Chickengrove Bottom
Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SU040216 | — | Unfavourable Recovering | 10.51 | 2015-06-26 |
Habitats
Ancient woodland, Coppiced woodland, Mixed scrub, Montane scrub
Geology & landscape
Rock Type: Chalk
Description
Area, 9.8 ha. 24.3 ac. Description Chickengrove Bottom is an intimate mixture of botanically rich chalk grassland, scrub and woodland, with invertebrates and reptiles well represented. It lies on the northern edge of Vernditch Chase close to the Hampshire border. The grassland is a lightly grazed example of the upright brome tor grass Bromus erectus Brachypodium pinnatum community, but with some areas of predominantly red fescue Festuca rubra. In the former community a group of herbs which are associated with light grazing, such as yellow rattle Rhinanthus minor, perforate St Johns wort Hypericum perforatum and marjoram Origanum vulgare, occur alongside species typical of the south west Wiltshire chalk, including saw wort Serratula tinctoria, devil's bit scabious Succisa pratensis and betony Betonica officinalis. A small colony of the nationally rare tuberous thistle Cirsium tuberosum is found here in what is probably its most southerly locality. Squinancywort Asperula cynanchica, clustered bellflower Campanula glomerata and dropwort Filipendula vulgaris occur with the restricted dwarf sedge Carex humilis in the areas of shorter turf. The grassland grades through scrub to woodland. The scrub is species rich and dominated by hazel Corylus avellana with hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, bramble Rubus fruticosus and young oak Quercus robur frequent. Dogwood Cornus sanguinea, spindle Euonymus europaeus, privet Ligustrum vulgare and whitebeam Sorbus aria also occur. Within this transitional scrub zone, which is an important aspect of the site, species of orchid such as greater butterfly orchid Platanthera chlorantha and twayblade Neottia ovata occur. The woodland is secondary but parts are adjacent to the ancient woodland site of Vernditch Chase from which woodland plants have apparently colonised. The woodland is of a calcareous hazel ash type, with oak and ash Fraxinus excelsior standards over an understorey of coppiced hazel Corylus avellana. The ground flora is dominated by dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis and moschatel Adoxa moschatellina, with areas of ramsons Allium ursinum. Sweet woodruff Galium odoratum and butcher's broom Ruscus aculeatus occur. The scrub fringed wood, surrounding unimproved grassland, provides excellent conditions for various reptiles and invertebrates. adder Vipera berus, grass snake Natrix natrix, slow worm Anguis fragilis and common lizard Lacerta agilis have all been recorded on the site. Grassland butterflies such as marbled white Melanargia galatheaa, brown argus Aricia agestis and dark green fritillary Argynnis aglaja occur with the woodland butterflies purple hairstreak Favonius quercus, silver washed fritillary Argynnis paphia and white admiral Limenitis camilla. Older records exist for three nationally rare flies Freraea gagatea, Brachyopa bicolor and Terellia vectensis, the larvae of the latter being dependent on saw wort. A small population of dormice Muscardinus avellanarius occurs on the site.
Species mentioned
Show the 42 species mentioned in the description, with red-list statusPlant communities
W20 — Montane scrub
Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub
Show 107 indicator speciesSalix arbuscula, Salix cinerea, Salix lapponum, Salix myrsinites, Salix phylicifolia, Salix reticulata, Empetrum nigrum, Calluna vulgaris, Salix lanata, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Carex atrata, Carex bigelowii, Carex binervis, Carex flacca, Luzula multiflora, Luzula sylvatica, Huperzia selago, Selaginella selaginoides, Aulacomnium palustre, Mnium hornum, Philonotis fontana, Plagiomnium undulatum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Dicranum bonjeanii, Dicranum majus, Dicranum scoparium, Fissidens adianthoides, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Ctenidium molluscum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum callichroum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Palustriella commutatum, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista-castrensis, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Sanionia uncinata, Scorpidium revolvens, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichastrum alpinum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fallax, Sphagnum girgensohnii, Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum russowii, Sphagnum squarrosum, Sphagnum subnitens, Sphagnum teres, Barbilophozia barbata, Chiloscyphus polyanthos, Diplophyllum albicans, Lophocolea bidentata, Plagiochila porelloides, Ptilidium ciliare, Scapania undulata, Cladonia squamosa, Peltigera canina, Angelica sylvestris, Caltha palustris, Hieraclium spp., Saussurea alpina, Solidago virgaurea, Campanula rotundifolia, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana officinalis, Rhodiola rosea, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Thymus praecox, Epilobium anagallidifolium, Dactylorhiza viridis, Euphrasia officinalis, Rhinanthus minor, Oxalis acetosella, Oxyria digyna, Polygonum viviparum, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Thalictrum alpinum, Alchemilla alpina, Alchemilla glabra, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Galium boreale, Galium saxatile, Saxifraga aizoides, Saxifraga hypnoides, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga stellaris, Viola riviniana, Agrostis canina, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Nardus stricta, Dryopteris dilatata, Phegopteris connectilis
W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub
Show 81 indicator speciesHedera helix, Salix cinerea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Malus sylvestris, Sorbus aria, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus procera, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Euonymus europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Juniperus communis, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Rhamnus cathartica, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Juncus effusus, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhynchostegium confertum, Tamus communis, Heracleum sphondylium, Torilis japonica, Arum maculatum, Arctium minus, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Stellaria graminea, Stellaria holostea, Stellaria media agg., Calystegia sepium, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Iris foetidissima, Glechoma hederacea, Lamium purpureum, Origanum vulgare, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Allium ursinum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Circaea lutetiana, Rumex sanguineus, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus repens, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Potentilla sterilis, Poterium sanguisorba, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubia peregrina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Anisantha sterilis, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium pinnatum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis erecta, Dactylis glomerata, Elytrigia repens, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris filix-mas
W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub
Show 49 indicator speciesHedera helix, Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Ulex europaeus, Prunus spinosa, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Eurhynchium striatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Lophocolea bidentata, Achillea millefolium, Cardamine flexuosa, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Silene uniflora, Stellaria media agg., Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Armeria maritima, Rumex acetosa, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum urbanum, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris filix-mas