Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis), breeding | Unfavourable Declining | — | 2014-02-25 |
| F2 | Puffin (Fratercula arctica), breeding | Favourable | — | 2014-02-25 |
| F3 | Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis), breeding | Favourable | — | 2016-01-21 |
| F4 | Maritime cliff | Favourable | — | 2017-11-01 |
Climate exposure
This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.
Peat habitats store centuries of carbon and depend on a stable, waterlogged water table. Warmer, drier summers dry out peat, making it far more vulnerable to wildfire and to carbon release — a pressure that can undo years of restoration work regardless of how well the site is otherwise managed.
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.
Geology & landscape
Landscape processes: Coastal, Peatland / Mire
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| fulmar | Breeding |
| puffin | Breeding |
Description
Staffa Staffa Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is situated approximately 12 km west of the Hebridean Island of Mull. The island supports species-rich maritime vegetation communities and, during the summer months, nationally-important numbers of fulmar, puffin and shag breed on the island’s coastal cliffs and grassland. A wide variety of maritime plant communities exists on thin mineral soils, shallow peat and sea cliffs. Heathy grasslands occur on more acid soils with common heather Calluna vulgaris, kidney vetch Anthyllis vulneraria, common-bird’s-foot trefoil Lotus corniculatus, wild thyme Thymus polytrichus and tormentil Potentilla erecta. Cliff ledges support various tall herb communities with red fescue Festuca rubra, sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum, and crested hair-grass Koeleria macrantha in which maritime species such as thrift Armeria maritima, roseroot Sedum rosea, sea campion Silene uniflora and sea plantain Plantago maritima are abundant. In addition to the variety of vegetation communities, the island is also important for seabirds, and each summer the site supports nationally-important numbers of breeding fulmar, shag and puffin. The fulmar and shags typically nest on the coastal cliffs while the puffin occupy the northern section of the island and burrow under the maritime grassland. These colonies represent the second largest breeding colonies of fulmar, shag and puffin in the Mull, Coll and Tiree area.
Species mentioned
Show the 15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| puffin | Fratercula arctica | CR (Breeding) | bird-auk | alcidae |
| shag | Gulosus aristotelis | VU (Breeding) | bird-frigate | fregatidae |
| fulmar | Fulmarus glacialis | CR (Breeding) | bird-fulmar | procellariidae |
| sweet vernal grass | Anthoxanthum odoratum | LC | grass | poaceae |
| red fescue | Festuca rubra | LC | grass | poaceae |
| crested hair-grass | Koeleria macrantha | NT | grass | poaceae |
| lady's fingers (kidney vetch) | Anthyllis vulneraria | NT | herb | fabaceae |
| thrift | Armeria maritima | CR | herb | plumbaginaceae |
| birdsfoot trefoil | Lotus corniculatus | LC | herb | fabaceae |
| sea plantain | Plantago maritima | LC | herb | plantaginaceae |
| tormentil | Potentilla erecta | LC | herb | rosaceae |
| golden root | Sedum rosea | Not listed in GB list | herb | crassulaceae |
| sea campion | Silene uniflora | LC | herb | carophyllaceae |
| wild thyme | Thymus polytrichus | Not listed in GB list | herb | lamiaceae |
| bell heather or ling | Calluna vulgaris | NT | shrub dwarf | ericaceae |