Vegetation as Site Indicator - LOtC · Vegetation as Site Indicator Presentation summary •General...

Vegetation as Site Indicator

2


Presentation summary

• General plant ecology - why plants grow

where they do

• How plants indicate fertility

• Tree and soil relationships with vegetation

• Vegetation Identification examples

3

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


4

Tolerance limits


5

• 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

Vegetation Studies


6

• Temperature

• Water

• Nutrients

• Grazing

• Fire

• People

• Competition from other plants

Plant environmental limiting factors


7

• 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

Plants as Fertility indicators


8

Moisture and

Nutrient grid

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

HUMUS MOR MOR - MODER MODER - MULL MULL MULL

Slightly Drywood sage burdock

Fresh

cowberry, bell-

heather, heather

wavy hair-grass,

common bent,

bracken, common

violet, great

woodrush, slender

St.John's wort,

tormentil, devil's bit

scabious

raspberry, holly,

greater stitchwort,

cow-wheat,

chickweed, broom,

gorse, bracken, barren

strawberry

bluebell (wild

hyacinth), hazel, ivy,

hawthorn, false-

brome, rosebay

willowherb,

germander

speedwell, wood

sedge, pignut,

primrose, cocksfoot,

red fescue, yarrow

elder, yellow archangel,

wood spurge, common

hemp-nettle, spear thistle,

white clover, false oat-

grass, hogweed

Moist

blaeberry, heather,

crowberry, green-

ribbed sedge

wood sorrel, scaly

male fern, hard fern,

heath bedstraw, heath

woodrush

bramble, creeping

soft-grass, broad

buckler-fern, wood

anemone, foxglove,

honeysuckle,

yorkshire fog, sweet

vernal-grass

tufted hair-grass, male

fern, herb robert

dog's mercury,

goosegrass (sticky

willies), wild garlic,

stinging nettle, hedge

wound wort, ground

ivy, wood avens,

enchanter's nightshade,

lesser celandine, red

campion, wood

speedwell, common

horsetail, creeping thistle,

rough meadow-grass

Very Moist

mat grass, heath rush compact rush, lady fern, yellow

pimpernel, creeping

buttercup, soft rush

bugle, wild angelica

Wet

purple moor-grass,

harestail cotton-

grass, cross leaved

heath, deer grass,

lousewort

sharp flowered rush marsh thistle wood horsetail,

common valarien,

meadow sweet, golden

saxifrage

Very Wet

common cotton-

grass, bog myrtle

marsh marigold

Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR)

N.B.: Plant names in 'red type' are amendments by Scott Wilson, to the published Bulletin 124 _ 15-10-2007

ALL PLANTS MAYBE FOUND IN CONDITIONS ADJACENT TO THE CELL DISPLAYED

Soil

Mois

ture

Regim

e

(SM

R)

Ellenberg SNR score

wavy hair-grass,

common bent,

bracken, common

violet, great

woodrush,

slender St.John's

wort, tormentil,

devil's bit scabious


9

Moisture and

Nutrient grid

• Each species has a

different range across

nutrient and wetness

classes


2 - 5.7 5.7 - 7.7 7.7 - 9.7 9.7 - 11.7 11.7 - 18


Sl. D

ry wood sage burdock

Fre

sh

cowberry, bell-

heather,

heather

wavy hair-

grass, common

bent, bracken,

common violet,

great

woodrush,

slender

St.John's wort,

tormentil, devil's

bit scabious

raspberry,

holly, greater

stitchwort, cow-

wheat,

chickweed,

broom, gorse,

bracken, barren

strawberry

bluebell (wild

hyacinth),

hazel, ivy,

hawthorn,

false-brome,

rosebay

willowherb,

germander

speedwell,

wood sedge,

pignut,

primrose,

cocksfoot,

red fescue,

yarrow

elder, yellow

archangel, wood

spurge, common hemp-

nettle, spear thistle,


grass, hogweed

Mois

t

blaeberry,

heather,

crowberry,

green-ribbed

sedge

wood sorrel,

scaly male

fern, hard fern,

heath bedstraw,

heath woodrush

bramble,

creeping soft-

grass, broad

buckler-fern,

wood

anemone,

foxglove,

honeysuckle,

yorkshire fog,

sweet vernal-

grass

tufted hair-

grass, male

fern, herb

robert

dog's mercury,

goosegrass (sticky


stinging nettle,

hedge wound wort,

ground ivy, wood

avens, enchanter's

nightshade, lesser

celandine, red

campion, wood

speedwell, common


rough meadow-grass

V.

