Lowland Heath - Indicator Species

Indicator Species

• Heathers – (Ling) (callum) is dominant on moorland; the flowers are pale purple, the plant branches a lot more, the leaves are in opposite pairs (not whorls); and are oily in order to prevent water loss, they have a symbiotic relationship with fungi. Bell Heather flowers in mid July and is crimson purple and is found on a long spike, its leaves are dark green and less hairy, and they are more turned in so that they can survive on exposed dry sites; they exist as a whorl of 3 leaves. Cross-leaved heather can be found in wetter patches, it has rose pink flowers with a nodding drooping head at the end of the shoot, not as dense a head as bell heather, the leaves are arranged as a cross of 4 are greyish with hairs, and are curled downward – the hairs trap moisture – this plants shut down in summer but grow more in winter. Heathers have a 6 year pioneer phase which is the time they take to form a bush, then it grows until it is 25, when the centre gets more gappy due to the growth becoming less vigorous, mosses/bryophytes start to colonise this area due to the humid conditions. the plant begins to degenerate after 30 years.
• Gorse – European (common) flowers in the spring and is found in sheltered locations, Western Gorse is smaller and flowers mid July to mid August on the more exposed areas. Dwarf gorse is found on the Dorset heaths. Gorses are part of the pea family and have nitrogen fixing ability due to their symbiotic association with bacteria.
• Bracken – is a fern. Ferns are usually found in wet locations, but this species can survive in dry locations. Formerly it was cut and used as bedding. Sometimes it was burnt for ash lime, Woodbury common having a fascination history about this.
• Grasses – Purple Moor Grass found in wet locations and when young is edible, fescue and bristle bent are found in dry locations
• No mammals
• Rich in insects

Heathland Succession moves from grasses and bracken, to gorses and heather, and finally to woodland (birch, pine and oaks)

Typical animal species found are:

• Snakes and reptiles. The Smooth snake and Sand Lizard are only found in Dorset.
• Birds – Dartford warbler, skylark, stonechat, nightjar, hobby (feeds on insects and birds), Tree pipit, wren (feeds on spiders deep in the ground)