Survey for Planning Application at Varteg, Torfaen, S. Wales Watsonian vice-county 35 – Monmouthshire; NGR: c. SO 26 06

J.C.E. Hope 23.viii.2005

Summary The site of the planning application at Varteg was surveyed for , resulting in a total of 96 taxa being recorded. Eight of these are classified as Nationally Scarce in the British Isles but these, as well as all other taxa recorded have been given a conservation evaluation of ‘Least Concern’. None of the species found have ‘International Responsibility’ status or are indicative of high-quality lichen habitats (e.g. ‘ancient woodland’ species). The most significant habitats found on the site were: built structures, small trees, soil in heathy vegetation, stones and small boulders, and worked timber. Eight taxa have been recorded new to Monmouthshire; however it seems likely that this is largely due to a paucity of prior recording effort in the vice-county. Additionally, one lichen found at the site has not been identified as belonging to any known species and probably represents an undescribed species; nevertheless, it is thought unlikely to be of high conservation importance. On the evidence of the survey results, the site is not of national importance for lichens and it is unlikely to be of regional or local importance, although lack of recording from similar habitats in the area makes the regional and local status difficult to gauge with certainty.

Introduction The survey reported on here was commissioned by the Glamorgan Power Company in respect of a planning application relating to a site at Varteg, Torfaen, South Wales. The application is for housing development and reclamation of old spoil heaps from coal mining activities. The purpose of the survey is to generate a list of lichen taxa present on the site, and thus to report on the conservation importance of the site for lichens. No previous lichenological fieldwork is known to have been undertaken on the site.

Methods The site was visited on the 4th of July 2005. The weather was generally fine with occasional light showers. The survey was of a simple ‘walk about’ style, involving visual search for habitats and substrates of potential interest, followed by detailed scrutiny of these features for lichens. In most cases, material could be identified in the field using a hand lens (and occasionally spot-test chemicals: C = aqueous solution of NaClO as contained in domestic bleach; K = aqueous solution of NaOH). Where necessary, small specimens of lichen were collected for microscopical examination. It should be appreciated that, due to the small size of the organisms, a survey such as this can never be expected to pick up a complete or exhaustive list of species present. However, by judicious targeting of habitats for inspection, it is hoped that the majority of species will be found, and a good impression of the lichenological interest of the site gained.

Access to the site was gained via a gate near the southernmost point on the boundary at SO 2638 0568 and the route taken enabled all parts of the site to be seen. The locations of particular features of interest were measured using a Garmin handheld Global Positioning Unit (GPS) unit.

For the purposes of recording, the site was divided into 5 areas, numbered 1-5 (roughly in chronological order of first visit).

Area 1 The part of site east of 326000 E and south of 206300 N but excluding Area 2, as defined below. Area 2 The area occupied by the deposit mounds and the heathy vegetation that has colonised them, centred on c. SO 2610 0590. Area 3 The whole part of the site lying west of 326000 E Area 4 The whole part of the site lying north of 206300 N Area 5 The area of planned housing development, approximately bounded by 326410 E, 326550 E, 205840 N and 206100 N.

Lichen nomenclature follows the most recent British Lichen Society checklist (Coppins, 2002).

Results An annotated list of lichens found at the site is presented in Table 1. Separate lists for each area, giving grid references for each record, are given in Table 2. The survey has yielded 96 named lichen taxa as well as one lichen, not recognised as belonging to any known species, that probably represents an undescribed species in the Psoroglaena.

The most significant habitats found on the site were: built structures (old buildings, walls and tracks), lignum of wooden fenceposts and upended railway sleepers (used as gateposts), soil in heathy vegetation, stones and small boulders (some naturally occurring, others probably deposited by people), and small trees—mainly hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) and elder ( nigra). One birch tree (Betula sp.) was examined but was found to be virtually devoid of lichens. Most of the ground is covered by grassy vegetation, which presents few niches for lichens to grow in, so the habitat features mentioned above support almost the lichens on the site.