Mois

t

mat grass,

heath rush

compact rush, lady fern,

yellow

pimpernel,

creeping

buttercup, soft

rush

bugle, wild

angelica

Wet

purple moor-

grass, harestail

cotton-grass,

cross leaved

heath, deer

grass,

lousewort

sharp flowered

rush

marsh thistle wood

horsetail,

common

valarien,

meadow sweet,

golden saxifrage

Very

Wet common cotton-

grass, bog

myrtle

marsh marigold




Soil

Mois

ture

Regim

e

(SM

R)

Ellenberg SNR

Bramble

• So the SNR value is an

average


1

0

Moisture and

Nutrient grid




classes


2 - 5.7 5.7 - 7.7 7.7 - 9.7 9.7 - 11.7 11.7 - 18


Sl. D


Fre

sh

cowberry, bell-

heather,

heather

wavy hair-

grass, common

bent, bracken,

common violet,

great

woodrush,

slender

St.John's wort,

tormentil, devil's

bit scabious

raspberry,

holly, greater

stitchwort, cow-

wheat,

chickweed,

broom, gorse,

bracken, barren

strawberry

bluebell (wild

hyacinth),

hazel, ivy,

hawthorn,

false-brome,

rosebay

willowherb,

germander

speedwell,

wood sedge,

pignut,

primrose,

cocksfoot,

red fescue,

yarrow

elder, yellow

archangel, wood




grass, hogweed

Mois

t

blaeberry,

heather,

crowberry,

green-ribbed

sedge

wood sorrel,

scaly male

fern, hard fern,

heath bedstraw,

heath woodrush

bramble,

creeping soft-

grass, broad

buckler-fern,

wood

anemone,

foxglove,

honeysuckle,

yorkshire fog,

sweet vernal-

grass

tufted hair-

grass, male

fern, herb

robert

dog's mercury,

goosegrass (sticky


stinging nettle,

hedge wound wort,

ground ivy, wood

avens, enchanter's

nightshade, lesser

celandine, red

campion, wood

speedwell, common


rough meadow-grass

V.

Mois

t

mat grass,

heath rush


yellow

pimpernel,

creeping

buttercup, soft

rush

bugle, wild

angelica

Wet

purple moor-

grass, harestail

cotton-grass,

cross leaved

heath, deer

grass,

lousewort

sharp flowered

rush

marsh thistle wood

horsetail,

common

valarien,

meadow sweet,

golden saxifrage

Very

Wet common cotton-

grass, bog

myrtle

marsh marigold




Soil

Mois

ture

Regim

e

(SM

R)

Ellenberg SNR

Heather


average


1

1

Moisture and

Nutrient grid




classes


2 - 5.7 5.7 - 7.7 7.7 - 9.7 9.7 - 11.7 11.7 - 18


Sl. D


Fre

sh

cowberry, bell-

heather,

heather

wavy hair-

grass, common

bent, bracken,

common violet,

great

woodrush,

slender

St.John's wort,

tormentil, devil's

bit scabious

raspberry,

holly, greater

stitchwort, cow-

wheat,

chickweed,

broom, gorse,

bracken, barren

strawberry

bluebell (wild

hyacinth),

hazel, ivy,

hawthorn,

false-brome,

rosebay

willowherb,

germander

speedwell,

wood sedge,

pignut,

primrose,

cocksfoot,

red fescue,

yarrow

elder, yellow

archangel, wood




grass, hogweed

Mois

t

blaeberry,

heather,

crowberry,

green-ribbed

sedge

wood sorrel,

scaly male

fern, hard fern,

heath bedstraw,

heath woodrush

bramble,

creeping soft-

grass, broad

buckler-fern,

wood

anemone,

foxglove,

honeysuckle,

yorkshire fog,

sweet vernal-

grass

tufted hair-

grass, male

fern, herb

robert

dog's mercury,

goosegrass (sticky


stinging nettle,

hedge wound wort,

ground ivy, wood

avens, enchanter's

nightshade, lesser

celandine, red

campion, wood

speedwell, common


rough meadow-grass

V.

