Ecological Observations in Southern Pennine Woodlands

Abstract

Irrespective of status, natural, semi-natural or planted, the woodlands on the Pennine foothills west of Sheffield are of two types, with ground floras dominated respectively by Deschampsia flexuosa (with Vaccinium myrtillus, a subsidiary species) and by Pteridium aquilinum and/ or Holcus mollis, with Scilla non-scritpa, a frequent and D. flexuosa, a characteristic species. Soil and ground flora characteristics suggest such woodlands to be transitional between the types originally used for classifying Pennine oakwoods. The abundance of D. flexuosa in the woods investigated may be taken as an indication of their edaphic relationship.