Fidlar Geo to Watsness
Also within
Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Non-marine Devonian | Favourable | — | 2005-03-31 |
Climate exposure
This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.
Coastal habitats are exposed to sea-level rise and storm erosion. Where hard sea defences sit behind them, there's nowhere landward to retreat to — a squeeze that keeps compressing the habitat no matter how well it's managed.
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Devonian · Rock Type: Sandstone
Landscape processes: Coastal
Description
FIDLAR GEO TO WATSNESS Fidlar Geo, 5 km west of Walls on the Shetland Mainland, is in the centre of an approximately 3km section of coast, from Gorsendi Geo near Watsness running east to where the burn of Setter reaches the Voe of Footabrough. This area is notified for its Non-marine Devonian geological structures which are of importance in interpreting the formation of Shetland. Exposed here is a strongly-folded sandstone (with some interbedded shales) of Middle Devonian age. The sediments are part of the recently-defined West Coast Formation, and are important in interpreting the palaeogeography of the Orcadian Basin, and Orcadian Devonian environments in general. They were first interpreted as braided-stream sediments and, later, as beach sediments formed at the margins of the Orcadian Basin Lake. The Orcadian lake beach-environment was first recognised here. The section also shows the unusually intense deformation which affected the Orcadian rocks only in the Walls area. Wet sediments were rapidly heated and folded shortly after deposition, resulting in a superb set of unusual minor deformation structures which include loaded minor folds and much brecciation (shattering of rock to form sharp angled fragments in a fine-grained matrix).
Plant communities
A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream
Potamogeton natans community
Show 20 indicator speciesSchoenoplectus 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
Show 15 indicator speciesIsolepis 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
Show 11 indicator speciesBerula 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
Show 12 indicator speciesFontinalis 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