Coundmoor Brook

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.6288, -2.6538

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Also within

Shropshire County

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SJ558035 — Favourable 4.14 2015-03-21

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Ordovician

Description

Area, 4.4 ha. 10.9 ac. Description This is a nationally important geological site providing exposures of fossiliferous rocks of Ordovician age. The rock exposures in the stream section are regarded as the standard or type section for the Harnagian Stage, one of the subdivisions of the Ordovician Period. During this period of geological history, this area lay on the eastern edge of a deep ocean basin occupying most of Wales, whilst shallower 'shelf' seas extended eastwards over the Midlands. Fossil organisms characteristic of both deep and shallow marine environments can be found in the rocks of Coundmoor Brook, enabling detailed comparisons to be made between the two environments. In addition a number of species of trilobites were first collected and described from this locality.

Plant communities

A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream

Potamogeton natans community

Schoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bulbosus, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium erectum, Sparganium minimum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Lemna trisulca, Nymphaea alba, Callitriche platycarpa, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Glyceria fluitans, Chara subspinosa

A14 — Fast flowing river and stream

Myriophyllum alterniflorum community

Isolepis fluitans, Juncus bulbosus, Fontinalis antipyretica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton filiformis, Potamogeton gramineus, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Chara spp., Nitella hyalina

A17 — Chalk river and stream, Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community

Berula erecta, Nasturtium officinale, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Veronica beccabunga, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiper, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans

A18 — Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus fluitans community

Fontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis squamosa var. curnowii, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Elodea canadensis, Mentha aquatica, Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculus fluitans, Glyceria fluitans, Phalaris arundinacea