Acid grassland U1, U2, U4, U5, U6, U20, M25 Upland dry acid grassland Road verges Linked to Moors SPA Lowland dry acid grassland Acid grassland Calcareous grassland (CG2-CG5) Road verges Disused quarries Railway lines Lowland calcareous grassland Calcareous grassland Unimproved and neutral grassland (species- rich) (MG1, MG4 - MG6) Road verges Lowland meadows Upland hay meadows Neutral grassland Improved grassland (includes species-poor semi-improved grassland) (MG6, MG7, MG9, MG10) Coastal and floodplain grazing marsh Improved grassland Lowland heathland (includes lowland acid grassland mosaics(H9 and M16) Upland heathland (H9, Lowland acid grassland mosaics SAC – Moors Lowland heathland Upland heathland Dwarf shrub heath improved
West Yorkshire Ecology will continue to work closely with members of the Local Sites Partnership and District Council Planning Departments to enhance systems for the Local Wildlife Sites network Habitat Selection Guidelines The grassland habitat selection guidelines include meadows and pastures as well as a number of other grasslands with limited or no management. Some of these may be associated with post industrial sites. Neutral grassland Unimproved neutral grassland habitat underwent a major decline in the 20th century. It was estimated in 1994 that less than 15,000ha of species-rich neutral grassland remained within the (both upland and lowland). In there is significantly less than 10,000ha of species rich neutral grassland. This habitat is now in small sites with a fragmented distribution throughout much of the . Neutral grasslands support a high proportion of forbs (broad-leaved herbaceous species) relative to grasses. Characteristic species of this habitat, which are now scarce include
included in a Local Site where some components of the group individually do not quite meet the thresholds for Local Site selection. Table 1: Plant species of semi-natural neutral grassland Scientific name Common name Achillea ptarmica sneezewort Agrimonia eupatoria agrimony Agrostis canina velvet bent Alchemilla xanthochlora pale lady's-mantle Alchemilla vulgaris lady's-mantle Alchemilla glabra smooth lady's-mantle Alchemilla filicaulis ssp. vestita hairy lady's-mantle Allium oleraceum field garlic Allium scorodprasum sand leek Ajuga reptans bugle Anemone nemorosa wood anemone Anthoxanthum odoratum sweet vernal-grass Botrychium lunaria moonwort Briza media quaking grass Bromus commutatus meadow brome Caltha palustris marsh marigold Campanula rotundifolia harebell Cardamine pratensis lady’s smock Carex caryophyllea spring-sedge Carex dioica dioecious sedge Carex disticha brown sedge Carex flacca glaucous sedge Carex hostiana tawny sedge Carex nigra common sedge Carex otrubae false fox-sedge Carex ovalis oval sedge Carex pallescens pale sedge Carex panicea carnation sedge Carex pulicaris flea sedge Carex spicata spiked sedge Carex viridula yellow sedge Carex viridula oedocarpa common yellow-sedge Centaurea nigra black knapweed Centaurium erythraea common centaury Cirsium heterophyllum melancholy thistle Coeloglossum viride frog orchid Conopodium majus pignut Dactylorhiza fuchsii common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza x grandis hybrid spotted orchid Dactylorhiza praetermissa southern marsh-orchid Danthonia decumbens heath grass Euphrasia agg. eyebright species Festuca pratensis meadow fescue Filipendula ulmaria Meadowsweet Galium palustre common marsh bedstraw
Table 4 Vascular indicator plants of neutral to calcareous woodlands in West Yorkshire. Scientific name Common name Acer campestre Actaea spicata Adoxa moschatellina Ajuga reptans Allium ursinum Anemone nemorosa Aquilegia vulgaris + Campanula latifolia Carex pallescens Carex pendula Carex remota Carex strigosa Carex sylvatica Chrysosplenium alternifolium Chrysosplenium oppositifolium Convallaria majalis + Cornus sanguinea + Daphne laureola Epipactis helleborine Euonymus europaeus + Festuca altissima Frangula alnus Gagea lutea Galium odoratum Geranium sylvaticum Hordelymus europaeus Hyacinthoides non-scripta Lamiastrum galeobdolon ssp. montanum Ligustrum vulgare Luzula sylvatica Lysimachia nemorum Melica nutans Melica uniflora Mercurialis perennis Milium effusum Neottia nidus-avis Orchis mascula Oxalis acetosella quadrifolia Phyllitis scolopendrium Platanthera chlorantha Polystichum aculeatum Polystichum setiferum field maple baneberry moschatel bugle ramsons wood anemone columbine giant bellflower pale sedge pendulous sedge remote sedge starved wood sedge wood sedge alternate-leaved golden saxifrage opposite-leaved golden saxifrage lily of the valley dogwood spurge laurel broad helleborine spindle wood fescue alder buckthorn yellow-star-of-Bethlehem sweet woodruff wood crane’s-bill wood barley bluebell yellow archangel wild privet great wood-rush yellow pimpernel mountain melick wood melick dog’s mercury wood millet bird’s-nest orchid early-purple orchid wood sorrel herb Paris hart’s fern greater butterfly orchid hard shield fern soft shield fern
