- Things that live here
- Insect reports
- Wild plant reports
- Black poplar reports
- Bird reports
- Have your say - Forum
- Find your way - Datastore
- Corridor links
- Newsletters
- Living on the Edge website
- Pupils as Scientists website
Visit the datastore
Where am I? Home › Knowledge Building › Wildflower Reports
Wildflower Reports
Heart of Reeds colonisation
Date: 16/01/2007
Chris Drury’s Heart of Reeds has added new habitats to the Railway Land Nature Reserve, not just in the reedbed itself but the surrounding banks which in Summer 2005 were bare earth following the departure of the contractors.
During the construction works, no new earth was imported so apart from the reeds themselves planted from boats, all the vegetation we see now must have originated from seed already in the soil or brought by wind or, inadvertently, by visiting humans and animals.
We have monitored the early colonisers, starting in October 2005 when 64 species were found, 54 of which were Railway Land natives, recorded in earlier surveys. As one might expect with bare earth, Goosefoots were plentiful along with others such as Scarlet Pimpernel, Shepherd’s Purse, Persicaria and Creeping Buttercup. However, we noted Bristly Ox-Tongue, Dock and Creeping and Spear Thistles on the higher ground, all of which were to become dominant in the 2nd year, contributing to the decline of the bare earth colonisers.
The plant community had undergone several other changes by June 2006 with Figwort, Melilot, Weld, Teasels and Evening Primrose being prominent, along with the dominant Bristly Ox-Tongue, Thistles and Docks. Woody species such as Brambles and Buddleia were starting to appear, the latter being removed by hand following a decision to limit its spread on the Reserve as a whole. A few grasses were found but only Yorkshire Fog and Meadow Grass had established themselves to any extent. Climbers and scramblers like Goosegrass, Woody Nightshade and Greater Bindweed were beginning to make use of the taller species for support.
Down by the water’s edge Water Mint and Water Speedwell were plentiful among the Common Reeds which had established themselves well and had spread, in some parts, about a third of the way up the slopes.
In the water itself Water Crowfoot, Amphibious Bistort and Potamogeton were found among the Common Reedmace (Bulrush).
The intention is to manage this part of the Reserve with minimal intervention. Some strimming is being done to keep the paths open and create vistas from path to water so that wheelchair bound visitors may enjoy the plants, the dragonflies, frogs and other inhabitants. Surveying will continue using belt transects as well as direct inspection and the succession will be recorded as part of our database.
During the construction works, no new earth was imported so apart from the reeds themselves planted from boats, all the vegetation we see now must have originated from seed already in the soil or brought by wind or, inadvertently, by visiting humans and animals.
We have monitored the early colonisers, starting in October 2005 when 64 species were found, 54 of which were Railway Land natives, recorded in earlier surveys. As one might expect with bare earth, Goosefoots were plentiful along with others such as Scarlet Pimpernel, Shepherd’s Purse, Persicaria and Creeping Buttercup. However, we noted Bristly Ox-Tongue, Dock and Creeping and Spear Thistles on the higher ground, all of which were to become dominant in the 2nd year, contributing to the decline of the bare earth colonisers.
The plant community had undergone several other changes by June 2006 with Figwort, Melilot, Weld, Teasels and Evening Primrose being prominent, along with the dominant Bristly Ox-Tongue, Thistles and Docks. Woody species such as Brambles and Buddleia were starting to appear, the latter being removed by hand following a decision to limit its spread on the Reserve as a whole. A few grasses were found but only Yorkshire Fog and Meadow Grass had established themselves to any extent. Climbers and scramblers like Goosegrass, Woody Nightshade and Greater Bindweed were beginning to make use of the taller species for support.
Down by the water’s edge Water Mint and Water Speedwell were plentiful among the Common Reeds which had established themselves well and had spread, in some parts, about a third of the way up the slopes.
In the water itself Water Crowfoot, Amphibious Bistort and Potamogeton were found among the Common Reedmace (Bulrush).
The intention is to manage this part of the Reserve with minimal intervention. Some strimming is being done to keep the paths open and create vistas from path to water so that wheelchair bound visitors may enjoy the plants, the dragonflies, frogs and other inhabitants. Surveying will continue using belt transects as well as direct inspection and the succession will be recorded as part of our database.