Looking After Scotland's Oceanic Heath

Front cover image: Beinn Eighe © Laurie Campbell Design: rjpdesign.co.uk 24474_BryophytesHeath_ascophyllum leaflet09/04/201015:48Page3 Back from the Brink the from Back Scotland’s oceanic heath oceanic Scotland’s after Looking Management Series Management 24474_BryophytesHeath_ascophyllum leaflet 09/04/2010 15:48 Page 2

Back from the Brink Management Series

Plantlife is the organisation that is speaking up for the nation’s wild plants. We work hard to protect wild plants on the ground and to build understanding of the vital role they play in everyone’s lives. Wild plants are essential to life – they clean our air and water, provide food and shelter for our insects, birds and animals and are critical in the fight against climate change.

Plantlife carries out practical conservation work across Scotland, manages nature reserves, influences policy and legislation, runs events and activities that help people discover wild plants and works with others ᮡ Habitat for the Scottish oceanic heath in to promote the conservation of wild plants Assynt, Sutherland. for the benefit of all. HRH The Prince of Wales is our Patron. What is oceanic heath? Oceanic heath is a neglected habitat of Wild plants have been marginalised and global importance. Heather and blaeberry taken for granted for too long. are major components but what makes Please help us by supporting our work. oceanic heath special is its ground layer of mosses that only thrive in the oceanic To find out more, please visit our website climate of the hills in the west of Scotland. or contact us at the office below. This ground layer is also home to a diverse flora of large leafy liverworts that have a Plantlife Scotland highly restricted global distribution. These Balallan House rare liverwort species normally occur Allan Park alongside more common species, such as Stirling Woolly Fringe-moss (Racomitrium FK8 2QG lanuginosum), Red Bog-moss (Sphagnum Tel. 01786 478509/01786 479382 capillifolium) and more widespread liverworts like Taylor’s Flapwort (Mylia www.plantlife.org.uk taylori) and Orkney Notchwort (Anastrepta orcadensis). [email protected] This habitat is also known as ‘Scottish liverwort heath’, the ‘Northern hepatic mat’ or All images are copyright Gordon Rothero, the ‘oceanic-montane heath’. unless otherwise specified.

2 24474_BryophytesHeath_ascophyllum leaflet 09/04/2010 15:48 Page 3

Where is oceanic heath found in Scotland? This habitat has a patchy distribution from Islay in the south, up the west coast to Ben Hope, including hills in the Hebrides with more limited outposts on Orkney and Shetland. There are also isolated stands further east on the larger hills extending to the main Cairngorms. Most sites are on N or NE-facing slopes from 200m up to 900m where rain falls in excess of 200 days in a year.

The majority of Scotland’s oceanic heath ᮡ Low altitude habitat for the Scottish oceanic occurs on moderate to steep slopes with an heath in the Harris hills. aspect from NW through to NE, almost always where there are some exposed rocks and Why is Scotland’s oceanic heath so frequently where the heath has developed over important? large block scree. A number of the lower level Oceanic heath is globally rare. In Europe, it is sites are quite grassy, with only residual only well-developed in Western Scotland, amounts of heather but such sites probably western Ireland and, to a much more limited represent relicts that were formerly dominated extent, in SW Norway. Globally, some of the by ericaceous shrubs and altered by same species occur in a similar community subsequent management. They usually have above the tree line in the Sino-Himalaya and frequent Juniper Prongwort (Herbertus North-west America. aduncus ssp. hutchinsiae) but only patchy stands of other species. The higher sites, Most of the constituent liverwort species have where blaeberry is dominant and where Donn’s a remarkably disjunct global distribution. For Notchwort (Anastrophyllum donnianum) and example Cloud Earwort (Scapania nimbosa), Alpine Notchwort (Anastrophyllum alpinum) also occurs in W Ireland (rare), SW Norway (one can occur, are subject to long periods of snow- site) Nepal, Sikkim and Yunnan. The lie which may give some protection from frost. community is also so limited in its UK distribution that most species are nationally A form of oceanic heath can also occur at the scarce and some are nationally rare. Northern upper margins of rocky, upland birch woodland Prongwort (Herbertus borealis) is limited to just and also in ravines, where stands of Juniper one site in Europe on Beinn Eighe and Prongwort (Herbertus aduncus ssp. hutchinsiae) Lindenberg’s Featherwort (Adelanthus can be abundant with smaller amounts of lindenbergianus) has one site on Islay Wood’s Whipwort (Mastigophora woodsii), (elsewhere in Europe only in W Ireland). We Bird’s-foot Earwort (Scapania ornithopodioides) are still finding out more about this remarkable and occasionally Carrington’s Featherwort community, with molecular work revealing two (Plagiochila carringtonii). new species in the past few years.