Primula veris Primula vulgaris Prunus padus + Pyrola minor Ranunculus auricomus Rhamnus catharticus Sanicula europaea Tilia cordata (ancient) + Veronica Vicia sylvatica Viola reichenbachiana cowslip primrose bird cherry common wintergreen goldilocks buttercup buckthorn sanicle small-leaved lime wood speedwell wood vetch early dog violet Key: + not obviously/recently planted. Species in bold score 2. Table 5 Vascular indicator plants of acid woodland in . Scientific name Common name Anemone nemorosa Blechnum spicant Calluna vulgaris Carex binervis Carex pilulifera Carex remota Ceratocapnos claviculata Chrysosplenium oppositifolium Convallaria majalis + Corylus avellana Frangula alnus Gymnocarpium dryopteris Hyacinthoides non-scripta Lonicera periclymenum Luzula pilosa Luzula sylvatica Lysimachia nemorum Melampyrum pratense Oreopteris limbosperma Oxalis acetosella Phegopteris connectilis Polypodium vulgare Pyrola minor Quercus petraea Salix aurita Teucrium scorodonia Trientalis europaea Vaccinium myrtillus wood anemone hard fern ling heather green-ribbed sedge pill sedge remote sedge climbing corydalis opposite-leaved golden saxifrage lily-of-the-valley hazel alder buckthorn oak fern bluebell honeysuckle hairy wood-rush great wood-rush yellow pimpernel common cow wheat lemon scented fern wood sorrel beech fern common polypody common wintergreen sessile oak eared willow wood sage chickweed wintergreen bilberry
Key: + not obviously/recently planted. Species in bold score 2. Table 6 Vascular indicator plants of wet woodland in . Scientific name Common name Adoxa moschatellina Allium ursinum Anemone nemorosa Angelica sylvestris Apium nodiflorum Athyrium filix-femina Berula erecta Calamagrostis canescens Caltha palustris Campanula latifolia Cardamine amara Carex acuta Carex acutiformis Carex elata Carex laevigata Carex nigra Carex paniculata Carex pendula Carex remota Carex riparia Chrysosplenium alternifolium Chrysosplenium. oppositifolium Crepis paludosa Dryopteris affinis ssp borreri Dryopteris carthusiana Equisetum fluviatile Equisetum sylvaticum Equisetum telmateia Erica tetralix Eupatorium cannabinum Frangula alnus Geum rivale Hydrocotyle vulgaris Iris pseudacorus Lamiastrum galeobdolon ssp.montanum Lycopus europaeus Lychnis flos-cuculi Lysimachia nemorum Mercurialis perennis Molinia caerulea Myosotis laxa ssp. caespitosa moschatel ramsons wood anemone wild angelica fool’s watercress lady fern lesser water parsnip purple small-reed marsh marigold giant bellflower large bittercress slender tufted sedge lesser pond sedge tufted sedge smooth-stalked sedge common sedge greater tussock sedge pendulous sedge remote sedge greater pond sedge alternate leaved golden saxifrage opposite leaved golden saxifrage marsh hawk’s-beard scaly male-fern narrow buckler fern water horsetail wood horsetail giant horsetail cross-leaved heath hemp-agrimony alder buckthorn water avens marsh pennywort yellow flag iris yellow archangel gypsywort ragged robin creeping jenny dog’s mercury purple moor grass tufted forget-me-not
Traditional orchards as defined in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan Priority Habitat Description (2007) are another type of mixed habitat. Although dominated by a mixture of planted fruit and nut bearing tree species they also support other associated habitats such as meadows, scrub and ponds. Traditional orchards can easily be distinguished from other wooded habitats based on the preponderance of domestic fruit and nut species: apple, plum, pear, damson, cherry, walnut and cobnut. Only in a very few cases will there be a significant number of other tree species in a traditional orchard, unless the orchard is becoming woodland through