Birks of Aberfeldy
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Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Lichen assemblage | Favourable | — | 2014-03-14 |
| F2 | Upland mixed ash woodland | Unfavourable Declining | — | 2013-03-20 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Geological Feature: Gorge / Ravine · Rock Type: Schist
Landscape processes: Fluvial
Description
BIRKS OF ABERFELDY Birks of Aberfeldy is located immediately to the south of the town of Aberfeldy in Highland Perthshire. It is important for its upland mixed ash woodland on schist and its lichen flora. The site is an area of ancient mixed woodland in the gorge of the Moness Burn, with birch at higher levels. Ash and rowan woodland is present along burnsides, and in the deep rocky gorge of the Moness Burn which is incised through schists and gneisses of Dalradian age. The most widespread woodland type on the site on drier less fertile soils is birch and oak with some beech. Diversity is provided by pockets of alder and ash woodland in wet hollows and burnsides. The ground flora is species rich and contains a large number of higher plants of restricted distribution in Perth and Kinross. The bryophytes are also of interest including a number of species indicative of base rich soils. The ground flora of the gorge section is dominated by dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis and other herbs with creeping soft-grass Holcus mollis on drier areas. Amongst the uncommon species are the nationally scarce small cow-wheat Melampyrum sylvaticum and lesser hairy brome Bromopsis benekenii. Other uncommon plants include moschatel Adoxa moschatellina (an ancient woodland indicator), giant fescue Schedonorus giganteus, wood fescue Festuca altissima and mountain melick Melica nutans. The Birks of Aberfeldy has a rich lichen flora including a long list of ancient woodland indicator species. The site contains 22 nationally scarce species including several oceanic and sub-oceanic species. This contrasts with several boreal or continental species which are also present. Notable species include old woodland indicators such as Bacidia circumspecta and Bacidia subincompta.
Species mentioned
Show the 8 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status| English name search for this in other sites |
Latin name search with Google |
IUCN / Red List | Type | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| lesser hairy brome | Bromopsis benekenii | LC | grass | poaceae |
| wood fescue | Festuca altissima | Not listed in GB list | grass | poaceae |
| creeping soft grass | Holcus mollis | LC | grass | poaceae |
| mountain melick | Melica nutans | VU | grass | poaceae |
| giant fescue | Schedonorus giganteus | LC | grass | poaceae |
| moschatel | Adoxa moschatellina | LC | herb | adoxaceae |
| small cowwheat | Melampyrum sylvaticum | VU | herb | orobanchaceae |
| dog's mercury | Mercurialis perennis | LC | herb | euphorbiaceae |
Plant communities
W8 — Lowland mixed oak and ash wood, Upland mixed ash wood
Fraxinus excelsior-Acer campestre-Mercurialis perennis woodland
Show 176 indicator speciesHedera helix, Salix caprea, Salix cinerea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Betula pubescens, Carpinus betulus, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Castanea sativa, Quercus hybrid, Quercus petraea, Quercus robur, Tilia cordata, Tilia platyphyllos, Fraxinus excelsior, Larix decidua, Malus sylvestris, Prunus avium, Prunus padus, Sorbus aria, Sorbus aucuparia, Sorbus domesticus, Alnus glutinosa, Populus tremula, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus minor, Ulmus procera, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Viburnum opulus, Euonymus europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Ribes sylvestris, Ribes uva-crispa, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Rhamnus cathartica, Crataegus hybrid, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Rubus saxatilis, Daphne laureola, Daphne mezereum, Carex remota, Carex sylvatica, Juncus effusus, Luzula sylvatica, Mnium hornum, Plagiomnium affine, Plagiomnium rostratum, Plagiomnium undulatum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Dicranella heteromalla, Fissidens curnovii, Fissidens taxifolius, Amblystegium serpens, Brachythecium rutabulum, Cirriphyllum piliferum, Climacium dendroides, Ctenidium molluscum, Eurhynchium striatum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Isothecium myosuroides, Kindbergia praelonga, Oxyrrhynchium hians, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium nemorale, Rhynchostegium confertum, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Thamnobryum alopecurum, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Lophocolea bidentata, Lophocolea heterophylla, Plagiochila