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Botanical Survey

The site was visited on 9 September 1994. This is an acceptable time for botanical survey work on raised bogs since most indicator species are present at this time of year. The whole of the bog area lying between the Glenullin Water and Glenullin Road was surveyed.

The following records were made:

A. The extent of the cut-away areas was mapped.

B. All plant species encountered during the walk were recorded. Separate lists were made for the cupola and the cutaway areas.

During these investigations it was found that adjacent to the Glenullin Water on the northern edge of the bog there was fen type vegetation present on a mineral soil overlain by only a thin discontinuous layer of peat. A separate species list was made for this area.

C. Ten random 1m² quadrats were placed on the cupola on both sides of the principal drain. In each quadrat the cover of each species present and the cover of bare peat was estimated and recorded using the DOMIN scale (Poore, 1955).

The aim of these quadrat placements was to:

1. Ascertain the amount of vegetation cover in relation to bare peat on the cupola.

2. To discover if there was any spatial variation in the amount of vegetation regeneration on the cupola surface.

3. To discover if there were any differences in the vegetation regeneration between the two sides of the cupola which may be related to hydrological variation observed on the site.

4. To provide a monitoring baseline against which further regeneration of the surface vegetation can be compared.

Botanical Survey Results

Quadrats recorded on the cupola surface.

Species cover in the quadrats was scored by using the DOMIN scale

1. 1-2 individuals
2. less than 1%
3. 1-4%
4. 5-10%
5. 11-25%
6. 26-33%
7. 34-50
8. 51-75%
9. 76-90%
10. 91-100%

Quadrat number and location description

1. Very wet stripped area on western side.
2. Eriophorum dominated stripped area on western side.
3. Sphagnum magellanicum hummock
4. Old block cut areas.
5. Wet stripped area on eastern side
6. Wet stripped area on western side
7. Dry stripped area on western side.
8. Small drain edge.
9. Very dry Calluna dominated stripped area (east side)

SPECIES

Quadrats with species DOMIN score
 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Bare Peat

5

3

4

5

8

7

9

8

5

Bryophytes;

                  

Aulacomnium palustre

    

3

            

Campylopus introflexus

    

2

  

2

2

    

4

C. paradoxus

    

2

  

2

2

2

  

4

Hypnum cupressiforme

                  

Polytrichum alpestre

    

3

            

Sphagnum capilifolium

    

3

            

S. cuspidatum

    

2

            

S. magellanicum

    

5

            

S. papillosum

3

  

3

3

2

2

2

1

  

S. palustre

    

4

            

S. tenellum

3

    

3

2

        

S. subnitens

2

  

3

2

2

        

Grasses, rushes and sedges;

                  

Eriophorum angustifolium

3

10

4

4

4

3

2

3

4

E. vaginatum

4

  

4

3

3

  

2

    

Molina caerulea

    

3

            

Scirpus cespitosus

3

  

3

3

2

        

Flowering plants;

                  

Calluna vulgaris

2

2

3

2

2

3

4

2

8

Drosera rotundifolia

2

2

3

2

2

2

    

2

Erica tetralix

3

2

3

3

2

3

4

  

4

Narthecium ossifragum

4

  

3

4

2

5

2

1

2

 

Additional Species

Bryophytes and lichens:
Cladonia impexa
Hylocomium splendens
Polytrichum commune
Sphagnum capilifolium
S. recurvum

Grasses, rushes and sedges:

Carex flacca
C. panacea
C. rostrata
Juncus bulbosus
J. effuses
J. articulatus/acutiflorus
Holcus lanatus
Luzula campestris

Flowering plants;

Betula sp.
Myrica gale
Potentilla erecta
Potomogeton sp.
Polygala serpyllifolia
Succisa pratensis
Vaccinium myrtilis
V. oxycoccosr

Species located in the lagg fen area along the Glenullin water.

Bryophytes

Aulacomium palustre
Hylocomium splendens
Polytrichum commune
Sphagnum auriculatum
S. cuspidatum
S. palustre
S. recurvum

Grasses, rushes and sedges

Agrostis stolonifera
Carex flacca
C. nigra
C. panacea
Dactylis glomerata
Deschampsia cespitosa
Festuca rubra
Holcus lanatus
Juncus articulatus/acutiflorus
J. effuses
Luzula campestris
Luzula campestris
Molinia caerulea
Phragmites australis

Flowering plants;

Angelica sylvestris
Alchemilla vulgaris
Alnus glutinosa
Anthoxanthum odoratum
Betula sp
Cisium palustre
Fillipendula umlaria
Geum rivale
Myrica gale
Plantago lanceolata
Potentilla erecta
P. palustris
Ranuanculus repens
Rumex acetosa
Salix sp.
Senecio aquatica
Sorbus aucuparia
Stachys palustris
Succisa pratensis
Valeriana officinalis
Vicia cracca
Glenullin & Agivey Conservation and Development Group