Vegetation as Site Indicator 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 Vegetation as Site Indicator
Limiting Factors
• 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 Vegetation as Site Indicator
Tolerance limits
4 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 Vegetation as Site Indicator
Plant environmental limiting factors
• Temperature • Water • Nutrients • Grazing • Fire • People • Competition from other plants
6 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 Vegetation as Site Indicator
Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR) Very Poor Poor Medium Rich Very Rich Moisture and Ellenberg SNR score 2 - 5.7 5.7 - 7.7 7.7 - 9.7 9.7 - 11.7 11.7 - 18 HUMUS MOR MOR - MODER MODER - MULL MULL MULL Slightly Dry wood sage burdock cowberry, bell- wavy hair-grass, raspberry, holly, bluebell (wild elder, yellow archangel, heather, heather common bent, greater stitchwort, hyacinth), hazel, ivy, wood spurge, common Nutrient grid bracken, common cow-wheat, hawthorn, false- hemp-nettle, spear thistle, violet, great chickweed, broom, brome, rosebay white clover, false oat- woodrush, slender gorse, bracken, barren willowherb, grass, hogweed St.John's wort, strawberry germander wavy hair-grass, tormentil, devil's bit speedwell, wood scabious sedge, pignut, common bent, Fresh primrose, cocksfoot, red fescue, yarrow bracken, common violet, great woodrush, blaeberry, heather, wood sorrel, scaly bramble, creeping tufted hair-grass, male dog's mercury, slender St.John's crowberry, green- male fern, hard fern, soft-grass, broad fern, herb robert goosegrass (sticky ribbed sedge heath bedstraw, heath buckler-fern, wood willies), wild garlic, woodrush anemone, foxglove, stinging nettle, hedge wort, tormentil, honeysuckle, wound wort, ground yorkshire fog, sweet ivy, wood avens, devil's bit scabious vernal-grass enchanter's nightshade, Moist lesser celandine, red campion, wood speedwell, common horsetail, creeping thistle, rough meadow-grass
mat grass, heath rush compact rush, lady fern, yellow bugle, wild angelica pimpernel, creeping buttercup, soft rush Soil Soil Moisture Regime (SMR) Very Moist
purple moor-grass, sharp flowered rush marsh thistle wood horsetail, harestail cotton- common valarien, grass, cross leaved meadow sweet, golden Wet heath, deer grass, saxifrage lousewort
common cotton- marsh marigold Very Wet grass, bog myrtle
ALL PLANTS MAYBE FOUND IN CONDITIONS ADJACENT TO THE CELL DISPLAYED 8 N.B.: Plant names in 'red type' are amendments by Scott Wilson, to the published Bulletin 124 _ 15-10-2007 Vegetation as Site Indicator
Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR) Very Poor Poor Medium Rich Very Rich Ellenberg SNR 2 - 5.7 5.7 - 7.7 7.7 - 9.7 9.7 - 11.7 11.7 - 18 HUMUS MOR MOR - MODER MODER - MULL MULL MULL
wood sage burdock Sl. Dry cowberry, bell- wavy hair- raspberry, bluebell (wild elder, yellow heather, grass, common holly, greater hyacinth), archangel, wood Moisture and heather bent, bracken, stitchwort, cow- hazel, ivy, spurge, common hemp- common violet, wheat, hawthorn, nettle, spear thistle, great chickweed, false-brome, white clover, false oat- woodrush, broom, gorse, rosebay grass, hogweed slender bracken, barren willowherb, St.John's wort, strawberry germander Nutrient grid tormentil, devil's speedwell, Fresh bit scabious wood sedge, pignut, primrose, cocksfoot, red fescue, • Each species has a yarrow
blaeberry, wood sorrel, bramble, tufted hair- dog's mercury, different range across heather, scaly male creeping soft- grass, male goosegrass (sticky crowberry, fern, hard fern, grass, broad fern, herb willies), wild garlic, green-ribbed heath bedstraw, buckler-fern, robert stinging nettle, nutrient and wetness sedge heath woodrush wood hedge wound wort, anemone, ground ivy, wood foxglove, avens, enchanter's
honeysuckle, nightshade, lesser Moist classes yorkshire fog, celandine, red sweet vernal- campion, wood grass speedwell, common