Conservation Evaluation Of the 96 taxa recorded in the survey, eight are classified as Nationally Scarce in the British Isles (i.e. recorded from 16–100 hectads in the British Isles, as of 2002); no taxa of Nationally Rare status were found. All taxa recorded have a conservation evaluation status of ‘Least Concern’ (see Woods and Coppins, 2002), with the exception of the unnamed Psoroglaena. None of the species found have ‘International Responsibility’ status (see Woods and Coppins, 2002). or are particularly indicative of high-quality lichen habitats (e.g. ‘ancient woodland’ species; see Coppins and Coppins, 2002). Eight of the named taxa have been recorded as new to Monmouthshire; however it seems likely that this is largely due to a paucity of prior recording effort in the vice-county. For example, one of these species is Peltigera membranacea which is very common throughout most of Britain in damp grasslands or woods; another is Xanthoria ucrainica – also a common species but currently under-recorded, having being separated from X. candelaria only recently. Some of the Nationally Scarce taxa are likely to be under-recorded generally; for example the Bacidia species are inconspicuous and require microscopic examination. They may be reasonably typical of urban and post-industrial sites, which tend to be neglected by lichenologists. Two of the species, Fellhanera bouteillei and ulophylla are reported to be increasing. It seems likely that few if any of the Nationally Scarce species are as restricted as their current known distributions indicate.

In terms of lichen habitats present, none can be considered exceptional. The rock exposure is of very limited extent except for the deposit mounds, which are probably not stable enough to support diverse lichen communities. It is likely that if left, these deposit mounds would be colonised by vascular plants before good saxicolous communities could develop. The trees are rather young to support noteworthy epiphytic communities, and their potential is limited by the lack of old trees and woodland in the vicinity and by legacy effects of industrial pollution. This last effect is evident from the abundance of Lecanora conizaeoides on much of the exposed lignum. Recent decades have seen a significant amelioration in atmospheric sulphur dioxide levels across much of Britain (e.g. Bates et al., 2001)– local evidence of this at Varteg can be seen in the small quantity of the relatively sensitive species and Usnea subfloridana present (see Hawksworth and Rose, 1970). Nevertheless, it is likely that much of post-industrial South Wales is still impoverished, especially of the most sensitive species, and it may be many decades or centuries before epiphytic communities of a ‘natural character’ can develop.

The site can be considered to be not of national importance, on account of the lack of threatened species or quality habitats. The regional and local importance of the site is more difficult to gauge because of limited information on comparable sites in the area. Based on very general impressions of the habitats on the site and the surrounding area it seems likely that most of the species present at Varteg will be present elsewhere in the vicinity; but of course this is impossible to say with certainty unless more field survey is carried out.

Recommendations and mitigation Because there are no species of conservation importance at this site, there are no particular recommendations or mitigating measures that could be considered essential. In general terms, the present lichen communities are a result of relatively undisturbed conditions for the habitat features present, as well as suppression of scrub growth by light grazing. Optimal management for the communities currently present would probably approximate to continuation of the current conditions. The planting of trees to create new woodland is a popular means of mitigation for new developments, but would be doubtfully beneficial in this case. More appropriate would be planting of very limited numbers of well-spaced trees in hedgerows or beside tracks—particularly as replacements for any that have to be removed as part of the works. Species choice would reflect the tree species already present on site, but could additionally include (Quercus robur/petraea) to provide habitat for a greater range of lichen species in the future. The best development of terricolous lichen communities is amongst the heathy vegetation colonising the deposit mounds; if possible, some of this vegetation should be retained or, failing this, recreated. Large boulders, if moved, should be reinstated in the same orientation as originally found.

Table 1 Annotated list of lichen taxa recorded from site of planning application at Varteg, Torfaen, South Wales. Watsonian vice-county 35 – Monmouthshire; NGR: c. SO 26 06

Annotations in Table Substrata: Cl = Calluna; Co = concrete or cement; Ct = Crataegus; L = lignum (worked timber); Sam = Sambucus; Sx = saxicolous (on rocks); T = terricolous (on soil); Ur = Urtica (dead stems); Ux = Ulex; Vm = Vaccinium myrtillus; -fp = fence post; -rs = railway sleeper. Conservation Evaluation (Cons. Eval.): LC = Least Concern Rarity: NS = Nationally Scarce (recorded from 16–100 hectads in the British Isles); blank cells denote taxa recorded from > 100 hectads. Location: The numbers 1–5 refer to the Areas 1–5 as defined in the Methods section

Taxa suffixed with an asterisk (*) are new records for vice-county 35 (Monmouthshire).

Data contained in the Cons. Eval. and Rarity columns are derived from Woods and Coppins (2002).

