> Andy
That is what it is all about!! Let's face it, without management it
would all probably be Beech forest ;-) .
All the best
John <
Hello,
Alas, not with global warming. Sycamore looks a strong possibility. Lime,
Tilia, was the historic climax tree after the Ice Age when the Earth was
titled differently.
Not all chalk soils are deep enough for Beech. Hawthorn is sometimes the
climax shrub on the local downs above Shoreham. And only after the land has
been disturbed.
Just been up the downs in a brief period of sunshine. The flowers of
Horseshoe Vetch are the poorest showing this century, but this is not
necessarily bad because the amount of green leaves is more. There could be =
a
connection. The lower slopes has a 60% coverage of Horseshoe Vetch in the
best acre of herbland.
From a botany point of view the most interesting rediscovery is one of the
bellflowers. I do not know which one yet. This plant was growing out of a
clump of Horseshoe Vetch. The Bellflower (do not know which one yet:
Clustered Bellflower? I have forgotten) is a plant like the Carline Thistle
that towers above the accompanying herbs. But it may be growing from little
or no soil.
Has anybody got a diagram of ecological succession on bare chalk? Maybe fro=
m
Germany where they seem to understand. The grass stage can be missed out.
This may only occur with grazing by wild animals and livestock on exposed
south and west facing slopes? Or just the small grasses, not being fertile
enough or enough soil for the more robust grasses. To get the soil (not jus=
t
from decomposition of mosses and herbs) or wind blown, the way to achieve
this would by erosion or churning up of the chalk bedrock. This would not b=
e
the rendzina though.
Mill Hill 2007
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/MillHill2007.html
Shoreham Bank 2007
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/VetchTrail2007.htm
This page will contain the bellflower when updated later today. Adonis Blue
females are out.
Cheers
Andy Horton
glaucus@hotmail.com
Adur Valley Nature Notes (including Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex)
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2005.html
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2006.html
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Adur2007.html
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