Briarcroft Pasture
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Briarcroft Pasture | |
|---|---|
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
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| Country | England |
| Region | North East |
| Unitary Authority | Stockton-on-Tees |
| Location | Whinney Hill |
| - coordinates | |
| Area | 1.8 ha (4.4 acre) |
| Notification | 2004 |
| Managed by | Natural England |
| Area of Search | Cleveland |
| Interest | Biological |
| Website : Map of site | |
Briarcroft Pasture (grid reference NZ394193) is a 1.76 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Cleveland, England notified in 2004.
Contents |
[edit] Reason for Notification
SSSIs are designated by Natural England, formally English Nature, which uses the 1974-1996 county system. This means there is no grouping of SSSIs by Stockton-on-Tees unitary authority, or County Durham which is the relevant ceremonial county . As such Briarcroft Pasture is one of 18 SSSIs in the Cleveland area of search.[1]
Briarcroft Pasture is nationally important for its species-rich grassland which is unimproved by fertilisers. This type of grassland - once common in the Tees lowland - is becoming increasingly rare with associated species also becoming rare. Briarcroft Pasture is one of only two remaining examples of this habitat in the Tees lowland area. The other example is Whitton Bridge Pasture an SSSI approximately 3 km to the north which was designated at the same time but is significantly larger.[2][3]
Under the British National Vegetation Classification (NVC), Briarcroft Pasture has been designated as a mesotrophic grassland because it is well-drained and a permanent pasture. In particular it has been given the MG5 classification. MG5 is widespread in many lowland areas in England, Wales and Scotland as well as the Midlands and Yorkshire.[4] Briarcroft Pasture is predominantly subcommunity MG5c (Danthonia decumbens).[5]
[edit] Site desription
[edit] Abiotic
Located in North East England, Whitton Bridge Pasture experience a climate that differs from the UK average.[A] The North East receives on average 370 mm less rainfall than the UK over a year. Similarly the North East has roughly 129 days each year with more than 1 mm of rainfall, this is over 25 days less than UK average. Temperature is similar for both the North East and the UK, although the North East does have fewer days with air frost and more hours of sunshine per year.[6][7]
[edit] Biotic
The majority of the site is made up of species-rich grassland (subcommunity MG5c), which comprises three dominant species of grass and several other grass species at lower abundances. The dominant species are Red Fescue (Festuca rubra), Common Bent (Agrostis capillaris) and Yorkshire Fog (Holcus lanatus). The less abundant species of grass include, Crested Dog’s-tail (Cynosurus cristatus), Heath-grass (Danthonia decumbens) and Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata). The subcommunity also has many broad-leaved herbs including Devils-bit scabious (Succisa pratensis) and Betony (Stachys officinalis).[5]
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- ^ SSSIs in Cleveland area of search. English Nature. Retrieved on 2007-01-31.
- ^ Whitton Bridge Pasture citation sheet. English Nature. Retrieved on 2006-02-02.
- ^ Stockton-on-Tees Borough annual monitoring report 2004/2005. Stockton-on-Tees Borough council. Retrieved on 2007-02-03.
- ^ (1998) in John S. Rodwell: British Plant Communities Volume 3: Grasslands and montane communities. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-62719-2.
- ^ a b Briarcroft Pasture citation sheet. English Nature. Retrieved on 2007-01-31.
- ^ UK average climate. Met Office. Retrieved on 2007-02-24.
- ^ East and North East England average climate. Met Office. Retrieved on 2007-02-24.
- ^ Durham average climate. Met Office. Retrieved on 2007-02-24.
