Bedford Purlieus: Basic Site Detai13, G.F
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I I BEDFOADPURLIEUS3 I its historyr €cology and nanagenent T I I I onks l{ood Synposiun No. 7 t , Ddited by G,F. Peterken and R.c. Ierch I I I t InEtitute of Terrestrial Dcology I (Natural Envirorunent Research council I Monks wood Experimental station Abbots Ripton I Huntingdon, Canbs I Aprtl 1975 I I t I I 7 t I I t t I t I I I I I I t I I I lssN oo77.0426 I I t I I I I COT{TENTS Page I 1 Historical app.oach to f,oodland ecolosy and DAnagearent. 3 G.F. Peterken Bedford Purlieus: Basic site detai13, G.F. Peterken 5 HISTORY I Archaeology. J. Hadman 9 History. PhylIidaRixon 1 Earth{or'ks. G.F. Peterken 39 SITE t Georogy and soits. P. Stevens 43 BOTANY I Ground Flora. G.F. Peterken Trees and Shrubs. G.F. Peterken 85 t Vascular F1ora, Phyllida Rixon and G.F. Peterken 101 Bryophytes. A.D. HoriII 109 I Funsi, Sheila Uells !43 Lichens. O. Gilbert L25 I znotnc\ Vertebrates. R.C. felch 131 Invertebrates. R.C. l{elch 136 t Including: - Annelida. Carole E. Lawrence 139 I MoIlusca. l,l.J. Bishop 140 crustacea, P.T. Harding 142 I Lepidoptera. J. Heath a52 Coleoptera. R.C. Uelch 759 I MANAGEMENT 187 A Managenent Plan. M,J. Penistan 189 I Managenent considerationsr ecolosiBt's vierToint. 207 I LIST OF PARTICIPANTS 208 I I I I I I t l I I I I I t I I I I I I t t I I I tl I Maps and Diaqrans Pago I I Topography 6 2 Foreatry Connission conpartnents 7 , vegetation nap B I 4 Archaeological sites 10 5 Redram map of 1589 17 I 6 r655 18 7 1757 19 B lBTB 20 t 9 IB'B 21 10 rBTr 22 I II Eartht{orks 41 12 Geology 1l Soil nap l 14 Soit pH at O-lO cn 6Z 15 Soil pH at 1o-2O cn 63 t Location of vegetation sarnple plots Bo t7 Soil characteristics of sample plots 8o 18 Distribut ion of l,lercurialis perennis B1 PteridiN aquilinur 81 I 20 Deschanpsia cespitosa 82 21 Rubus fruticosus 8z 22 Gareobdolon luteurr 83 t Urtica dioica B] 24 Superimposed distribution of Hercurialis and B4 Distribution of coppice liDe 87 I 2b wych e1n a7 }Iazel 88 28 astl BB I z9 field maple B9 3O oak 89 snall-leaved eln 9O t sycanore 9O 53 horse chestnut chestnut 97 t5 Distribution of birch poles 92 ! t6 Distribution of va1ley eln roodland 37 Fauna Eanpling sites 137 I 3a Fonnica rufa nests 150 39 Stock l,lap 1974 793 I 40 Treatnent Proposals 1.974 196 I I I I I Il I Tables Page l 1. First references to the presence and planting of tree species' lo I 2. Gane sent from Thornhaugh 37 ceological succession vithin Bedford Purlieus. 4j I Sufllary of soil types Analytical data from soils 5O I Soj.ts associated tith 24 vegetation saDples 70 I Field layer communities in 24 sadrples. 71 8. Sinilarity coefficients bet*een 24 field layer eanples. I 9. Surmary of lroristic affinities between field laver sanples. 7' 10. Sites recorded $ith species similar to sanplee ih Group A. 76 t 11. B. ?7 ),2, 78 t 79 I Sunonaryof stand structure and conposition. Trees and shrubs recorded in 24 samples. 99 t SuMary of vascular flora. 1()2 139 I 18. ltol Iusca pitfall trap caiches. 14r I r9. Opiliones, Myriapoda and Isopoda fron 10 ites. 20. Summary of Lepidoptera. 152 I 2t. Records of Coleoptera on funsi. 160 I I I I I 7 I I I I T t I I t t I I I I I I I T I I I I I I FOREI'ORD I The 16th meeting of the Historical Ecology Discussion Group lilas held at MonkE lJood on Nove6ber 7th and 8th, 19?4. It t{as devoted l entirely to one {ood' Bedford Purlieus in the Soke of Peterborough, a large, biotogically-rich rood, r{ith an exceptionatly vell docunented historical backgromdr Eany aspects of which had been surveyed in I detail. Part of the lleetingrs purpose was to present the facts about a rich, interesting and \tell-knovn aite, but the opportunity was also taken to consider the value or otherrise of the historical or develop- nental approach to woodland ecology and Danaganent through the example I of Bedford hflieus. Contributions to previous neetings of the Historical Ecology t Discussion Group have not been published, but an exception seemed justified in this instance for a variety of reasons. First, there was Duch unpublished naterial available l/hich vould best be published together', rather than dispersed through specialist journafs. Second, I though Rackhah (I97I) and Peterken (1974) have outlined the historical approach, we thought that a rvorked exampler night uaefully be made avail.able. And, thirdl.y, at the tine of the neetins, details of manase- I ment sere under active consideration by the Foi.estry Conmission