3 24474_BryophytesHeath_ascophyllum leaflet 09/04/2010 15:48 Page 4

Back from the Brink Management SeriesBack from the Brink Management Series

How do I know if I have this community on my land? If you own land in the north and west of Scotland with all, or most of, the following characteristics in discrete areas, then there is a good possibility that you will have oceanic heath communities on your land: ● Moderate to steep north-west to north- east facing slopes above 200m ● Scree or broken crags with heather or blaeberry dominant, at least in patches ᮡ Juniper Prongwort (Herbertus aduncus ● Rocky birch woodland with a northerly ssp. hutchinsiae) aspect above 200m When growing in large brownish-orange ● Any of the indicator species identified patches this liverwort is unmistakeable; the below three ranks of leaves are almost equal-sized and the leaf is split into two long, pointed Indicator species lobes, usually turned in the same direction. The best indicator of suitable habitat for this ᮢ Arch-leaved Whipwort (Bazzania pearsonii) community below 500m. Elsewhere in Europe: This small liverwort has thin, branched stems widespread in western Ireland and rare in with two ranks of yellow-green, usually Cumbria, Wales, Norway and the Faroes. overlapping leaves, all turned down so that the back of the shoot is rounded. The whip- ᮢ Purple Spoonwort (Pleurozia purpurea) like branches with tiny leaves growing from The dark-reddish purple of this liverwort is a the bottom of the stem are characteristic. common feature not only of this community Very similar to the common Lesser Whipwort but also of mire and wet heath; the leaf is (Bazzania tricrenata) and not easily identified complex, bilobed with a smaller, almost without some experience; the base of the tubular, upper lobe over a large concave main leaves extends right across the stem lower lobe, but the whole plant is and the underleaves are untoothed. unmistakeable. Elsewhere in Europe: only Elsewhere in Europe: only in western Ireland. known from Ireland, Norway and the Faroes.

4 24474_BryophytesHeath_ascophyllum leaflet 09/04/2010 15:48 Page 5

Back from the Brink Management Series

ᮡ Wood’s Whipwort (Mastigophora ᮡ Bird’s-foot Earwort (Scapania woodsii) ornithopodioides) A very handsome plant, often forming A large plant and usually a characteristic large yellow or coppery cushions; the liverish-red ; the leaves have two lobes many-branched stems tapering to a divided right to the base, with smaller upper narrow apex and the long, spiny teeth on lobe lying flat on top of the lower and each the edge of the leaf are distinctive having numerous straight teeth. Elsewhere features. Elsewhere in Europe: only known in Europe: only in Cumbria, Wales, Ireland, from Ireland and the Faroes. Norway and the Faroes.

ᮢ Carrington's Featherwort (Plagiochila ᮢ Cloud Earwort (Scapania nimbosa) carringtonii) Not as large as Bird’s-foot Earwort (Scapania The pale yellow colour and the usually ornithopodiodes) and of a different red dense patches of stems with round leaves colour, often quite bright, the two-lobed easily catch the eye; the leaves are leaves have a number of distinctive long, inserted vertically on the stem so that the curved teeth on the margin. Elsewhere in faces of the leaves are pressed together Europe: only in Wales (one record), Ireland and thus the stems are laterally (rare) and Norway (one site). compressed. Elsewhere in Europe: rare in Ireland and the Faroes, with a different sub-species in Nepal.

