taxonomic name R N 5 ESC Nutrient indicator plants Moneses uniflora 4 1 Eriophorum angustifolium 4 1 Goodyera repens 3 2 Poa flexuosa 3 2 Salix herbacea 3 2 Agrostis vinealis 3 2 Carex binervis 3 2 Festuca vivipara 3 2 Nardus stricta 3 2 Potentilla erecta 3 2 Molinia caerulea 3 2 Pedicularis sylvatica 3 2 Myrica gale 3 2 Deschampsia flexuosa 2 3 Melampyrum pratense 2 3 Blue Grasses (Phosphate) 1

19 Vegetation Identification Vegetation identification - Families Plants are grouped into families by general features, e.g.: All grasses have hollow stems All sedges have triangular stems Rushes have solid or pithy stems 1

20 Vegetation Identification Vegetation Identification - Species Every individual plant species has unique features Some are easier to spot than others 2

21 Vegetation Identification Deschampsia cespitosa - Tufted hair grass Very tall, loose seed head 2

22 Vegetation Identification Deschampsia cespitosa - Tufted hair grass Very tall, loose seed head Forms a large tussock 2

23 Vegetation Identification Deschampsia cespitosa - Tufted hair grass Very tall, loose seed head Forms a large tussock Leaves are striped when held to the light (are rough in one direction only) 2

24 Vegetation Identification Deschampsia cespitosa - Tufted hair grass SNR values for all indicator species can be found in FC bulletin 124, p. 22/23. Add columns N and R for total value! Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR) Very Poor Poor Medium Rich Very Rich

25 Vegetation Identification Molinia caerulea - Purple moor grass Thin seed head Forms a hard tussock Leaves persist over the winter 2

26 Vegetation Identification Molinia caerulea - Purple moor grass Thin seed head Forms a hard tussock Leaves persist over the winter Root base is bulbous 2

27 Vegetation Identification Molinia caerulea - Purple moor grass Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR) Very Poor Poor Medium Rich Very Rich

28 Vegetation Identification Erica tetralix - Cross-leaved heath Dwarf shrub Woody stems Waxy coating on leaves 2

29 Vegetation Identification Erica tetralix - Cross-leaved heath Dwarf shrub Woody stems Waxy coating on leaves Leaflets form a cross shape on the stem 2

30 Vegetation Identification Erica tetralix - Cross-leaved heath Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR) Very Poor Poor Medium Rich Very Rich

31 Vegetation Identification Tree - Vegetation associations Purple moor grass - Downy birch, Sitka spruce Heather - Scots pine, Silver birch Nettle - Alder Dogs Mercury - Ash And many more. 3

32 Vegetation Identification Mineral Soil - Vegetation associations Brown earths - Grasses, herbs and ferns Podzols - Heather and fine grasses Peaty gleys - Purple moor grass Surface-water gley - Tufted hair-grass 3

33 Vegetation Identification General Vegetation sampling Select an area of similar uniform vegetation Pick some representative sampling areas Split the vegetation into layers Identify every species possible Estimate the relative abundance (%) 3

34 Vegetation as Site Indicator Plants indicate fertility Summary Trees and soils have relationships with other vegetation Learn your plant ID You must go and L K 3

ESC WOODLAND SPECIES GUIDE

ESC WOODLAND SPECIES GUIDE This booklet aims to be an easy to use guide for anyone identifying common indicator species in the UK, whether it is solely for interest or for land management purposes. Designed