asplenioides, Plagiochila porelloides, Pellia epiphylla, Tamus communis, Adoxa moschatellina, Narcissus pseudonarcissus, Angelica sylvestris, Anthriscus sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Sanicula europaea, Arum maculatum, Arctium minus, Lapsana communis, Mycelis muralis, Taraxacum officianalis, Myosotis sylvatica, Alliaria petiolata, Cardamine flexuosa, Campanula latifolia, Campanula trachelium, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Stellaria holostea, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Mercurialis perennis, Vicia sepium, Geranium robertianum, Hypericum hirsutum, Iris foetidissima, Ajuga reptans, Glechoma hederacea, Lamiastrum galeobdolon, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Allium ursinum, Convallaria majalis, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Polygonatum multiflorum, Chamerion angustifolium, Circaea lutetiana, Epilobium montanum, Neottia ovata, Orchis mascula, Platanthera chlorantha, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Veronica chamaedrys, Veronica montana, Rumex crispus, Rumex sanguineus, Lysimachia nemorum, Primula elatior, Primula vulgaris, Anemone nemorosa, Ficaria verna, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus auricomus, Ranunculus repens, Filipendula ulmaria, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Potentilla sterilis, Rosa canina, Rosa villosa, Rubus caesius, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Galium odoratum, Chrysosplenium oppositifolium, Urtica dioica, Viola odorata, Viola riviniana, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis ramosa, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Melica nutans, Melica uniflora, Milium effusum, Poa nemoralis, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus giganteus, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas, Polystichum aculeatum, Polystichum setiferum, Polypodium vulgare, Athyrium filix-femina
W9 — Altantic hazel wood, Limestone pavement, Upland mixed ash wood
Fraxinus excelsior-Sorbus aucuparia-Mercurialis perennis woodland
Show 136 indicator speciesHedera helix, Salix cinerea, Acer campestre, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Betula pubescens, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus hybrid, Quercus petraea, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Pinus sylvestris, Prunus padus, Sorbus aucuparia, Alnus glutinosa, Populus tremula, Ulmus glabra, Sambucus nigra, Crataegus monogyna, Rubus saxatilis, Carex pallescens, Carex sylvatica, Luzula sylvatica, Mnium hornum, Plagiomnium rostratum, Plagiomnium undulatum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Dicranum scoparium, Fissidens curnovii, Fissidens taxifolius, Brachythecium rutabulum, Cirriphyllum piliferum, Ctenidium molluscum, Eurhynchium striatum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum cupressiforme, Isothecium alopecuroides, Isothecium myosuroides, Kindbergia praelonga, Loeskeobryum brevirostre, Oxyrrhynchium hians, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium succulentum, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Thuidium delicatulum, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichum formosum, Lophocolea bidentata, Plagiochila asplenioides, Pellia endiviifolia, Pellia epiphylla, Adoxa moschatellina, Angelica sylvestris, Anthriscus sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Sanicula europaea, Arum maculatum, Cirsium heterophyllum, Cirsium palustre, Crepis paludosa, Jacobaea vulgaris, Tussilago farfara, Cardamine flexuosa, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana officinalis, Silene dioica, Stellaria holostea, Mercurialis perennis, Vicia sepium, Geranium robertianum, Geranium sylvaticum, Ajuga reptans, Lamiastrum galeobdolon, Stachys sylvatica, Allium ursinum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Circaea lutetiana, Circaea x intermedia, Epilobium montanum, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Veronica chamaedrys, Veronica montana, Rumex acetosa, Lysimachia nemorum, Primula vulgaris, Anemone nemorosa, Ficaria verna, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus repens, Trollius europaeus, Alchemilla glabra, Alchemilla xanthochlora, Filipendula ulmaria, Fragaria vesca, Geum rivale, Geum urbanum, Potentilla erecta, Potentilla sterilis, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Cruciata laevipes, Galium aparine, Galium odoratum, Galium saxatile, Chrysosplenium oppositifolium, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis ramosa, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Melica uniflora, Milium effusum, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus giganteus, Asplenium scolopendrium, Blechnum spicant, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas, Athyrium filix-femina