Bramble Soil Moisture (SMR) Regime horsetail, creeping thistle, rough meadow-grass
mat grass, compact rush, lady fern, bugle, wild heath rush yellow angelica pimpernel, creeping
buttercup, soft V. Moist • So the SNR value is an rush
purple moor- sharp flowered marsh thistle wood average grass, harestail rush horsetail, cotton-grass, common cross leaved valarien, Wet heath, deer meadow sweet, grass, golden saxifrage lousewort common cotton- marsh marigold grass, bog
myrtle Very Wet
ALL PLANTS MAYBE FOUND IN CONDITIONS ADJACENT TO THE CELL DISPLAYED 9 N.B.: Plant names in 'red type' are amendments by Scott Wilson, to the published Bulletin 124 _ 15-10-2007 Vegetation as Site Indicator
Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR) Very Poor Poor Medium Rich Very Rich Ellenberg SNR 2 - 5.7 5.7 - 7.7 7.7 - 9.7 9.7 - 11.7 11.7 - 18 HUMUS MOR MOR - MODER MODER - MULL MULL MULL
wood sage burdock Sl. Dry cowberry, bell- wavy hair- raspberry, bluebell (wild elder, yellow heather, grass, common holly, greater hyacinth), archangel, wood Moisture and heather bent, bracken, stitchwort, cow- hazel, ivy, spurge, common hemp- common violet, wheat, hawthorn, nettle, spear thistle, great chickweed, false-brome, white clover, false oat- woodrush, broom, gorse, rosebay grass, hogweed slender bracken, barren willowherb, St.John's wort, strawberry germander Nutrient grid tormentil, devil's speedwell, Fresh bit scabious wood sedge, pignut, primrose, cocksfoot, red fescue, • Each species has a yarrow
blaeberry, wood sorrel, bramble, tufted hair- dog's mercury, different range across heather, scaly male creeping soft- grass, male goosegrass (sticky crowberry, fern, hard fern, grass, broad fern, herb willies), wild garlic, green-ribbed heath bedstraw, buckler-fern, robert stinging nettle, nutrient and wetness sedge heath woodrush wood hedge wound wort, anemone, ground ivy, wood foxglove, avens, enchanter's
honeysuckle, nightshade, lesser Moist classes yorkshire fog, celandine, red sweet vernal- campion, wood grass speedwell, common
Heather Soil Moisture (SMR) Regime horsetail, creeping thistle, rough meadow-grass
mat grass, compact rush, lady fern, bugle, wild heath rush yellow angelica pimpernel, creeping
buttercup, soft V. Moist • So the SNR value is an rush
purple moor- sharp flowered marsh thistle wood average grass, harestail rush horsetail, cotton-grass, common cross leaved valarien, Wet heath, deer meadow sweet, grass, golden saxifrage lousewort common cotton- marsh marigold grass, bog
myrtle Very Wet
ALL PLANTS MAYBE FOUND IN CONDITIONS ADJACENT TO THE CELL DISPLAYED 1 N.B.: Plant names in 'red type' are amendments by Scott Wilson, to the published Bulletin 124 _ 15-10-2007 0 Vegetation as Site Indicator
Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR) Very Poor Poor Medium Rich Very Rich Ellenberg SNR 2 - 5.7 5.7 - 7.7 7.7 - 9.7 9.7 - 11.7 11.7 - 18 HUMUS MOR MOR - MODER MODER - MULL MULL MULL
wood sage burdock Sl. Dry cowberry, bell- wavy hair- raspberry, bluebell (wild elder, yellow heather, grass, common holly, greater hyacinth), archangel, wood Moisture and heather bent, bracken, stitchwort, cow- hazel, ivy, spurge, common hemp- common violet, wheat, hawthorn, nettle, spear thistle, great chickweed, false-brome, white clover, false oat- woodrush, broom, gorse, rosebay grass, hogweed slender bracken, barren willowherb, St.John's wort, strawberry germander Nutrient grid tormentil, devil's speedwell, Fresh bit scabious wood sedge, pignut, primrose, cocksfoot, red fescue, • Each species has a yarrow
blaeberry, wood sorrel, bramble, tufted hair- dog's mercury, different range across heather, scaly male creeping soft- grass, male goosegrass (sticky crowberry, fern, hard fern, grass, broad fern, herb willies), wild garlic, green-ribbed heath bedstraw, buckler-fern, robert stinging nettle, nutrient and wetness sedge heath woodrush wood hedge wound wort, anemone, ground ivy, wood foxglove, avens, enchanter's
