Mappp.co - Craig Ddu - Wharley Point Cliffs

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Climate exposure

This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.

Coastal

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.

Habitats

Mixed scrub, Montane scrub

Geology & landscape

Geological Feature: Rock Outcrop · Rock Type: Limestone, Sandstone

Landscape processes: Coastal

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

Species	Season
peregrine	Unknown

Description

Description The Old Red Sandstone cliffs extending from Craig Ddu to Wharley Point, located between the Taf and Tywi estuaries on the south Carmarthen coast, are noted for their botanical and ornithological interest; additionally several invertebrate taxa of note occur there. The geographical position of the site, which is open to the ameliorating influences of the Atlantic, has resulted in a strong representation of species that require mild winter conditions. The frost-tender maidenhair fern Adiantum capillus-veneris, sea spleenwort Asplenium marinum and madder Rubia peregrina are good examples; likewise the centipedes Lithobius pilicornis and Hydroschendyla submarina, which otherwise are mostly found only in south-west England. Near the cliff tops, maritime scrub (with much dogwood Cornus sanguinea) and low woodland has developed, though where the cliffs are steeper or where only rather skeletal soils are found, there is a more open herbaceous plant community, with localised species such as bloody cranesbill Geranium sanguineum and Portland spurge Euphorbia portlandica. A well developed maritime lichen flora also occurs, including notable calcicoles such as Dermatocarpon miniatum and Physcia tribacia. A small outcrop of Lower Limestone shales above Craig Ddu has a distinctive base-demanding flora that includes ivy broomrape Orobanche hederae, southern polypody Polypodium cambricum, early dog-violet Viola reichenbachiana and bee orchid Ophrys apifera. The snail Pomatias elegans, a southern thermophilus species, and here near the edge of its range, has populations at Craig Ddu, whilst the small subterranean snail Cecihoides acicula is another local species of note. Also at Craig Ddu, a woodlouse of very restricted distribution, Halophiloscia couchi, is found under rocks near high water mark. There is a long-established heronry (heron) of about twenty pairs and the peregrine falcon is a regular nester at one cliff-top site. Remarks: Most of the site is owned by the National Trust.

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
peregrine	Falco peregrinus	LC (Breeding)	bird-hawk	falconidae
maidenhair fern	Adiantum capillus-veneris	LC	fern	adiantaceae
sea spleenwort	Asplenium marinum	LC	fern	aspleniaceae
southern polypody	Polypodium cambricum	LC	fern	polypodiaceae
Portland spurge	Euphorbia portlandica	LC	herb	euphorbiaceae
bloody cranesbill	Geranium sanguineum	LC	herb	geraniaceae
bee orchid	Ophrys apifera	LC	herb	orchidaceae
ivy broomrape	Orobanche hederae	LC	herb	orobanchaceae
madder	Rubia peregrina	LC	herb	rosaceae
early dog violet	Viola reichenbachiana	LC	herb	violaceae
common stippleback	Dermatocarpon miniatum	LC	lichen	no common name
beaded rosette lichen	Physcia tribacia	LC	lichen	no common name
dogwood	Cornus sanguinea	LC	shrub	cornaceae
round mouthed snail	Pomatias elegans	LC	snail	pomatiidae
woodlouse	Halophiloscia couchi	Not listed in GB list	woodlouse	halophilosciidae

Plant communities

W20 — Montane scrub

Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub

Show 107 indicator species

Salix arbuscula, Salix cinerea, Salix lapponum, Salix myrsinites, Salix phylicifolia, Salix reticulata, Empetrum nigrum, Calluna vulgaris, Salix lanata, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Carex atrata, Carex bigelowii, Carex binervis, Carex flacca, Luzula multiflora, Luzula sylvatica, Huperzia selago, Selaginella selaginoides, Aulacomnium palustre, Mnium hornum, Philonotis fontana, Plagiomnium undulatum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Dicranum bonjeanii, Dicranum majus, Dicranum scoparium, Fissidens adianthoides, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Ctenidium molluscum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum callichroum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Palustriella commutatum, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista-castrensis, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Sanionia uncinata, Scorpidium revolvens, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichastrum alpinum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fallax, Sphagnum girgensohnii, Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum russowii, Sphagnum squarrosum, Sphagnum subnitens, Sphagnum teres, Barbilophozia barbata, Chiloscyphus polyanthos, Diplophyllum albicans, Lophocolea bidentata, Plagiochila porelloides, Ptilidium ciliare, Scapania undulata, Cladonia squamosa, Peltigera canina, Angelica sylvestris, Caltha palustris, Hieraclium spp., Saussurea alpina, Solidago virgaurea, Campanula rotundifolia, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana officinalis, Rhodiola rosea, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Thymus praecox, Epilobium anagallidifolium, Dactylorhiza viridis, Euphrasia officinalis, Rhinanthus minor, Oxalis acetosella, Oxyria digyna, Polygonum viviparum, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Thalictrum alpinum, Alchemilla alpina, Alchemilla glabra, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Galium boreale, Galium saxatile, Saxifraga aizoides, Saxifraga hypnoides, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga stellaris, Viola riviniana, Agrostis canina, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Nardus stricta, Dryopteris dilatata, Phegopteris connectilis

W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub

Show 81 indicator species

Hedera helix, Salix cinerea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Malus sylvestris, Sorbus aria, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus procera, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Euonymus europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Juniperus communis, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Rhamnus cathartica, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Juncus effusus, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhynchostegium confertum, Tamus communis, Heracleum sphondylium, Torilis japonica, Arum maculatum, Arctium minus, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Stellaria graminea, Stellaria holostea, Stellaria media agg., Calystegia sepium, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Iris foetidissima, Glechoma hederacea, Lamium purpureum, Origanum vulgare, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Allium ursinum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Circaea lutetiana, Rumex sanguineus, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus repens, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Potentilla sterilis, Poterium sanguisorba, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubia peregrina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Anisantha sterilis, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium pinnatum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis erecta, Dactylis glomerata, Elytrigia repens, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris filix-mas

W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Show 49 indicator species

Hedera helix, Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Ulex europaeus, Prunus spinosa, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Eurhynchium striatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Lophocolea bidentata, Achillea millefolium, Cardamine flexuosa, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Silene uniflora, Stellaria media agg., Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Armeria maritima, Rumex acetosa, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum urbanum, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris filix-mas