Ness Glen

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 55.2885, -4.3998

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Ayrshire and Arran County

Condition (NatureScot)

Unfavourable Declining (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
F2 Upland mixed ash woodland Unfavourable Declining — 2014-08-13

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Geological Feature: Gorge / Ravine

Landscape processes: Fluvial

Description

Ness Glen Ness Glen, lying 3km south of Dalmellington, comprises an area of upland mixed ash woodland within a narrow and steep-sided ravine, which has cut through greywackes and shales that are locally calcareous. This is the best example of this type of gorge woodland in East Ayrshire, and supports a rich variety of flowering and non-flowering plants. The remnant gorge woodland dominated mainly by ash is found along the river, while on the upper, less steep slopes mixed woodland pre-dominates. A range of moist, shaded habitats supports a nationally-important assemblage of oceanic woodland mosses and liverworts, exhibiting a range and diversity of species that are more typical of woodlands in the West Highlands. Among the notable oceanic woodland bryophytes are the nationally scarce mosses, Irish crisp-moss Chionoloma hibernicum, Wulfsberg's tamarisk-moss Heterocladium wulfsbergii and Portuguese feather-moss Rhynchostegium alopecuroides. Two liverworts that occur on the site, hooked veilwort Metzgeria leptoneura and pale pincerwort Fuscocephaloziopsis leucantha, are provisionally classed in the GB Red List as vulnerable to extinction due to apparent declines at a national scale.

Species mentioned

English name
search for this in other sites		 Latin name
search with Google		 IUCN / Red List Type Family
hooked veilwort Metzgeria leptoneura LC liverwort metzgeriales
Chionoloma hibernicum LC moss pottiaceae
pale pincerwort Fuscocephaloziopsis leucantha Not listed in GB list moss cephaloziaceae
moss Rhynchostegium alopecuroides LC moss brachytheciaceae

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