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Editorial

Oliver L. Gilbert

Department of Landscape Architecture,
University of Sheffield, Western Bank,
Sheffield, UK

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"Creating Wild Flower Meadows: Some Problems."

Wild flower mixes have come a long way since the early 1970's when Nickerson's advertised a 'Nature Conservation Blend' that contained 47 assorted species; mostly crop plants, grasses or inappropriate annuals. I remember it contained such unlikely species as buckwheat, opium poppy, tall fescue and Hungarian Brome. Today, 'designer' mixes for a wide range of habitats and soil types can be purchased, or special effect mixes for butterflies and seed-heads or tussocks may be obtained. Thought the majority of the seeds are native British wild flowers, a considerable quantity is still imported from abroad. These involved in particular, gross varieties of the fodder-crop species red clover (Trifolium pratense), white clover (T. repens), black medick (Medicago lupulina), common bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), kidney vetch (Anthylis vulnuraria), sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia), salad burnet (Sanguisorba minor) and yarrow (Achillea millefolium). There is real concern about the potential for intra-specific crossing between native and non-native wild flowers that could lead to the erosion of native genetic variation. It is almost already impossible to find pure native strains of wild white clover in Britain. One way around this problem is being developed by seed suppliers who specialise in running seed collecting machinery over old hay meadows, often SSSI's or other high quality sites. The harvested seed crop may then be used within the natural area from which it originated. This means that not only the wild flower seed, but also the grass seed is of local origin, and should have a far wider range of species involved than the 'off the shelf' mixes which rarely contain more than 20 taxa. This seems to be a more positive way forward, with seed from 20 'natural areas' already available. Suppliers may also list seed mixes according to the National Vegetation Classification. Obviously, the reliable identification of both plant species and NVC communities is vital for success and this may cause some difficulty with some sources.

Main Papers

Valerie Standen

Department of
Biological Sciences, University of Durham,
UK.

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" The Effect of Transplantation of a Blanket Bog: i) Impact on Vegetation and Selected Invertebrate Species."

The vegetation of an area of blanket bog was dug up and re-located a strips onto the surface of an opencast coal site at Tow Law, County Durham, UK.

After three yeras, the integrity of the plant community at the transplant strips was maintained, althought there was a small but significant increase in the frequency of Deschampsia flexuosa, Eriphorum vaginatum and Hypum jutlandicum. No species declined significantly in frequency.

The invertrbrate groups at the transplanted strips remained substantially the same throughout tha sampling period. There was no invasion from the nearby heathland at Headleyhope Fell characterised by Chilopoda, Dermatera, Isopoda and Orthoptera, although some species appeared on the ground between the transplant strips from 1993 onwards. The spider population suffered disruption and numbers were low in 1991, but recovered in 1992 and 1993. Numbers of Opiliones increased temporarily - mostly due to one species and then decilned.

The carabid beetle species assemblage of the transplant strips was disrupted in 1992, but appeared to have re-established by 1993. Small numbers of several invasive species found in 1992 were not present in 1993. Changes are discussed in the context of carabid communities characteristic of bog and heath.

The method of restoration - replacing the blanket bog vegetation with peat strips - was succesful after three years. Further work will establish whether the strips are sufficiently wide enough to withstand encroachment by species chracteristic of grassland/heath which are colonising the intervening strips. Clearly, long term monitoring is needed before any opinion can be given on the suitability of this technique for blanket bog.

V. Standen & I. Downie

Department of
Biological Sciences,
University of Durham, UK.

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The vegetation and underlying peat of a small blanket bog was relocated onto the surface of a restored opencast site at Tow Law, County Durham, UK. The invertebrates of the re-located transplant strips were sampled from 1991 to 1993. The spider assemblage of the transplanted strips appeared to keep its integrity throughout the two and a half years, showing clear seasonality that was maintained up to 1993. The transplantation appears to have been successful in so far as the spider populations have survived mostly intact for three years following their upheaval. Predicted change is discussed in the context of the spider communities of moorland in northern England, but clearly long term monitoring is needed before any opinion can be given on the suitability of this technique for blanket bog.

