1
Lowland grassland NON-STATUTORY SITE condition assessment (v 06/07/06)
Site Name:
NVC type: MG4
Unit/subdivision reference Date. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Condition: Favourable maintained/Favourable recovered /Unfavourable improving/
Unfavourable no change/Unfavourable declining/Partially destroyed/Destroyed
Recommended visiting period: Late May - early July (before hay cut time) except for Fritillaria attribute, with periodic visit in autumn-winter visit to check condition at end of aftermath grazing period.
Recommended frequency of visits: Site-specific decision
Key management activities affecting condition to discuss with manager:
Hay+aftermath grazing Grazing period
FYM input Supplementary feeding
Other inputs Stock type
Drainage Rolling and chain harrowing
Raising water levels Weed control
Grazing intensity/stocking rate
Attribute (*= mandatory attribute. One failure among
Mandatory attributes = unfavourable condition)
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Target
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Estimate for attribute
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*Extent of community (recoverable reduction = unfavourable; non-recoverable reduction = partially destroyed).
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No loss without prior consent
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(Describe and refer to map)
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*Sward composition: grass/herb (ie non-Graminae) ratio
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30-90% herbs
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*Sward composition: rare species. Extent (not density) of flowering Fritillaria meleagris population (specific to certain sites) mid-late April to early May depending on early/late spring. Sample eg by transect if necessary.
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Extent not less than 25% of appropriate reference level
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*Sward composition: frequency of positive indicator species from lists A and B. Species on list A can substitute for species on list B to give an overall total of at least 2 frequent and 3 occasional or locally abundant.
List A
Filipendula ulmaria ( ), Leontodon autumnalis ( ),
Oenanthe silaifolia ( ), Persicaria bistorta ( ),
Sanguisorba officinalis ( ), Silaum silaus ( ),
Succisa pratensis ( ), Thalictrum flavum ( ).
List B
Centaurea nigra ( ), Filipendula vulgaris ( ),
Galium verum ( ), Lathyrus pratensis ( ),
Leucanthemum vulgare ( ), Lotus corniculatus ( ),
Primula veris ( ), Rhinanthus minor ( ),
Serratula tinctoria ( ), Stachys officinalis ( ),
Tragopogon pratensis ( ).
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Overall total of at least one species frequent plus at least three species occasional throughout the sward or locally abundant in more than 10% of the sward, including at least one species frequent and one occasional or locally abundant from list A
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Attribute (*= mandatory attribute. One failure among
Mandatory attributes = unfavourable condition)
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Target
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Estimate for attribute
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*Sward composition: frequency and % cover of negative indicator species
Anthriscus sylvestris ( ), Cirsium arvense ( ), Cirsium vulgare ( ), Rumex crispus ( ), Rumex obtusifolius ( ), Senecio jacobaea ( ),Urtica dioica ( ).
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No species/taxa more than occasional throughout the sward or singly or together more than 5% cover
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*Sward composition: negative indicator species. Frequency and % cover of all tree and scrub species, considered together.
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No more than occasional throughout the sward or more than 1% cover
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*Sward composition: % cover of Juncus spp, Deschampsia cespitosa, large Carex spp. (leaves more than 5mm wide) eg Carex acutiformis, large grasses (leaves more than 10mm wide, stout stems) ie Glyceria maxima, Phalaris arundinacea, Phragmites australis.
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No species/taxa together or singly covering more than 10% of the sward
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Sward composition: frequency of negative indicator species.
Senecio aquaticus ( )
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No more than occasional throughout the sward
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Sward structure: average height in summer visit period only.
NB If site is permanent pasture in summer period discuss with site manager.
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Sward 10 cm or above
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Sward structure: litter in a more or less continuous layer, distributed either in patches or in one larger area.
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Total extent no more than 25% of the sward
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Sward structure: extent of bare ground (not rock) distributed through the sward, visible without disturbing the vegetation.
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No more than 5% of the sward
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Structured walk recording form
Frequencies: totals out of 20 stops. 1-4 = rare, 5-8 = occasional, 9+ = frequent or more
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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8
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9
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10
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11
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12
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13
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14
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15
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16
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17
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18
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19
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20
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Total
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 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
cm
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