Species name Substrata Cons. Rarity Location Notes Eval. Acarospora fuscata Sx LC 4 Amandinea punctata L-rs LC 1 Anisomeridium polypori Ur,Sam LC 3,5 Aspicilia contorta subsp. contorta Sx,Co LC 1 Bacidia delicata Sx,Ur LC NS 3 Bacidia saxenii Ur LC NS 3 Bacidia viridescens * Sam LC NS 5 Baeomyces rufus Sx,T LC 5 Buellia aethalea Sx LC 1 Buellia ocellata Sx LC 1 Caloplaca citrina s. str. Sx-wall LC 1 Caloplaca crenulatella Co LC NS 1 1 Caloplaca flavescens Sx-wall LC 1 Caloplaca flavocitrina Ct,Sx-wall,Sx LC 1,5 Caloplaca holocarpa Sx LC 1 f. aurella Sx LC 5 Candelariella reflexa Sam LC 5 f. vitellina L-fp,T LC 1,3 Catillaria chalybeia var. chalybeia Sx LC 1 Cetraria aculeata T LC 3 Cladonia cervicornis subsp. verticillata * T LC 2,3 Cladonia chlorophaea T,Cl LC 1,2,3 2 Cladonia diversa T LC 2,3 Cladonia fimbriata L-rs LC 1 Cladonia floerkeana T LC 2,3 Cladonia furcata Sx,T LC 1,2,3 Cladonia humilis T LC 2,5 3 Species name Substrata Cons. Rarity Location Notes Eval. Cladonia portentosa T LC 2,3,5 Cladonia ramulosa T LC 2 Cladonia rangiformis Sx LC 3 Cladonia subulata T LC 2 Cladonia uncialis subsp. biuncialis T LC 2,3 Clauzadea monticola Sx LC 5 Collema tenax var. tenax Co,Sx LC 1 Dimerella pineti Vm LC 4 Diplotomma alboatrum Sx LC 1 Evernia prunastri L-rs,Sam LC 1,5 Fellhanera bouteillei * Sx LC NS 3 Flavoparmelia caperata Sam LC 5 Hypogymnia physodes L-rs,Sx,L-fp LC 1,3,4 Hypogymnia tubulosa Ct LC 1 Lecania cyrtella Sam LC 5 Lecanora albescens Sx,Sx-wall LC 1 Lecanora chlarotera L-rs,Ct LC 1 Lecanora conizaeoides L-fp,L-rs LC 1,4,5 Lecanora dispersa Co,L-rs,Sx LC 1,5 Lecanora expallens L-rs LC 1 Lecanora intricata Sx LC 3 Lecanora muralis L-rs,Co,Sx LC 1,3 L-rs,Sx LC 1,3 Lecanora soralifera Sx LC 1 Lecidella elaeochroma f. elaeochroma Sam LC 5 Lecidella scabra Sx LC 1 Lecidella stigmatea Sx LC 1 Lepraria incana s. str. Sx,T LC 1,5 Leptogium turgidum Sx LC 1,5 Melanelia fuliginosa subsp. fuliginosa Sx LC 4 Myxobilimbia sabuletorum Sx LC 5 4 Parmelia discordans Sx LC 4 Parmelia saxatilis Sx LC 1,3,4 Parmelia sulcata L-rs,Sx,Sam LC 1,3,5 Peltigera didactyla Sx LC 1 Peltigera hymenina T,Sx LC 2,3,5 Peltigera membranacea * T LC 3 Phaeophyscia orbicularis Sx,Co,Sam LC 1,5 5 Physcia adscendens Sx LC 1 Physcia stellaris * Ct LC 1 Physcia tenella subsp. tenella Ct,Ux,Sam LC 1,4,5 Placynthium nigrum Sx LC 1 Porpidia crustulata Sx LC 3 Porpidia macrocarpa Sx,Sx-pebbles LC 2,3,5 Porpidia tuberculosa Sx LC 1,3,5 Protoblastenia rupestris Sx-wall,Sx LC 1,5 Pseudevernia furfuracea var. ceratea Sx LC 2 Psoroglaena sp. * Sx n/a n/a 5 6 Punctelia ulophylla Sam LC NS 5 Species name Substrata Cons. Rarity Location Notes Eval. Ramalina farinacea Sam LC 5 Rhizocarpon geographicum Sx LC 4 Rhizocarpon oederi Sx LC 1 Rhizocarpon petraeum Sx LC 3 Rhizocarpon reductum Sx,Sx-pebbles LC 1,2,3,5 Rimularia furvella Sx LC 1 Rinodina gennarii Sx LC 1 Thelocarpon laureri * Sx LC NS 2 Toninia aromatica Sx,Sx-wall LC 1 Trapelia coarctata Sx LC 2 Trapelia involuta Sx LC 2,4 Trapelia obtegens Sx LC 2,3 Trapeliopsis flexuosa L-fp LC 4 Usnea subfloridana L-rs LC 1 Verrucaria macrostoma f. macrostoma Sx LC 5 Verrucaria muralis Sx LC 3 Co,Sx-wall LC 1 Verrucaria viridula Sx-wall,Sx LC 1,5 Xanthoria parietina L-fp,Sx,Sam LC 1,3,5 Xanthoria polycarpa L-rs,Ct LC 1 Xanthoria ucrainica * L-rs LC NS 1