neglect. Traditional orchards, as distinct from non-traditional orchards are defined for UK BAP priority habitat purposes as orchards managed in a low intensity way. They contrast with orchards managed intensively for fruit production, where there are inputs of chemicals such as pesticides and inorganic fertilisers, frequent mowing of the orchard floor rather than grazing or cutting for hay, and planting of short-lived, high-density, dwarf or bush fruit trees (stems generally 75 cms or less). The simplest visual indicator of intensive management is the presence of herbicided strips along the tree rows, where the ground is generally bare or with some annual plant regrowth, contrasting with the permanent grassland of the between-row spaces. Spacing of trees in traditional orchard can vary quite widely from around 3 m to over 20 m between trees. There is some overlap of density of planting with intensive orchards but planting densities < 3m are generally likely to be intensive and therefore to be excluded from the definition. Selection Criteria and Attributes Selection criteria and attributes for parkland and wood pasture Local Wildlife Sites. CRITERION ATTRIBUTE Size or extent Area of site (ha) Rare or exceptional features Presence of rare saproxylic fungi Presence of saproxylic invertebrates found which are listed in the Index of Ecological Continuity. Presence of lichens found listed in the Revised Index of Ecological Continuity Diversity Diversity of habitats (number of habitats and structural diversity) within the site and/or species groups. Number of veteran trees and quantity of standing & fallen dead-wood material Availability of varied nectar sources Naturalness Presence of native veteran trees Absence of ploughing and/or fertiliser input Absence of intensive grazing Typicalness Presence of habitat and/or species characteristic of parkland & wood pasture
Eutrophic – Mineral-rich waters, usually with high levels of soluble nitrogen and phosphorous. Eutrophic water bodies support a high primary productivity. Fen – A wetland type often following swamp in the hydroseral succession. Fens have a summer water table at or below the sediment surface but flooded in winter. Can be divided into poor and rich fens, based both on the chemical composition of the fen waters and the species diversity of the vegetation. Hydrosere – A continuum of vegetation types, which replace each other as succession proceeds from open water to forested mire or dry woodland. LNR – Local Nature Reserve. Marsh – The wet mineral-ground margin of freshwater swamp or fen. Usually non-peat forming systems only subject to periodic waterlogging during the winter months. Mesotrophic – The terms oligotrophic and eutrophic are used to describe opposite ends of the spectrum of primary productivity in water bodies. Lakes and rivers may however have a trophic system between these two extremes, a range of variation, which is encompassed by the term mesotrophic. Mire – Any stage of the hydrosere where there is a high water table, suppression of organic matter decomposition or undecomposed organic material accumulates as peat. Moorland – Is a broad term for land above the moor wall (usually 250-300 metre). Moorland supports a wide range of habitats, but is primarily comprised of blanket bog, dry upland heath and acid grassland. Niche – Is the sum of the characters that determines the position of a species in an ecosystem including all the factors necessary for the survival of the species. NVC - National Vegetation Classification. The NVC is a standard description of the types of vegetation of that form under particular environmental conditions and in different geographical locations. Nitrophile – Nitrogen loving species. NNR – National Nature Reserve Oligotrophic – In , oligotrophic waters are mainly found in upland areas where high rainfall and hard, nutrient-poor rocks provide a supply of mineral-poor waters. Oligotrophic waters support low primary productivity due to low levels, in particular, of Nitrogen and Phosphorous, and are usually very clear. Ombrotrophic – A supply of nutrients to a wetland system entirely from precipitation (i.e. rainwater, snow and atmospheric fall). Peat – The partially decomposed or undecomposed organic remains of plants and animals. Peat forms when the decomposition or physical removal of organic material fails