honeysuckle, nightshade, lesser Moist classes yorkshire fog, celandine, red sweet vernal- campion, wood grass speedwell, common
Bell Soil Moisture (SMR) Regime horsetail, creeping thistle, rough meadow-grass
Heather mat grass, compact rush, lady fern, bugle, wild heath rush yellow angelica pimpernel, creeping
buttercup, soft V. Moist • So the SNR value is an rush
purple moor- sharp flowered marsh thistle wood average grass, harestail rush horsetail, cotton-grass, common cross leaved valarien, Wet heath, deer meadow sweet, grass, golden saxifrage lousewort common cotton- marsh marigold grass, bog
myrtle Very Wet
ALL PLANTS MAYBE FOUND IN CONDITIONS ADJACENT TO THE CELL DISPLAYED 1 N.B.: Plant names in 'red type' are amendments by Scott Wilson, to the published Bulletin 124 _ 15-10-2007 1 Vegetation as Site Indicator
Some species are more “specialist indicators” than others
1 2 Vegetation as Site Indicator
Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR) Very Poor Poor Medium Rich Very Rich Ellenberg SNR 2 - 5.7 5.7 - 7.7 7.7 - 9.7 9.7 - 11.7 11.7 - 18 HUMUS MOR MOR - MODER MODER - MULL MULL MULL wavy hair- wood sage burdock
grass, Sl. Dry cowberry, bell- wavy hair- raspberry, bluebell (wild elder, yellow common bent, heather, grass, common holly, greater hyacinth), archangel, wood heather bent, bracken, stitchwort, cow- hazel, ivy, spurge, common hemp- common violet, wheat, hawthorn, nettle, spear thistle, bracken, great chickweed, false-brome, white clover, false oat- woodrush, broom, gorse, rosebay grass, hogweed common slender bracken, barren willowherb, St.John's wort, strawberry germander violet, great tormentil, devil's speedwell, Fresh bit scabious wood sedge, woodrush, pignut, primrose, cocksfoot, slender red fescue, St.John's wort yarrow
blaeberry, wood sorrel, bramble, tufted hair- dog's mercury, tormentil, heather, scaly male creeping soft- grass, male goosegrass (sticky crowberry, fern, hard fern, grass, broad fern, herb willies), wild garlic, devil's bit green-ribbed heath bedstraw, buckler-fern, robert stinging nettle, sedge heath woodrush wood hedge wound wort, scabious, anemone, ground ivy, wood foxglove, avens, enchanter's
honeysuckle, nightshade, lesser Moist yorkshire fog, celandine, red • Each species has a different “footprint” sweet vernal- campion, wood grass speedwell, common
Soil Moisture (SMR) Regime horsetail, creeping thistle, • Range may vary on conditions rough meadow-grass mat grass, compact rush, lady fern, bugle, wild heath rush yellow angelica pimpernel, • Species overlap creeping
buttercup, soft V. Moist rush
purple moor- sharp flowered marsh thistle wood SNR must be estimated grass, harestail rush horsetail, cotton-grass, common cross leaved valarien, from presence and Wet heath, deer meadow sweet, grass, golden saxifrage lousewort abundance of several common cotton- marsh marigold grass, bog myrtle characteristic species Very Wet 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 _ 15-10-2007
1 3 Vegetation as Site Indicator Working out SNR - Numerical Method
species abundance [%] SNR value product
tufted hair grass 50 (5) 9 45 wavy hair grass 30 (3) x 5 = 15
soft rush 10 (1) 8 8
sum 90 (9) 68
use the 5 most abundant species
weighted average SNR = 68 / 9 = 7.5 poor - medium 1 4 Vegetation as Site Indicator Working out SNR - Shortcut Method Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR) Very Poor Poor Medium Rich Very Rich Ellenberg SNR 2 - 5.7 5.7 - 7.7 7.7 - 9.7 9.7 - 11.7 11.7 - 18 HUMUS MOR MOR - MODER MODER - MULL MULL MULL
wood sage burdock Sl. Dry cowberry, bell- wavy hair- raspberry, bluebell (wild elder, yellow heather, grass, common holly, greater hyacinth), archangel, wood heather bent, bracken, stitchwort, cow- hazel, ivy, spurge, common hemp- wavy hair grass common violet, wheat, hawthorn, nettle, spear thistle, great chickweed, false-brome, white clover, false oat- woodrush, broom, gorse, rosebay grass, hogweed slender bracken, barren willowherb, St.John's wort, strawberry germander tormentil, devil's speedwell, Fresh bit scabious wood sedge, tufted hair grass pignut, primrose, cocksfoot, red fescue, yarrow
