Upland Ecosystems
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4 Upland Ecosystems Loch Lee © ANGUSalive Ranger Service Background Tayside is richly blessed with upland habitats The dwarf shrub heaths which make up Tayside’s straddling as it does the Highland Boundary Fault. upland heathland contribute 16% to the total The montane habitat encompasses a large area, at Scottish area of this habitat. As they are largely least 5% of Tayside – stretching from the entrance confined to the UK and the Western seaboard of to the Cairngorm Plateau through the Angus Glens Europe, they have international conservation in the North East and across to Ben Laoigh and significance. Beinn Achaladair in the West. Tayside holds 9% of the total Scottish area of upland heath which These habitats support an array of flora and fauna occurs in mosaic with peatland, rough grassland including the Mountain hare, Golden eagle and and montane habitats. Heather moorland, by far Red grouse. The sub-arctic conditions of the the most extensive single upland habitat in montane habitat host species not found anywhere Tayside, represents some 12% of the whole area. else in Britain and are very significant percentages 64 Objectives of the world population. Alpine gentian, the 1 Endeavour to reduce the direct pressures on evocatively-named Blue dew moss, alongside upland biodiversity by implementing projects lichens and other mosses are amongst those UK to enhance ecosystem health. species found only within the borders of Tayside. 2 Safeguard upland ecosystems, species and This unique combination of the exceptional and the genetic diversity by enhancing connectivity commonplace makes the Tayside upland habitats and where possible preventing its decline. very special. Not only do they provide a local asset 3 Mainstream biodiversity conservation much enjoyed by the people of Tayside, they are also action by raising awareness and the a national asset and are in no small part responsible enjoyment of upland ecosystems of local for attracting the many visitors who come to enjoy communities. this area’s outstanding natural heritage. 65 Priority Habitats • Montane • Upland Heath • Montane scrub • Blanket bog Ben Vrackie from Moulin Moor © David Williamson Key Sites Angus Glens Grouse Moors Key Species Strathbraan, Glenqueich and (Designated) • Upland mammals including Logiealmond Grouse Moors Montane (all SSSIs) Mountain hare and Water vole Kynachan, Strathtummel Beinn A Ghlo (SAC) • Upland birds, including Forest of Atholl Golden eagle, Snow bunting Caenlochan (SAC) Forest of Alyth and Scoter Drumochter Hills (SAC) Rannoch Moor (SAC) • Upland plants, including Beinn A’ Chuallaich Oblong woodsia, Mountain Glas Tulaichean Scurvy grass and Snow Ben Chonzie Montane Scrub caloplaca Caenlochan/Corrie Fee Ben Vrackie Ben Lawers Meall Ghaordie Drumochter Hills/ Carn Gorm Cama Choire Meall Garbh Coire Bhachdaidh Schiehallion Blanket Bog Rannoch Moor Balnaboth Moor (Glen Prosen) The Cairnwell, Glenshee Atholl-Drumochter Hills Upland Heath Forest of Clunie (SSSI SPA) and neighbouring areas Drumochter Hills (SSSI SPA) 66 Mountain hare © SNH Wooly willow © SNH Rare Vascular Plants in Tayside Tayside is a vitally important area for a number of • Schoenus ferrugineus (Brown Bog-rush).This extremely rare upland species. These include: species is restricted to four SSSI sites in Perthshire and one site in Selkirkshire. In current • (Alpine milk vetch). Of the Astragalus alpinus good condition, the plant could be vulnerable to few sites known in the UK, three of them occur disease, a single outbreak potentially wiping out in Tayside. The population is decreasing to a an entire local population. critical stage. • Veronica fruticans ( Rock Speedwell). Tayside is • (Close-headed Alpine-sedge). Carex norvegica the stronghold for this species. Populations are Nationally rare, most populations occur in Tayside typically small and the species may be decreasing. and have fewer than 200 plants. Overgrazing, • (oblong woodsia). Endangered trampling – and undergrazing – are all threats. Woodsia ilvensis in Britain and very rare in Scotland, Glen Clova is • (Yellow Milk-vetch). Three Oxytropis campestris one of only three sites known in Scotland. known sites in the UK: two are in Tayside, the The National Trust for Scotland has pioneered other in the Mull of Kintyre. methods of regenerating montane willows and • (Whorled Solomon's- Polygonatum verticillatum other rare plants at Ben Lawers. The reserve has the seal). In the UK this Nationally Rare plant is largest abundance of arctic-alpine plants in the restricted to Tayside, but its populations are UK; these include Snow gentian (unique to decreasing because of habitat destruction, Tayside) and Alpine forget-me-not which is erosion and collecting. restricted to