River Moidart

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 56.7844, -5.7183

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Inverness County

Condition (NatureScot)

Unfavourable No Change (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
F1 Freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) Unfavourable No Change — 2015-02-06

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Landscape processes: Fluvial

Description

River Moidart The River Moidart drains the hills of Moidart, in the west of Lochaber, into the sea at Loch Moidart. The lower 4kms of the river below Loch nan Lochan are designated as the River Moidart Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The river’s invertebrate fauna includes a nationally important population of the freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera. The River Moidart is of outstanding importance because it holds one of the largest known populations of the freshwater pearl mussel in Britain. Pearl mussels are abundant but distributed patchily throughout the site, with many large individuals occurring. Freshwater pearl mussels have a complex life cycle which is dependent on high water quality and suitable river bed substrates, as well as the presence of juvenile salmonids, to which mussel larvae attach for a short period. Riparian vegetation provides shade and a supply of leaf litter and invertebrates, which is important to the overall health of the river system, including the freshwater pearl mussel and its host salmonid populations.

Species mentioned

English name
search for this in other sites		 Latin name
search with Google		 IUCN / Red List Type Family
freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera Not listed in GB list bivalve margaritiferidae

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