5 24474_BryophytesHeath_ascophyllum leaflet 09/04/2010 15:48 Page 6

Back from the Brink Management Series

ᮡ Donn’s Notchwort (Anastrophyllum ᮡ Northern Prongwort (Herbertus borealis) donnianum) Very similar in general shape to Juniper The most frequent of the species at higher Prongwort (Herbertus aduncus ssp. altitudes, usually forming erect turfs of dark hutchinsiae) but most patches have a brown to blackish stems with leaves turned in distinct orange colour; in detail, the lower the same direction and concave so that the rank of leaves are smaller than the upper and leaves appear narrow. Elsewhere in Europe: there are large numbers of thin, whip-like only in Norway and the Tatra mountains. branches from the underside of the stem. The only European site is on Beinn Eighe. A Rare species Biodiversity Action Plan species.

ᮢ Lindenberg’s Featherwort (Adelanthus Alpine Notchwort (Anastrophyllum alpinum) lindenbergianus) Very similar to Donn’s Notchwort Of a similar colour to Donn’s Notchwort (Anastrophyllum donnianum) with which it (Anastrophyllum donnianum) but at a much usually grows, but the leaves are almost cup- lower altitude, forming erect turfs usually shaped giving the shoots a ‘fat’ appearance. within stands of Juniper Prongwort (Herbertus Scotland has the only European sites. The aduncus ssp. hutchinsiae); the leaf shape is even rarer ᮢ Joergensen’s Notchwort unique in having the upper margin curled (Anastrophyllum joergensenii) can only be inwards towards the stem. One site on Islay. distinguished from Anastrophyllum alpinum Elsewhere in Europe: only in Ireland where it is with some difficulty but it is a smaller plant also rare and decreasing. Listed on Schedule 8 with a slightly different, often damper habitat. of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. © MarenFlagmeier ©

6 24474_BryophytesHeath_ascophyllum leaflet 09/04/2010 15:48 Page 7

To find out how to identify these and other climate change, this protection may be lost. characteristic species of Scotland’s oceanic One possible result is that this will reduce even heath, consult the Plantlife guide to further the narrow band of habitat at a suitable bryophytes of Scotland’s oceanic heath. altitude; the other, more positive, possibility is that the milder, wetter conditions will enable Threats to oceanic heath habitat and stands of the community to extend further up the bryophytes that grow there the hill.

Awareness. This community is easily Muirburn. There is a good body of evidence to overlooked and even on some designated sites suggest that the Scotland’s oceanic heath was there is often no mention of this feature in once more widespread in the west of Scotland; management plans, even where nationally suitable climatic and landscape conditions important stands occur. exist on many hills from the Blackmount in the south up to Ben Hope in the north and on the Climate change. For some species that occur western islands (Averis, 1992, 1994). Within at higher levels, like Donn’s Notchwort this range, good stands of the community are (Anastrophyllum donnianum) and Alpine fragmented. Small stands with a limited Notchwort (Anastrophyllum alpinum), the sites number of species are present on heathy crag they occupy are often snow covered for long ledges and in large areas of scree on most hill spells in the winter. Most of these species may ranges. Circumstantial evidence strongly well gain some protection from frost while suggests that the practice of muirburn has under the snow and, if snow fall decreases and snow cover is less persistent as a result of ᮢ Muirburn in West Sutherland in late February.

7 24474_BryophytesHeath_ascophyllum leaflet 09/04/2010 15:48 Page 8

Back from the Brink Management Series

Grazing. The effects of muirburn are exacerbated where this is followed by heavy grazing. Again there is strong evidence from Ireland that this has had a rapid and deleterious effect on the community there. Heavy grazing prevents the re-growth of heather, which is grazed preferentially to the purple moor grass (Molinea caerulea). This results in an increase in grass cover which will not support the liverwort flora. This threat really only applies to high densities of domestic stock, especially sheep, and it is likely that deer grazing, where numbers are not excessive, does not pose a similar threat.

