SPECIES-RICH DRY GRASSLAND

Species-rich dry grassland: bent and fescue grasses are major constituents, with crested dog's-tail grass conspicuous. It is characterised by knap-weed, birds-foot trefoil, cats-ear, yellow rattle, bulbous buttercup, red clover, yarrow and ox-eye daisy.
Habitat examples: Click on an image to enlarge.
     
Species-rich dry grassland: distribution in Northern Ireland.
Species-rich dry grassland covers 0.4% of NI (5,903 ha), (Table below). It occurs throughout NI on relatively well-drained soils, but is less common in the Sperrins AONB (<0.1%), with its more acidic soils and in Fermanagh District (0.1%), with its poorly drained soils.
Species-rich dry grassland: predicted distribution map (1998).
Species-rich dry grassland: net change 1991 - 1998.
The amount of Species-rich dry grassland has decreased throughout NI particularily in Fermanagh District (-58%, -242 ha), the Mourne AONB (-56%, -274 ha) and in upland landscapes (-36%, -710 ha).
Species-rich dry grassland: summary of losses and gains 1991 - 1998.

Species-rich dry grassland: main losses and gains 1991 - 1998.
Gains of Species-rich dry grassland were largely from vegetation dominated by tall herb vegetation at baseline. Losses were mainly by conversion to grassland with more agriculturally preferred species and to construction sites. Habitats in the losses and gains table below are linked to their descriptors and NI data. Full details of all losses and gains are given in the technical report.
 
Losses
(1991 - 98)		 Habitats Gains
(1991 - 98)
ha  % ha  %
53 <1       Scrub - scattered 10 <1  
173 2       Tall herb/ruderal 1354 14  
71 <1       Bracken - scattered 1 <1  
65 <1       Gorse heath/Bracken mosaic 3 <1  
16 <1       Gorse heath - scattered 59 1  
0         Dry heath mosaic 34 <1  
64 <1       Cereals 0    
97 1       Italian/perennial ryegrass 0    
959 13       Perennial ryegrass 0    
339 5       Mixed species grassland 202 <1  
884 12 *     Other agricultural grassland 395 <1  
478 7       Buildings/curtilage nc    
51 <1       Roads/tracks/verge nc    
245 3       Bare ground/surfaces nc    
Note : % = percentage of 1991 habitat area.
           * = indicates significant transition (p = 0.05).
          nc = not calculated.
 
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