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 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 -