Forestry. Most of the stands of this community are well above the level of commercial forestry plantation except in the ᮡ Patchy stands of the oceanic heath in open extreme west and the Western Isles. However birch woodland on Stack Woods SSSI some stands do occur lower down the hillside in Sutherland. and some are within open heathy birch woodland on crags, as in West Sutherland devastated this community up the west coast. and further south in Glencoe or Glen Nevis. Not only are the liverworts themselves burnt The use of exclosures to encourage but the associated dwarf-shrub heath which regeneration is a common practice in such gives some element of buffering from woodlands and can lead to the growth of a changes in humidity and temperature is also coarse shrub layer; the effect of this on the removed. None of these liverworts liverwort community is likely to be negative reproduces sexually in Britain and few have in the long term. any specialised means of vegetative reproduction. This means that most spread ᮢ Stands of the oceanic heath occur in the birch is by growth and branching or by woodland by Steall Falls in Glen Nevis. fragmentation and dispersal by wind or water. This in turn means that stands that are eradicated by fire are unlikely to be replaced and this situation will get worse if more fragmentation occurs. The loss of stands of this community in the west of Ireland in the past 30 years, through burning followed by heavy grazing, has been dramatic and depressing.

8 24474_BryophytesHeath_ascophyllum leaflet 09/04/2010 15:48 Page 9

Back from the Brink Management Series

Management of oceanic heath habitat and the bryophytes that grow there

Awareness. An increase in awareness of the existence and importance of this community amongst land managers and agency staff would limit damage to these communities through ignorance. Use of this leaflet and of training courses and materials, available through the Plantlife website, will also help, alongside listing of these communities on designated site citations. ᮡ Degraded oceanic heath community after burning and grazing, with orange scraps of Climate change. It is not clear how important Juniper Prongwort (Herbertus aduncus ssp. snow cover is to the upper stands of this hutchinsiae) visible; Kerry in Ireland in 2009. community nor how easily the community, in its current fragmented state, could migrate Grazing. Heavy grazing exacerbates the uphill as conditions change. Consideration of effect of muirburn, although sheep stocking some form of assisted colonisation may be levels at the altitude of most stands of this necessary. Long term monitoring is needed to community are now quite low. It is only in establish how this community is responding to the extreme north and west and on the climate change. islands where the community extends to lower levels that sheep grazing could be a Muirburn. Use of muirburn as a management problem. In such sites stocking density tool should be avoided near stands of this should be kept to a reasonable level and community. While the Muirburn Code stands of oceanic heath monitored, (Scottish Government, 2008) states that particularly where fragmented stands could burning should not be carried out above 300m, recolonise suitable adjacent habitat. vulnerable stands of this community occur lower than this in the north and far west where Woodland management. The stands of regrettably muirburn often burns far larger Scottish oceanic heath at the upper margin of areas than intended. The ideal situation would broadleaf woodland are of particular interest as be for muirburn to cease altogether in all areas this may have been the habitat where it first where habitat for this community exists. With became established. Exclosures to encourage the cessation of muirburn, the heath might regeneration should be used sparingly and over time return to some of the areas from monitoring undertaken to establish their effect which it has been lost. There is good evidence on ground flora. It would be preferable to that heather starts to recover if burning stops, reduce deer or sheep numbers. If exclosures although this may not happen where a have to be used they should be seen as complete sward of purple moor grass (Molinea temporary and removed as soon as a viable caerulea) has developed. number of trees are established.

9 24474_BryophytesHeath_ascophyllum leaflet 09/04/2010 15:48 Page 10

ᮡ A large cushion of Juniper Prongwort (Herbertus aduncus ssp. hutchinsiae) in the Harris hills.

Summary of recommendations

● Do not use muirburn where these grazing pressure should be considered and communities occur in the north and west fences should be removed once trees are of Scotland. established.

● Manage sheep grazing on these ● Establish long term monitoring communities to retain heather programmes at key sites to assess how this communities and prevent the spread of community responds to climate change. purple moor grass (Molina caerulea). ● Ensure land owners and managers use this ● Monitor the impact of grazing in areas leaflet, seek advice and attend/make use of where stands of this community have been training materials to raise their awareness identified or where fragments of it remain of this community and its management. which could form the basis for Available at www.plantlife.org.uk. recolonisation to adjacent sites. ● Ensure that oceanic heath stands are all ● If exclosures are used to encourage listed on relevant designated site citations regeneration in upland birch woods, their and that site management statements are effect on the ground flora should be updated accordingly. monitored. Other options for reducing

10 24474_BryophytesHeath_ascophyllum leaflet 09/04/2010 15:48 Page 11

Back from the Brink Management Series