Mois

t

mat grass,

heath rush


yellow

pimpernel,

creeping

buttercup, soft

rush

bugle, wild

angelica

Wet

purple moor-

grass, harestail

cotton-grass,

cross leaved

heath, deer

grass,

lousewort

sharp flowered

rush

marsh thistle wood

horsetail,

common

valarien,

meadow sweet,

golden saxifrage

Very

Wet common cotton-

grass, bog

myrtle

marsh marigold




Soil

Mois

ture

Regim

e

(SM

R)

Ellenberg SNR

Bell

Heather


average


1

2


Some species are more “specialist indicators” than others

1

3


2 - 5.7 5.7 - 7.7 7.7 - 9.7 9.7 - 11.7 11.7 - 18


Sl. D


Fre

sh

cowberry, bell-

heather,

heather

wavy hair-

grass, common

bent, bracken,

common violet,

great

woodrush,

slender

St.John's wort,

tormentil, devil's

bit scabious

raspberry,

holly, greater

stitchwort, cow-

wheat,

chickweed,

broom, gorse,

bracken, barren

strawberry

bluebell (wild

hyacinth),

hazel, ivy,

hawthorn,

false-brome,

rosebay

willowherb,

germander

speedwell,

wood sedge,

pignut,

primrose,

cocksfoot,

red fescue,

yarrow

elder, yellow

archangel, wood




grass, hogweed

Mois

t

blaeberry,

heather,

crowberry,

green-ribbed

sedge

wood sorrel,

scaly male

fern, hard fern,

heath bedstraw,

heath woodrush

bramble,

creeping soft-

grass, broad

buckler-fern,

wood

anemone,

foxglove,

honeysuckle,

yorkshire fog,

sweet vernal-

grass

tufted hair-

grass, male

fern, herb

robert

dog's mercury,

goosegrass (sticky


stinging nettle,

hedge wound wort,

ground ivy, wood

avens, enchanter's

nightshade, lesser

celandine, red

campion, wood

speedwell, common


rough meadow-grass

V.

Mois

t

mat grass,

heath rush


yellow

pimpernel,

creeping

buttercup, soft

rush

bugle, wild

angelica

Wet

purple moor-

grass, harestail

cotton-grass,

cross leaved

heath, deer

grass,

lousewort

sharp flowered

rush

marsh thistle wood

horsetail,

common

valarien,

meadow sweet,

golden saxifrage

Very

Wet common cotton-

grass, bog

myrtle

marsh marigold




Soil

Mois

ture

Regim

e

(SM

R)

Ellenberg SNR

• Each species has a different “footprint”

• Range may vary on conditions

• Species overlap

wavy hair-

grass,

common bent,

bracken,

common

violet, great

woodrush,

slender

St.John's wort

tormentil,

devil's bit

scabious,


SNR must be estimated

from presence and

abundance of several

characteristic species

1

4

Working out SNR - Numerical Method

species abundance [%] SNR value product

tufted hair grass

wavy hair grass

soft rush

50 (5)

30 (3)

10 (1)

9

5

8

45

15

8

sum 90 (9) 68

SNR = 68 / 9 = 7.5

poor - medium

weighted average

= x

use the 5 most abundant species


1

5


2 - 5.7 5.7 - 7.7 7.7 - 9.7 9.7 - 11.7 11.7 - 18


Sl. D


Fre

sh

cowberry, bell-

heather,

heather

wavy hair-

grass, common

bent, bracken,

common violet,

great

woodrush,

slender

St.John's wort,

tormentil, devil's

bit scabious

raspberry,

holly, greater

stitchwort, cow-

wheat,

chickweed,

broom, gorse,

bracken, barren

strawberry

bluebell (wild

hyacinth),

hazel, ivy,

hawthorn,

false-brome,

rosebay

willowherb,

germander

speedwell,

wood sedge,

pignut,

primrose,

cocksfoot,

red fescue,

yarrow

elder, yellow

archangel, wood




grass, hogweed

Mois

t

blaeberry,

heather,

crowberry,

green-ribbed

sedge

wood sorrel,

scaly male

fern, hard fern,

heath bedstraw,

heath woodrush

bramble,

creeping soft-

grass, broad

buckler-fern,

wood

anemone,

foxglove,

honeysuckle,

yorkshire fog,

sweet vernal-

grass

tufted hair-

grass, male

fern, herb

robert

dog's mercury,

goosegrass (sticky


stinging nettle,

hedge wound wort,

ground ivy, wood

avens, enchanter's

nightshade, lesser

celandine, red

campion, wood

speedwell, common


rough meadow-grass

V.