Tayside and Upper Teesdale. It also • Lathyrus japonicus subsp. acutifolius (Sea Pea). hosts over 500 lichens which makes it the UK’s Rare in Scotland. The variety occurring in Angus is most important site for lichens. The Vital Habitat genetically distinct from the species elsewhere. It Enhancement project at Ben Lawers is focussing is vulnerable to developments and under-grazing. on grazing management, habitat restoration and • Salix lanata (Woolly willow.) This montane willow peat restoration. Elsewhere, SNH manages an occurs locally in Tayside, but is sparse elsewhere. exclosure at the Corrie Fee National Nature Reserve Climate change and overgrazing is its main which is regenerating montane scrub and tall herb threat. vegetation. 67 Ecosystem Pressures bracken is free to colonise. Erosion and sedimentation of Services & Overgrazing by Deer and watercourses may also occur. Ecosystem Scale Sheep Projects High grazing levels of both deer Increasing Recreational and sheep have left montane Use Ecosystem Services habitats such as dwarf shrub Hill-walkers, climbers and off- • Carbon storage heath, willow scrub, herb-rich piste skiers are increasing in • Photosynthesis and oxygen vegetation and moss-heath number and can cause damage production fragmented and seriously to fragile vegetation and soils, especially where paths cross wet • Renewable energy degraded. Grazing-tolerant boggy areas or traverse just species such as Mat grass have • Water quality regulation below cliffs in which calcareous taken over in large areas of • Recreation and leisure grassland and tall herb montane habitat and this has vegetation grow. Path • Health and wellbeing reduced the species diversity of management can ensure • Tourism grass swards. erosion does not escalate, • Woodland and peat Trampling damage is becoming especially on the summits. • Protection from floods a serious threat to blanket bog, Visitors and their dogs can • Climate regulation plants found in areas of high- cause disturbance to ground altitude, water seepage and nesting birds adjacent to Ecosystem Scale Projects sub-alpine calcareous popular montane routes. • Angus Upland Plant projects grassland. Trampling of Dotterel, Golden plover and – monitoring and restoring ground-nesting bird nests and Dunlin are all vulnerable, Twinflower and Woolly willow chicks by sheep and deer is also leading predators to take eggs populations. an issue. or young. There is also risk of direct trampling of eggs or • Linking and Exploring Fragmentation of young (especially for Dotterel Tayside’s Upland Habitat which often nest on the open Wildlife Sites. Mountain willow populations summit plateau) where walkers are now so small and dispersed, • Controlling invasive upland stray from designated clinging to inaccessible ledges species – Mink, INNS, etc. pathways. out of reach of browsing • Upland Tayside butterfly animals, that they are Climate Change and projects –surveying, susceptible to landslide or Pollution monitoring and habitat damage from rock-falls. As Our montane areas are very enhancement projects. these plants have male and vulnerable to the effects of • Woodland restoration. female flowers on different climate change with the mean • Grassland projects. plants (and female plants are annual temperature expected • Peatland projects. more common), isolated plants to rise between 1.4C and 3C by 2050. Many montane species • Tayside mammals projects. can no longer regenerate naturally. Other rare plants will be unable to colonise other suitable areas and there will be within the montane habitat are changes in the distribution and in a similarly precarious state abundance of species, and need long-term resources including invertebrates. and management to safeguard Changes in vegetation them. Construction routes for composition and structure may windfarms and new or cause the loss of many of our redesigned hill roads have also rare alpine plants. Acidification led to fragmentation. (atmospheric deposition of Muirburn sulphur and nitrogen Poorly-managed muirburn compounds) may alter the followed by heavy grazing is natural nutrient levels in the resulting in the loss of dwarf soil and affect the composition shrubs and leading to a and structure of vegetation transition to grassland where communities. 68 Unlocking carbon is peatland’s capacity to retain associated with such habitats, Destruction, erosion from carbon that in its release can especially lower plants and excessive grazing or contribute to increased invertebrates. development on peatland is atmospheric carbon levels and Afforestation very detrimental to the therefore climate change and Afforestation with non-native surrounding hydrology, as well increased greenhouse gases. conifers can seriously affect as to peatland species. species such as Black grouse Drainage