Pease Bridge Glen

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 55.9230, -2.3346

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Also within

Berwickshire County

Condition (NatureScot)

Favourable (2)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
F1 Bryophyte assemblage Favourable — 2011-03-17
F2 Upland oak woodland Favourable — 2005-03-31

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Description

Pease Bridge Glen Pease Bridge Glen Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is located approximately 2 km south-east of the town of Cockburnspath in the Scottish Borders. The site is notified for its diverse, intact ancient woodlands and its nationally important bryophyte flora. The site comprises steep valley woodland, ancient and well-documented throughout the last 500 years. The woodland has vascular plant communities typical of northern oakwoods which grade from acid, species-poor upland communities to more diverse oak/ash/elm communities. Several regionally rare ferns occur in the humid woodland conditions, including soft shield fern Polystichum setiferum and intermediate polypody Polypodium interjectum. A Continental lichen flora is present, yet the site has also Mediterranean-Atlantic bryophytes which are rare in Scotland and three of the hepatic liverwort species; Lophocolea fragrans, Cololejeunea rossettiana, Lejeunea lamacerina occur here at their only known eastern location in the United Kingdom. These species are dependent on the splash-zone rock faces along the stream. The site also contains a number of locally rare woodland invertebrates, particularly beetles.

Species mentioned

English name
search for this in other sites		 Latin name
search with Google		 IUCN / Red List Type Family
intermediate polypody Polypodium interjectum LC fern polypodiaceae
soft shield-fern Polystichum setiferum LC fern dryopteridaceae
western pouncewort Lejeunea lamacerina LC liverwort jungermanniales
fragrant crestwort Lophocolea fragrans LC liverwort jungermanniales
Cololejeunea rossettiana LC moss lejeuneaceae

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