Mois

t

mat grass,

heath rush


yellow

pimpernel,

creeping

buttercup, soft

rush

bugle, wild

angelica

Wet

purple moor-

grass, harestail

cotton-grass,

cross leaved

heath, deer

grass,

lousewort

sharp flowered

rush

marsh thistle wood

horsetail,

common

valarien,

meadow sweet,

golden saxifrage

Very

Wet common cotton-

grass, bog

myrtle

marsh marigold




Soil

Mois

ture

Regim

e

(SM

R)

Ellenberg SNR

Working out SNR - Shortcut Method

tufted hair grass

wavy hair grass

soft rush

medium

moist

consider abundance of species

use the 5 most abundant species


Rough peatland species distribution

8 9a 9b 9c 9d 9e 10 11b

(11d)

11c 11a

flushed unflushed wet unflushed dry

Juncus s

p.

(rushes)

Agrostis sp.

(bents)

Trichophorum cespitosum

(deergrass)

Molinia caerulea

(purple moor grass)

Erica tetralix (heath)

Calluna vulgaris (heather) / Vaccinium myrtillus (blaeberry)

Narthecium and

Rhacomitrum lichens Eriophorum sp.

(cotton grass)

1

7

ESC – Nutrient indicator plants

SNR Taxonomic name R N

2 Rubus chamaemorus 1 1

Betula nana 1 1

3

Empetrum nigrum 2 1

Erica tetralix 2 1

Eriophorum vaginatum 2 1

Trichophorum cespitosum 2 1

Drosera intermedia & rotundifolia 2 1

Narthecium ossifragum 2 1

4

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 2 2

Erica cinerea 2 2

Vaccinium vitis-idaea 2 2

Calluna vulgaris 2 2

Listera cordata 2 2

Vaccinium myrtillus 2 2

Juncus squarrosus 2 2

Purple - Heaths

1

8

SNR Taxonomic name R N

5

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

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)

ESC – Nutrient indicator plants

1

9

Vegetation Identification

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

Vegetation identification - Families

2

0


• Every individual plant species has unique

features

• Some are easier to spot than others

Vegetation Identification - Species

2

1


Deschampsia cespitosa -

Tufted hair grass

• Very tall, loose seed

head

2

2


Deschampsia cespitosa

- Tufted hair grass


head

• Forms a large tussock

2

3



Tufted hair grass


head

• Forms a large tussock

• Leaves are striped when

held to the light (are rough

in one direction only)

2

4



Tufted hair grass


2 - 5.7 5.7 - 7.7 7.7 - 9.7 9.7 - 11.7 11.7 - 18


SNR values for all indicator

species can be found in FC

bulletin 124, p. 22/23.

Add columns N and R for total

value!

2

5


Molinia caerulea -

Purple moor grass

• Thin seed head

• Forms a hard tussock

• Leaves persist over the

winter

2

6


Molinia caerulea -

Purple moor grass

• Thin seed head

• Forms a hard tussock

• Leaves persist over the

winter

• Root base is bulbous

2

7



2 - 5.7 5.7 - 7.7 7.7 - 9.7 9.7 - 11.7 11.7 - 18


Molinia caerulea -

Purple moor grass

2

8


Erica tetralix -

Cross-leaved heath

• Dwarf shrub

• Woody stems

• Waxy coating on leaves

2

9


Erica tetralix -

Cross-leaved heath

• Dwarf shrub

• Woody stems

• Waxy coating on leaves

• Leaflets form a cross

shape on the stem

3

0



2 - 5.7 5.7 - 7.7 7.7 - 9.7 9.7 - 11.7 11.7 - 18


Erica tetralix -

Cross-leaved heath

3

1


Tree - Vegetation associations

• Purple moor grass - Downy birch, Sitka

spruce

• Heather - Scots pine, Silver birch

• Nettle - Alder

• Dogs Mercury - Ash

• And many more….

3

2

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

3


• 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 (%)

General Vegetation sampling

3

4

Summary

• Plants indicate fertility

• Trees and soils have relationships with other

vegetation

• Learn your plant ID…

• You must go and L K


Vegetation as Site Indicator - LOtC · Vegetation as Site Indicator Presentation summary •General...

Documents

Transcript of Vegetation as Site Indicator - LOtC · Vegetation as Site Indicator Presentation summary •General...