Adel A. Ramadan

Botany Department,
Faculty of Science,
Suez Canal University, Ismailia,
Egypt.

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"Studies of Plant Ecology in Sinai, Egypt: The Conservation Importance of Vegetation in Saint Catherine."

The mountainous area of Saint Catherine in under consideration within the framework of the conservation strategy to be implemented by the Egyptian Government at several localities in Sinai. The ministerial decree (No. 613/ 1988) had declared St. Catherine a protected area in 1988, but practical conservation measures were still not taking place. The present study deals briefly with the vegetation and aspects of ecological degradation in the St. Catherine's mountainous area. Emphasis is placed upon endangered plant species, both as endemic and/or rare populations. The status of these species is considered under different threats related to anthropogenic and zoological impacts. Finally, recommendations are given to help in the demarcation of phytogeographical boundaries. The conservation categories are according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN, 1984).

David M. Boyce

Agricultural Development and Advisory Service (ADAS),
Woodthorne,
Wergs Road,
Wolverhampton
WV6 8TQ

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A 4.86-hectare 'washland' field, restored without topsoil after opencast coal mining was sown, following a period of initial restoration to agricultural grassland, with a species rich seed mixture. Permanently wet/damp areas within the field were planted with pot-grown wetland wild flowers.

Five years after sowing fifteen of the twenty-three sown wild flowers occurred within sampling quadrats, the majority at low frequency. Their performance is thought to have been adversely affected by soil conditions (winter waterlogging followed by summer desiccation), competition from regenerating agricultural white clover, and mollusc browsing.

Autumn-planted wetland wild flowers suffered heavier losses than those planted in spring, although many of the planted species regenerated naturally both within and beyond the planted areas.

It is concluded that low-lying sites, restored without topsoil and prone to winter water-logging and summer desiccation, do not justify the of costly, species-rich, seed mixes. Where designed to include permanently wet/damp areas to which a range of wild flower plants may be introduced at an early stage, they may be more economically sown with native grasses and a small number of wild flowers to produce a sward which is likely to remain sufficiently open to permit colonisation by some of the species introduced as plants.

Agricultural Development Advisory Service (ADAS), Woodthorne,
Wergs Road,
Wolverhampton,
WV6 6PF, UK.

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"Survival and Spread of Wild Flowers Planted into Former Agricultural Grassland."

Nineteen species of grass land and woodland edge wild flowers were planted into ex-agricultural, perennial rye-grass dominated, grassland on calcareous clay soil. Experimental plots were cut and the cut vegetation removed during late July or early October. Five years after planting, surviving plants were counted and the local spread of each species estimated. Changes in the composition of the grassland were also estimated. Survival differed slightly significantly between species but exceeded 70% for all but five. Survival, for all species combined, was not significantly affected by cutting date, but was significantly reduced within plots in which the frequency of white clover (Trifolium repens) increased by 100%. Local spread differed significantly between species but not, for all species combined, between cutting dates. For the majority of the planted species there was a trend towards increased local spread in response to October cutting. Sward characteristics and management techniques relevant to this method of increasing species-diversity within ex-agricultural grassland are discussed.

Notes

Hannah Peel & David Hockin

RPS Consultants,
3 Linenhall Place,
Chester
CH1 2LP UK

(01244) 313486

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The term 'habitat fragmentation', whilst much discussed interrelationship to ecological management and is no new concept. The theory of habitat fragmentation is well established and professional; ecologists have been addressing the associated impact of development for many years. The approach adopted by consultants in Britain has been driven principally by UK wildlife legislation, which often concentrates, on certain larger, specially protected species. This note discusses the issues and reports on the recent 'International Conference on Habitat Fragmentation', held in Holland. In notes research requirements in this field and the need for better dissemination of information and sharing of techniques. The way ahead for the effective mitigation of habitat fragmentation effects in the UK is discussed.

Eco-bites

Eco-tones & Undertones