Notes:

1. On cement paving slab on ground 2. Including some material of the cryptochlorophaeic acid chemotype, previously regarded as a separate species (Cladonia cryptochlorophaea LC,NS) 3. Including material of the chemotype containing atranorin 4. Recently renamed Bilimbia sabuletorum 5. Material on elder found with parasymbiont Taeniolella phaeophyscia. 6. An undescribed species; thallus granular, of goniocysts; perithecia mostly immersed amongst moss and other lichens; spores 1-septate, 10–14 × 5.5–6.5 µm. Specimen housed in herbarium of the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff (NMW) with accession number NMW.C.2005.001.162.

Table 2 Lichen species and substrates for each area. Substrate codes are as for Table 1.

Area/NGR Species name Substrate Location details

Area 1 SO 2631 0578 Amandinea punctata L-rs Railway sleeper (S ) SO 2628 0584 Aspicilia contorta subsp. contorta Sx Revetment wall by track SO 2601 0595 Aspicilia contorta subsp. contorta Sx-co Old cement track SO 2607 0623 Buellia aethalea Sx Small boulder just N of ruined building SO 2628 0584 Buellia ocellata Sx Revetment wall by track SO 2607 0623 Caloplaca citrina s. str. Sx-wall Ruined building SO 2631 0578 Caloplaca crenulatella S-co Railway sleeper (S ) SO 2607 0623 Caloplaca flavescens Sx-wall Ruined building SO 2628 0584 Caloplaca flavocitrina Ct Hawthorn near track SO 2607 0623 Caloplaca flavocitrina Sx-wall Ruined building SO 2628 0584 Caloplaca holocarpa Sx Revetment wall by track SO 2638 0568 Candelariella vitellina f. vitellina L-fp Entrance gate SO 2628 0584 Catillaria chalybeia var. chalybeia Sx Revetment wall by track SO 2607 0623 Cladonia chlorophaea T Small rocks and soil near ruined building (cryptochlorophaeic acid chemotype) SO 2627 0583 Cladonia fimbriata L-rs Railway sleeper (N ) SO 2628 0584 Cladonia furcata Sx Revetment wall by track SO 2601 0595 Collema tenax var. tenax Sx-co Old cement track SO 2628 0584 Collema tenax var. tenax Sx Revetment wall by track SO 2628 0584 Diplotomma alboatrum Sx Revetment wall by track SO 2631 0578 Evernia prunastri L-rs Railway sleeper (S ) SO 2627 0583 Hypogymnia physodes L-rs Railway sleeper (N ) SO 2628 0584 Hypogymnia tubulosa Ct Hawthorn near track SO 2628 0584 Lecanora albescens Sx Revetment wall by track SO 2607 0623 Lecanora albescens Sx-wall Ruined building SO 2631 0578 Lecanora chlarotera L-rs Railway sleeper (S ) SO 2628 0584 Lecanora chlarotera Ct Hawthorn near track SO 2638 0568 Lecanora conizaeoides L-fp Entrance gate SO 2627 0583 Lecanora conizaeoides L-rs Railway sleeper (N ) SO 2601 0595 Lecanora dispersa L-rs,Sx-co Old cement track SO 2631 0578 Lecanora expallens L-rs Railway sleeper (S ) SO 2631 0578 Lecanora muralis L-rs Railway sleeper (S ) SO 2601 0595 Lecanora muralis Sx-co Old cement track SO 2631 0578 Lecanora polytropa L-rs Railway sleeper (S ) SO 2607 0623 Lecanora polytropa Sx Small boulder just N of ruined building SO 2607 0623 Lecanora soralifera Sx Small boulder just N of ruined building SO 2628 0584 Lecidella scabra Sx Revetment wall by track SO 2607 0623 Lecidella scabra Sx Small rocks and soil near ruined building SO 2607 0623 Lecidella stigmatea Sx Small rocks and soil near ruined building SO 2607 0623 Lepraria incana