Glarryford
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Habitats
Geology & landscape
Geological Feature: Esker · Geological Period: Quaternary
Landscape processes: Glacial
Description
Glarryford Pleistocene The Glarryford area is of importance in understanding the recent glacial history of Northern Ireland containing a deglacial landform assemblage developed in an unusual environment. The landscape of this area has been defined by events that occurred towards the end of the last Ice Age, between 17,000 and 13,000 years ago, a period of gradual climatic warming. The area contains excellent examples of a range of deglacial landforms including the esker ridge and adjacent hummocky terrain. These landforms record subglacial deposition within a tunnel valley cut into the bedrock taking place late in the deglacial cycle. The site also records a phase of proglacial outwash deposition developed as the ice mass retreated. The Glarryford esker is a well-marked ridge and represents the path of a subglacial stream, which drained northward during the later stages of the down washing of the Lough Neagh ice dome. The esker is an excellent example of this type of landform, with well-preserved ice contact slopes. However its scientific importance is enhanced by its relationship with adjacent glacigenic features. The esker lies within a channel scoured in bedrock. The scale of the channel suggests that it was part of a major sub glacial tunnel valley system. Adjoining deposits show evidence of streamlining, which, together with the presence of drumlins along both sides of the valley, is evidence of an earlier fast ice flow event. The un-deformed sediments of the Glarryford esker indicate that deposition post-dated the streamlining event. Adjacent mounds of stratified sediment are probably the eroded remnants of more extensive gravel dominated spreads formed over ice or ice-rich sediment during final ice wastage. The esker/outwash association is therefore an important element in the reconstruction of the processes which pertained during the final stages of the Lough Neagh ice mass. https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/publications/glarryford-assi
Plant communities
A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream
Potamogeton natans community
Show 20 indicator speciesSchoenoplectus 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
Show 15 indicator speciesIsolepis 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
Show 11 indicator speciesBerula 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
Show 12 indicator speciesFontinalis 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