Mires in the British National Vegetation Classification system facts for kids
Mires are special wetland areas like bogs and fen-meadows. They are home to unique groups of plants. In the British National Vegetation Classification (NVC) system, scientists have studied and grouped these plant communities. This helps us understand and protect these important natural places.
What are Mire Communities?
The NVC is like a big guide that helps scientists classify different plant groups found across Britain. The mire communities were first described in a book called British Plant Communities in 1991. This book helps us understand the different types of plants that grow together in wet, boggy areas.
Scientists have found a total of 38 different mire communities in Britain. These communities are grouped into several types based on the plants that live there and the conditions of the wetland.
Here are some of the main groups:
- Bog plane communities: These are found in flat, open bog areas. Examples include M17, M18, M19, M20, and M21.
- Wet heath communities: These are slightly drier than bogs but still very wet. You might find communities like M15 and M16 here.
- Bog-pool communities: These are found in the small pools of water within bogs. Examples are M1, M2, M3, and M4.
- Base-poor small sedge & rush communities: These communities grow in wet areas where the soil doesn't have much lime. They include M5, M6, M7, and M8.
- Base-poor small sedge & Schoenus communities: Similar to the above, but with a specific plant called Schoenus. Look for M9, M10, M11, M12, M13, and M14.
- Fen-meadow / rush-pasture communities: These are found in fen-meadows, which are wetlands fed by groundwater. Examples are M22, M23, M24, M26, M25, M27, and M28.
- Soakaway communities: These are found where water soaks into the ground. They include M29 and M30.
- Communities of springs and rills: These grow around natural springs and small streams. You can find communities like M31, M32, M33, M34, M35, M36, M37, and M38.
Exploring Mire Communities
Each mire community has a special code, like M1 or M2, and a descriptive name. These names often tell you about the main plants that grow there. For example, a community might be named after a type of moss or a sedge plant.
Here is a list of the different mire communities identified in the NVC:
- M1 Sphagnum auriculatum bog pool community
- M2 Sphagnum cuspidatum/recurvum bog pool community
- M3 Eriophorum angustifolium bog pool community
- M4 Carex rostrata - Sphagnum recurvum mire
- M5 Carex rostrata - Sphagnum squarrosum mire
- M6 Carex echinata - Sphagnum recurva/auriculatum mire
- M7 Carex curta - Sphagnum russowii mire
- M8 Carex rostrata - Sphagnum warnstorfii mire
- M9 Carex rostrata - Calligeron cuspidatum/giganteum mire
- M10 Carex dioica - Pinguicula vulgaris mire Pinguiculo-Caricetum dioicae Jones 1973 emend.
- M11 Carex demissa - Saxifraga aizoides mire Carici-Saxifragetum aizoidis McVean & Ratcliffe 1962 emend.
- M12 Carex saxatilis mire Caricetum saxatilis McVean & Ratcliffe 1962
- M13 Schoenus nigricans - Juncus subnodulosus mire Schoenetum nigricantis Koch 1926
- M14 Schoneus nigricans - Narthecium ossifragum mire
- M15 Scirpus cespitosus - Erica tetralix wet heath
- M16 Erica tetralix - Sphagnum compactum wet heath Ericetum tetralicis Schwickerath 1933
- M17 Scirpus cespitosus - Eriophorum vaginatum blanket mire
- M18 Erica tetralix - Sphagnum papillosum raised and blanket mire
- M19 Calluna vulgaris - Eriophorum vaginatum blanket mire
- M20 Eriophorum vaginatum raised and blanket mire
- M21 Narthecium ossifragum - Sphagnum papillosum valley mire Narthecio-Sphagnetum euatlanticum Duvigneaud 1949
- M22 Juncus subnodulosus - Cirsium palustre fen-meadow
- M23 Juncus effusus/acutiflorus - Galium palustre rush-pasture
- M24 Molinia caerulea - Cirsium dissectum fen-meadow Cirsium-Molinietum caeruleae Sissingh & De Vries 1942 emend.
- M25 Molinia caerulea - Potentilla erecta mire
- M26 Molinia caerulea - Crepis paludosa mire
- M27 Filipendula ulmaria - Angelica sylvestris mire
- M28 Iris pseudacorus - Filipendula ulmaria mire Filipendulo-Iridetum pseudacori Adam 1976 emend.
- M29 Hypericum elodes - Potamogeton polygonifolius soakaway Hyperico-Potametum polygonifolii (Allorge 1921) Braun-Blanquet & Tüxen 1952
- M30 Related vegetation of seasonally-inundated habitats Hydrocotyla-Baldellion Tüxen & Dierssen 1972
- M31 Anthelia judacea - Sphagnum auriculatum spring Sphagno auriculati-Anthelietum judaceae Shimwell 1972
- M32 Philonotis fontana - Saxifraga stellaris spring Philonoto-Saxifragetum stellaris Nordhagen 1943
- M33 Pohlia wahlenbergii var. glacialis spring Pohlietum glacialis McVean & Ratcliffe 1962
- M34 Carex demissa - Koenigia islandica flush
- M35 Ranunculus omiophyllus - Montia fontana rill
- M36 Lowland springs and streambanks of shaded situations Cardaminion (Maas 1959) Westhoff & den Held 1969
- M37 Cratoneuron commutatum - Festuca rubra spring
- M38 Cratoneuron commutatum - Carex nigra spring