s. str. Sx Small boulder just N of ruined building SO 2628 0584 Leptogium turgidum Sx Revetment wall by track SO 2607 0623 Parmelia saxatilis Sx Small boulder just N of ruined building SO 2631 0578 Parmelia sulcata L-rs Railway sleeper (S ) SO 2628 0584 Peltigera didactyla Sx Revetment wall by track SO 2628 0584 Phaeophyscia orbicularis Sx Revetment wall by track Area/NGR Species name Substrate Location details SO 2601 0595 Phaeophyscia orbicularis Sx-co Old cement track SO 2628 0584 Physcia adscendens Sx Revetment wall by track SO 2628 0584 Physcia stellaris Ct Hawthorn near track SO 2628 0584 Physcia tenella subsp. tenella Ct Hawthorn near track SO 2628 0584 Placynthium nigrum Sx Revetment wall by track SO 2607 0623 Porpidia tuberculosa Sx Small boulder just N of ruined building SO 2607 0623 Protoblastenia rupestris Sx-wall Ruined building SO 2607 0623 Rhizocarpon oederi Sx Small boulder just N of ruined building SO 2628 0584 Rhizocarpon reductum Sx Revetment wall by track SO 2607 0623 Rimularia furvella Sx Small boulder just N of ruined building SO 2628 0584 Rinodina gennarii Sx Revetment wall by track SO 2628 0584 Toninia aromatica Sx Revetment wall by track SO 2607 0623 Toninia aromatica Sx-wall Ruined building SO 2627 0583 Usnea subfloridana L-rs Railway sleeper (N ) SO 2601 0595 Verrucaria nigrescens Sx-co Old cement track SO 2607 0623 Verrucaria nigrescens Sx-wall Ruined building SO 2607 0623 Verrucaria viridula Sx-wall Ruined building SO 2638 0568 Xanthoria parietina L-fp Entrance gate SO 2628 0584 Xanthoria parietina Sx Revetment wall by track SO 2631 0578 Xanthoria polycarpa L-rs Railway sleeper (S ) SO 2628 0584 Xanthoria polycarpa Ct Hawthorn near track SO 2631 0578 Xanthoria ucrainica L-rs Railway sleeper (S )

Area 2 SO 2612 0589 Cladonia cervicornis subsp. T Amongst heathy vegetation on deposit mounds verticillata SO 2612 0589 Cladonia chlorophaea T, Cl Amongst heathy vegetation on deposit mounds SO 2612 0589 Cladonia diversa T Amongst heathy vegetation on deposit mounds SO 2612 0589 Cladonia floerkeana T Amongst heathy vegetation on deposit mounds SO 2612 0589 Cladonia furcata T Amongst heathy vegetation on deposit mounds SO 2612 0589 Cladonia humilis (atranorin T Amongst heathy vegetation on deposit mounds chemotype) SO 2612 0589 Cladonia portentosa T Amongst heathy vegetation on deposit mounds SO 2612 0589 Cladonia ramulosa T Amongst heathy vegetation on deposit mounds SO 2612 0589 Cladonia subulata T Amongst heathy vegetation on deposit mounds SO 2612 0589 Cladonia uncialis subsp. biuncialis T Amongst heathy vegetation on deposit mounds SO 2612 0589 Peltigera hymenina T Amongst heathy vegetation on deposit mounds SO 2612 0589 Porpidia macrocarpa Sx Amongst heathy vegetation on deposit mounds SO 2612 0589 Pseudevernia furfuracea var. ceratea Sx Amongst heathy vegetation on deposit mounds SO 2612 0589 Rhizocarpon reductum Sx On fragments of shaly rock of deposit mounds SO 2612 0589 Thelocarpon laureri Sx On fragments of shaly rock of deposit mounds SO 2612 0589 Trapelia coarctata Sx On fragments of shaly rock of deposit mounds SO 2612 0589 Trapelia involuta Sx On fragments of shaly rock of deposit mounds SO 2612 0589 Trapelia obtegens Sx On fragments of shaly rock of deposit mounds

