Tay Bank Section

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 56.4790, -3.4231

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Also within

Perth and Kinross County

Condition (NatureScot)

Favourable (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
F1 Non-marine Devonian Favourable — 2005-03-31

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Devonian · Rock Type: Limestone, Sandstone

Description

Tay Bank Section Tay bank Section lies on the east bank of the River Tay 1km north-west of Guildtown. This is the best exposure of the Stanley Limestone, a marker-horizon, used to define the boundary between the Garvock and Strathmore groups of the Lower Old Red Sandstone in the Midland Valley. The limestone is a concentration of calcrete soil profiles which developed at this stratigraphical level across the Midland Valley, marking a time of river down-cutting and flood-plain stability rather than active sedimentation. It is similar in origin to the Psammosteus Limestone (also a useful marker-horizon) in the Welsh Old Red Sandstone. Comparison of these horizons in the future may give important information on inter-regional correlation and the climatic evolution of the British Isles during the Devonian.

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