vho tJelcoDed the opportunity to consider in so nuch detail all the factors I In the contributions yhich follow, we \rill be told that Bedford Purlieus lay in a centre of Ronan activity vhich reached rithin its existing borders. Ita existence is established at intervals through t the last nilleniudt and for the last fev hundred years ve have a detailed knovledge of its extent and oanagenent. Overlying a range of rock types and superficial depoaits' it has a rich variety of soils, sotne of r,,hich t are rarely found .in 6n uncultivated forn. Though the stand structure is soheyhat unifom as a result of 2oth Century reforestationr the vegetation is shown to be rich and seni-natural, reflecting the inherent diversity t of the site and historical factors. The flora and fauna, is generally rich and includes sone rare species, but a fel, groups are poorly represen- ted. FinaIly, having described the history, ecolosy and biology of the site! the ittplications of this infoilation for future rnanagerneht aie I reviewed, and nanag€tnent policies and techniques are proposed. This vollune l{ill inevitably be compared vith trio other .ecent publica- I tions concerning individual xoods in the Fast uidlands - the National Nature Reserve of Uonks Wood, Huntingdon (steele & {elch, 1q73) and the Canbridgeshire and Isle of E1y Naturalistsr Trust reserve of Hayley Wood (Rackham, f975) - and it nay therefore be helpful to comttlenton the t similarities and differ€nces. l1 three rr'oodshave had a long history of coppice nanagement and have ]ong been .ecognised as inportant sites for wildlife, but whilst Monks and Hayley lJoods are stj.l1 predoninantly I coppice soods (albeit nostly untorked) managed exclusively for nature conservation, Bedfo.d Purlieus has been largely converted to higb forest and is nanaged prinaiily for tinber pioduction. A1l three publications I attetnpt to range pidely over the bot6ny, zoology, history and manasement of the voods! but the erphasis on fauna in Monks lJoodI and botany and history in Hayley ljood inevitably reflect the interest of the authors and editors, and the naterial available. The {onks Uood and Hayley Yood I books represent the culni.nation of nany years of study, vhefeas the present voll|tne consists almost entirely of recent rorkt nuch of r{hich vas under- t taken for presentation at the meeting froh rhlch this volune is derived. 1 7 I I Finallyr the eophasis on nanageoent at Dedford Purrieus is a Positive whereas the contribtltion to the evolution of a nanag€nent plan there' and ....get.ttt plans at Monks anat Havlev lJoods had long been detennined I Peterkent G.F. 1974. Derelopnental factors in the nanasenent of I British woodland, Q. Jl. For., 68! r4r-49' Rackhan' o. 1971. Historical studies and woodland conEervation' $!1!. ) EL 9991i q99.' 1lJ 56r-80. ecoloqv' Canbridqeshire Racknanj o. 1975. Hayley wood. Its historv and I and Isle of Ely Naturatists' lrustr canbrldse. I Steele, R.C. & t{elch' R.c. 197}. Editors. }tonks rood' A nature record. Nature Conserwancyr i{onks Yood Sxperidental Station' Ripton, Huntinsdon, Cambs. t I I x I I I I I t I I t I I '1 I HrsmRr@ t G.F. Peterken The rhistoricar approachr is a sonewhat grandiose tern for a process of understanding vhich considers events in the Past and the passage of I tine to be significant ecological factors. lts nethodology consi.sts essentially of discovering ho* a aite catne to be as it is fron direct ewidence, rather than fron inference fron the observed natu!'e of the I plant and aninal communities on th€ site nol{. The sources for the historical ecoldsy of woodlahds hav€ been sumtnarised by Rackhan (I97r) and include palynologyt archaeologyt historical docunentation' naps, wood- I Iand structure, vernacular architecture and topographicar relationships. historical approach €nablee us to see beyond the existing condition of the"he reoodland to other' conditions yhich have, or nay hawe existed : one I ceases to regard the existing condition as unique or even special. It nay indicate directly the rates and direction of any changes in the syste$. Furthernore, it clarifies the possibility that certain existins features I Day have survived on site fron the tine rheh the site carried natural the specific kinds of inforoation rhich nay e$erge froD the study ot I the history and developneht of individual voodlands are:- l 1. Status of site as I,oodland; prinary or secondary. Z. Past silvicultural treatnent and condition of stand; systen, ase I struct1rre.