| Heathland |
Limousines in Heath |
Website Links For Heath |
Information AboutHeathland |
|
HEATHLAND ( England ). Purple flowers of ''Calluna vulgaris'' and yellow flowers of ''Ulex gallii'']] Heathland is a lowland habitat, and is favoured where climatic conditions are typically warm and dry, particularly in Summer , and soils Acid ic, of low fertility, and often Sand y and very free-draining; Bog s do occur where drainage is poor, but are usually only small in extent. It is dominated by low Shrub s, 0.2-2 m tall, particularly Heather (''Calluna vulgaris''), Heath (''Erica'' species) and Gorse (''Ulex'' species). It is noted for the brilliant colours when these species flower in late Summer (see photo, left). The habitat is maintained artificially by a combination of grazing and periodic burning, or (rarely) mowing; if not so maintained, it is rapidly re-colonised by Forest , mainly of Pine (''Pinus'' species) and Silver Birch (''Betula pendula''). Any re-colonising tree species will depend on the local seed source, and may not reflect the natural vegetation before the Heathland became established. Heathlands have a very typical associated Bird Fauna , notably Montagu's Harrier , Eurasian Hobby , European Nightjar , Wood Lark , Tree Pipit , European Stonechat and Dartford Warbler ; where there are scattered trees, Green Woodpecker is also characteristic. Some Reptile s are also largely confined to healthland, notably the Sand Lizard and the Smooth Snake , and one Amphibian , the Natterjack Toad . It is also an excellent habitat for Ants with many species being restricted entirely to it. One of the biggest heathlands is the Lüneburger Heide in northern Germany . Other notable heaths include large parts of the New Forest and the Breckland in southern and eastern England respectively, and the Veluwe in the Netherlands , and smaller areas in Dorset , Devon and Surrey in southern England. Heathland habitats are also found in parts of Denmark , France , Spain and along the Norwegian coastline. MOORLAND Upland moorland habitats occur mainly in northern and western Britain and Ireland , and are similar in also often being dominated by Heather , but differ from typical heathland in being colder and much wetter, often with extensive Bog s, giving rise to a different mix of associated fauna, such as Red Grouse , Hen Harrier , Merlin , Golden Plover , Curlew , Sky Lark , Meadow Pipit , Whinchat , Ring Ouzel and Twite . Reptiles are fewer due to the cooler conditions, with only the Common Viper being frequent. When moorland is Overgrazed by excessive numbers of Sheep or Deer , most of the heather is lost, being replaced by coarse, unpalatable Grasses and Bracken , with a greatly reduced fauna. Notable areas of upland moorland in Britain include Bodmin Moor , Dartmoor (see also Dartmoor Wildlife ), Exmoor , the Dark Peak , the North York Moors , the Forest Of Bowland , the Lake District , the Pennines , Mid Wales , the Southern Uplands of Scotland, the Scottish Highlands and a very small pockets in the Shropshire Hills and western Herefordshire . In more northerly latitudes, moorland is also found in lowland areas in the Scottish Highlands, Iceland and Norway ; in the far north where trees do not grow naturally, moorland grades into natural Tundra . SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
|
|
|