Carrickastickan
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Habitats
Geology & landscape
Landscape processes: Volcanic / Igneous
Description
Carrickastickan Lowland meadow This area is of special scientific interest because of its species-rich dry grassland community. Species-rich grassland tends to occur only where land management is not intensive, in particular where traditional farming practices have been maintained. As a result, it is not a widespread habitat in Northern Ireland and is often fragmented, consisting of individual fields, parts of fields or banks. Species-rich dry grasslands, like those found at Carrickastickan, are a particularly scarce resource even in south Armagh, where there is known to be a greater proportion of this habitat type. Carrickastickan is situated on the southern edge of the Ring-of-Gullion, about 2 km south of Forkhill. Soils are free draining brown rankers, derived from felsite parent material, a basic igneous rock. The two field parcels making up the site slope from north-east to south-west. The grassland at Carrickastickan is of a species-rich dry type. It is a similar grassland community to that which is considered to be the natural grassland type of traditionally managed pastures on circumneutral soils throughout great Britain. The two fields are typically grass dominated with a wide range of associated herbs. The grasses crested dog's tail Cynosurus cristatus, red fescue Festuca rubra common bent Agrostis capillaris and sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum are constant in the sward with other "grass-like" species such as field wood rush Luzula campestris also found scattered throughout. Herbs typical of traditionally managed grasslands are frequent throughout the swards and include oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare, meadow vetchling Lathyrus pratensis, yellow-rattle Rhinanthus minor, yarrow Achillea millefolium, common knapweed Centaurea nigra, common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii and meadow buttercup Ranunculus acris. Where soils are thin lady's bedstraw Galium verum and birdsfoot trefoil Lotus corniculatus are locally very abundant with a range of other small herbs including fairy flax Linum catharticum, eyebright Euphrasia officinalis and bulbous buttercup Ranunculus bulbosus. These species reflect the slightly base-rich soil conditions. In addition field scabious Knautia arvensis and burnet saxifrage Pimpinella saxifraga occur in one of the fields. Both of these species have a fairly restricted distribution in Northern Ireland with the former usually being more associated with verges than pastures and the latter with only a few known sites in County Armagh. Carrickastickan is an area of semi-natural grassland managed in a traditional way. As such, it provides valuable feeding and roosting sites for a range of animals, including birds and invertebrates. A variety of butterflies have been recorded in the area including meadow brown Maniola jurtina and common blue Polyommatus icarus. https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/publications/carrickastickan-assi
Species mentioned
Show the 21 species mentioned in the description, with red-list statusPlant communities
MG4 — Coastal floodplain grazing marsh, Lowland meadow and pasture
Alopecurus pratensis-Sanguisorba officinalis grassland
Show 71 indicator speciesCarex acutiformis, Carex hirta, Carex panicea, Juncus articulatus, Juncus inflexus, Luzula campestris, Plagiomnium elatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Heracleum sphondylium, Achillea millefolium, Bellis perennis, Caltha palustris, Centaurea nigra, Cirsium arvense, Cirsium palustre, Hypochaeris radicata, Leontodon hispidus, Leucanthemum vulgare, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Serratula tinctoria, Taraxacum officianalis, Cardamine pratensis, Succisa pratensis, Cerastium fontanum, Equisetum arvense, Lathyrus pratensis, Lotus corniculatus, Trifolium dubium, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Vicia cracca, Vicia sepium, Fritillaria meleagris, Rhinanthus minor, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica serpyllifolia, Rumex acetosa, Primula veris, Primula vulgaris, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus bulbosus, Ranunculus repens, Thalictrum flavum, Filipendula ulmaria, Potentilla anglica, Sanguisorba officinalis, Galium verum, Silaum silaus, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Alopecurus pratensis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Briza media, Bromopsis erecta, Bromus hordeaceous, Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Lolium perenne, Phleum pratense, Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus arundinaceus, Schedonorus pratensis, Trisetum flavescens, Chara curta
MG5 — Lowland meadow and pasture, Traditional orchard
Cynosurus cristatus-Centaurea nigra grassland
Show 81 indicator speciesCarex caryophyllea, Carex flacca, Carex panicea, Juncus articulatus, Juncus effusus, Juncus inflexus, Luzula campestris, Brachythecium rutabulum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Pimpinella saxifraga, Achillea millefolium, Bellis perennis, Centaurea nigra, Cirsium arvense, Crepis capillaris, Hypochaeris radicata, Jacobaea vulgaris, Leontodon hispidus, Leucanthemum vulgare, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Taraxacum officianalis, Cardamine pratensis, Knautia arvensis, Succisa pratensis, Cerastium fontanum, Colchicum autumnale, Lathyrus pratensis, Lotus corniculatus, Trifolium dubium, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Vicia cracca, Rhinanthus minor, Plantago lanceolata, Plantago media, Veronica chamaedrys, Rumex acetosa, Primula veris, Primula vulgaris, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus bulbosus, Ranunculus repens, Agrimonia eupatoria, Alchemilla glabra, Alchemilla vestita, Alchemilla xanthochlora, Filipendula ulmaria, Potentilla erecta, Potentilla reptans, Poterium sanguisorba, Galium verum, Silaum silaus, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Alopecurus pratensis, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Avenula pubescens, Briza media, Bromus hordeaceous, Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, Danthonia decumbens, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Koeleria macrantha, Lolium perenne, Phleum pratense, Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus arundinaceus, Schedonorus pratensis, Trisetum flavescens, Ophioglossum vulgatum, Chara curta
MG8 — Coastal floodplain grazing marsh, Lowland meadow and pasture
Cynosurus cristatus-Caltha palustris grassland
Show 70 indicator speciesCarex demissa, Carex distans, Carex flacca, Carex nigra, Carex panicea, Eleocharis palustris, Juncus acutiflorus, Juncus articulatus, Juncus effusus, Luzula campestris, Plagiomnium rostratum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Angelica sylvestris, Achillea ptarmica, Bellis perennis, Caltha palustris, Centaurea nigra, Cirsium palustre, Crepis paludosa, Leontodon hispidus, Leucanthemum vulgare, Scorzoneroides autumnalis, Senecio aquaticus, Taraxacum officianalis, Myosotis scorpioides, Cardamine pratensis, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana dioica, Cerastium fontanum, Silene flos-cuculi, Equisetum arvense, Equisetum palustre, Lotus corniculatus, Lotus pedunculatus, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Mentha aquatica, Euphrasia nemorosa, Rhinanthus minor, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Rumex acetosa, Primula vulgaris, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus repens, Trollius europaeus, Alchemilla glabra, Alchemilla xanthochlora, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Sanguisorba officinalis, Galium palustre, Galium uliginosum, Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolonifera, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Avenula pubescens, Briza media, Bromus hordeaceous, Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Glyceria declinata, Holcus lanatus, Lolium perenne, Poa trivialis, Schedonorus pratensis, Dryopteris expansa