Area 3 SO 2573 0590 Anisomeridium polypori Ur Tipped rubbish/rubble SO 2573 0590 Bacidia delicata Sx,Ur Tipped rubbish/rubble SO 2573 0590 Bacidia saxenii Ur Tipped rubbish/rubble c. SO 257 059 – SO 258 060 Candelariella vitellina f. vitellina T Rocks and soil on gentle hill slopes c. SO 257 059 – SO 258 060 Cetraria aculeata T Rocks and soil on gentle hill slopes Area/NGR Species name Substrate Location details c. SO 257 059 – SO 258 060 Cladonia cervicornis subsp. T Rocks and soil on gentle hill slopes verticillata c. SO 257 059 – SO 258 060 Cladonia chlorophaea T Rocks and soil on gentle hill slopes c. SO 257 059 – SO 258 060 Cladonia diversa T Rocks and soil on gentle hill slopes c. SO 257 059 – SO 258 060 Cladonia floerkeana T Rocks and soil on gentle hill slopes c. SO 257 059 – SO 258 060 Cladonia furcata T Rocks and soil on gentle hill slopes c. SO 257 059 – SO 258 060 Cladonia portentosa T Rocks and soil on gentle hill slopes SO 257 059 Cladonia rangiformis Sx Rocks by small stream c. SO 257 059 – SO 258 060 Cladonia uncialis subsp. biuncialis T Rocks and soil on gentle hill slopes SO 2573 0590 Fellhanera bouteillei Sx Tipped rubbish/rubble c. SO 257 059 – SO 258 060 Hypogymnia physodes Sx Rocks and soil on gentle hill slopes c. SO 257 059 – SO 258 060 Lecanora intricata Sx Rocks and soil on gentle hill slopes SO 257 059 Lecanora muralis Sx Rocks by small stream c. SO 257 059 – SO 258 060 Lecanora muralis Sx Rocks and soil on gentle hill slopes c. SO 257 059 – SO 258 060 Lecanora polytropa Sx Rocks and soil on gentle hill slopes c. SO 257 059 – SO 258 060 Parmelia saxatilis Sx Rocks and soil on gentle hill slopes c. SO 257 059 – SO 258 060 Parmelia sulcata Sx Rocks and soil on gentle hill slopes SO 257 059 Peltigera hymenina Sx Rocks by small stream c. SO 257 059 – SO 258 060 Peltigera hymenina Sx Rocks and soil on gentle hill slopes c. SO 257 059 – SO 258 060 Peltigera membranacea T Rocks and soil on gentle hill slopes SO 257 059 Porpidia crustulata Sx Rocks by small stream c. SO 257 059 – SO 258 060 Porpidia macrocarpa Sx Rocks and soil on gentle hill slopes c. SO 257 059 – SO 258 060 Porpidia tuberculosa Sx Rocks and soil on gentle hill slopes SO 257 059 Rhizocarpon petraeum Sx Rocks by small stream c. SO 257 059 – SO 258 060 Rhizocarpon reductum Sx Rocks and soil on gentle hill slopes SO 257 059 Trapelia obtegens Sx Rocks by small stream c. SO 257 059 – SO 258 060 Verrucaria muralis Sx Rocks and soil on gentle hill slopes c. SO 257 059 – SO 258 060 Xanthoria parietina Sx Rocks and soil on gentle hill slopes

Area 4 c. SO 263 066 Acarospora fuscata Sx Amongst heathy vegetation c. SO 263 066 Dimerella pineti Vm Amongst heathy vegetation c. SO 263 066 Hypogymnia physodes Sx, L-fp Amongst heathy vegetation + fencepost c. SO 263 066 Lecanora conizaeoides L-fp On fencepost on W boundary of site c. SO 263 066 Melanelia fuliginosa subsp. Sx Amongst heathy vegetation fuliginosa c. SO 263 066 Parmelia discordans Sx Amongst heathy vegetation c. SO 263 066 Parmelia saxatilis Sx Amongst heathy vegetation c. SO 263 066 Physcia tenella subsp. tenella Ux Amongst heathy vegetation c. SO 263 066 Rhizocarpon geographicum Sx Amongst heathy vegetation c. SO 263 066 Trapelia involuta Sx Amongst heathy vegetation c. SO 263 066 Trapeliopsis flexuosa L-fp On fencepost on W boundary of site