blaeberry, wood sorrel, bramble, tufted hair- dog's mercury, soft rush heather, scaly male creeping soft- grass, male goosegrass (sticky crowberry, fern, hard fern, grass, broad fern, herb willies), wild garlic, green-ribbed heath bedstraw, buckler-fern, robert stinging nettle, sedge heath woodrush wood hedge wound wort, anemone, ground ivy, wood foxglove, avens, enchanter's
honeysuckle, nightshade, lesser Moist yorkshire fog, celandine, red sweet vernal- campion, wood grass speedwell, common
Soil Moisture (SMR) Regime horsetail, creeping thistle, rough meadow-grass
mat grass, compact rush, lady fern, bugle, wild heath rush yellow angelica pimpernel, creeping
buttercup, soft V. Moist medium rush purple moor- sharp flowered marsh thistle wood grass, harestail rush horsetail, cotton-grass, common cross leaved valarien,
moist Wet heath, deer meadow sweet, grass, golden saxifrage lousewort common cotton- marsh marigold grass, bog
use the 5 most abundant species myrtle Very Wet consider abundance of species 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 _ 15-10-2007 1 5 Rough peatland species distribution
flushed unflushed wet unflushed dry
8 9a 9b 9c 9d 9e 10 11b 11c 11a (11d)
Calluna vulgaris (heather) / Vaccinium myrtillus (blaeberry)
Erica tetralix (heath)
Molinia caerulea (rushes) (purple moor grass)
Trichophorum cespitosum
(deergrass) Juncussp. Narthecium and Rhacomitrum lichens Agrostis sp. Eriophorum sp. (bents) (cotton grass) ESC – Nutrient indicator plants
SNR Taxonomic name R N Rubus chamaemorus 1 1 2 Betula nana 1 1 Empetrum nigrum 2 1
Erica tetralix 2 1 3 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 4 Calluna vulgaris 2 2 Listera cordata 2 2 Vaccinium myrtillus 2 2 Juncus squarrosus 2 2
Purple - Heaths
1 7 ESC – Nutrient indicator plants
SNR Taxonomic name R N 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 5 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 8 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 9 Vegetation Identification
Vegetation Identification - Species
• Every individual plant species has unique features • Some are easier to spot than others
2 0 Vegetation Identification
Deschampsia cespitosa - Tufted hair grass
• Very tall, loose seed head
2 1 Vegetation Identification
Deschampsia cespitosa - Tufted hair grass
• Very tall, loose seed head • Forms a large tussock
2 2 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 3 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 2 - 5.7 5.7 - 7.7 7.7 - 9.7 9.7 - 11.7 11.7 - 18
2 4 Vegetation Identification
Molinia caerulea - Purple moor grass
• Thin seed head
• Forms a hard tussock
• Leaves persist over the winter
2 5 Vegetation Identification
Molinia caerulea - Purple moor grass
• Thin seed head
• Forms a hard tussock
• Leaves persist over the winter
• Root base is bulbous
2 6 Vegetation Identification
Molinia caerulea - Purple moor grass
Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR) Very Poor Poor Medium Rich Very Rich 2 - 5.7 5.7 - 7.7 7.7 - 9.7 9.7 - 11.7 11.7 - 18
2 7 Vegetation Identification
Erica tetralix - Cross-leaved heath
• Dwarf shrub • Woody stems • Waxy coating on leaves
2 8 Vegetation Identification
Erica tetralix - Cross-leaved heath • Dwarf shrub • Woody stems • Waxy coating on leaves • Leaflets form a cross shape on the stem
2 9 Vegetation Identification
Erica tetralix - Cross-leaved heath
Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR) Very Poor Poor Medium Rich Very Rich 2 - 5.7 5.7 - 7.7 7.7 - 9.7 9.7 - 11.7 11.7 - 18
3 0 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 1 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 2 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 3 Vegetation as Site Indicator Summary
• Plants indicate fertility • Trees and soils have relationships with other vegetation • Learn your plant ID…
• You must go and L K
3 4