Area 5 SO 2650 0596 Anisomeridium polypori Sam Small open-grown elder tree SO 2650 0596 Bacidia viridescens Sam Small open-grown elder tree SO 264 059 Baeomyces rufus Sx,T On bare soil and small stones on ground SO 2650 0596 Caloplaca flavocitrina Sx On mixed (dumped?) rocks near elder SO 2650 0596 Candelariella aurella f. aurella Sx On mixed (dumped?) rocks near elder SO 2650 0596 Candelariella reflexa Sam Small open-grown elder tree SO 2650 0596 Cladonia humilis T On mixed (dumped?) rocks near elder Area/NGR Species name Substrate Location details SO 264 059 Cladonia portentosa T On bare soil and small stones on ground SO 2650 0596 Clauzadea monticola Sx On mixed (dumped?) rocks near elder SO 2650 0596 Evernia prunastri Sam Small open-grown elder tree SO 2650 0596 Flavoparmelia caperata Sam Small open-grown elder tree SO 2650 0596 Lecania cyrtella Sam Small open-grown elder tree

SO 264 059 Lecanora conizaeoides L-fp On bare soil and small stones on ground SO 2650 0596 Lecanora dispersa Sx On mixed (dumped?) rocks near elder SO 2650 0596 Lecidella elaeochroma f. Sam Small open-grown elder tree elaeochroma SO 264 059 Lepraria incana s. str. Sx/T On bare soil and small stones on ground SO 2650 0596 Leptogium turgidum Sx On mixed (dumped?) rocks near elder SO 2650 0596 Myxobilimbia sabuletorum Sx On mixed (dumped?) rocks near elder SO 2650 0596 Parmelia sulcata Sam Small open-grown elder tree SO 264 059 Peltigera hymenina T On bare soil and small stones on ground SO 2650 0596 Phaeophyscia orbicularis Sam Small open-grown elder tree SO 2650 0596 Physcia tenella subsp. tenella Sam Small open-grown elder tree SO 264 059 Porpidia macrocarpa Sx- On bare soil and small stones on ground pebbles SO 2650 0596 Porpidia tuberculosa Sx On mixed (dumped?) rocks near elder SO 2650 0596 Protoblastenia rupestris Sx On mixed (dumped?) rocks near elder SO 2650 0596 Psoroglaena sp. Sx On mixed (dumped?) rocks near elder SO 2650 0596 Punctelia ulophylla Sam Small open-grown elder tree SO 2650 0596 Ramalina farinacea Sam Small open-grown elder tree SO 264 059 Rhizocarpon reductum Sx- On bare soil and small stones on ground pebbles SO 2650 0596 Verrucaria macrostoma f. Sx On mixed (dumped?) rocks near elder macrostoma SO 2650 0596 Verrucaria viridula Sx On mixed (dumped?) rocks near elder SO 2650 0596 Xanthoria parietina Sam Small open-grown elder tree

Acknowledgements The assistance of Brain Coppins and Alan Orange in identifying specimens is gratefully acknowledged.

References Bates, J.W., Bell, J.N.B. & Massara, A.C. 2001. Loss of Lecanora conizaeoides and other fluctuations of epiphytes on oak in S.E. England over 21 years with declining SO2 concentrations. Atmospheric Environment 35, 2557-68.

Coppins, B.J. 2002. A Checklist of Lichens of Great Britain and Ireland. London: British Lichen Society

Coppins, A.M. & Coppins, B.J. 2002. Indices of Ecological Continuity for Woodland Epiphytic Habitats in the British Isles. London: British Lichen Society.

Hawksworth, D.L. & Rose, F. 1970. Qualitative Scale for Estimating Sulphur Dioxide Air Pollution in England and Wales Using Epiphytic Lichens. Nature 227(5254), 145-8.

Woods, R.G. & Coppins, B.J. 2003. A Conservation Evaluation of British Lichens. London: British Lichen Society.