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This page last updated 15/08/02
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Scots pine
'native' coniferous forests
- Although we
tend to think of the Scottish Highlands
as open moorland it was once forested and
the woodland resource is ecologically
important (45% of the Cairngorm area is
heather moorland and 17% is blanket bog).
- The
Cairngorms covers only 8% of Scotland's
land mass, yet contains over a quarter of
the native woodlands in Scotland.
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| Wild
about Woods - an introduction to
native forest.
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- Click here to
get a Multimap location map of the area (postcode:
PH25 3DA - Nethy Bridge post office; PH25 3EF -
Osprey centre).
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Check the
weather and climate.
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Birds
The native
pine forest of Scotland is an important habitat for
Ospreys (nesting), Capercaille and Scottish Crossbills.
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Trees for
Life species profiles
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| Podsol
soil profile This type
of soil is particularly associated with
coniferous woodland vegetation at northern
latitudes where the climate is typically cool and
wet. Precipitation rates are greater than
evapotranspiration, causing water to move
downwards through the soil. The litter layer,
dominated by waxy pine needles, decays very
slowly. This causes a thick acid humus layer to
form on the surface (mor humus). Rainwater
passing through mor becomes highly acidic and
able to chemically break down clay, iron and
aluminium. Acid water moving down through the
profile causes soluble bases to leach, clays to
be moved and the washing out (eluviation) of iron
and aluminium sesquioxides. The upper layers (A
horizon) of the soil, depleted of these
substances, becomes ash-grey - bleached of colour.
Lower down the profile (B horizon) redeposition
occurs. A thin layer of iron (an iron pan) may be
found, followed by a dark humus layer and an
orange-brown clay horizon. The layers are sharply
defined partly because there is little earthworm
activity (mixing). |
| Notes on soil
types. |
http://www.pupilvision.com/uppersixth/soiltypes.htm |
| Page explaining
basic soil properties (texture,
pH). |
http://www.lincoln.ac.uk/lsa/liaison/tree_est.htm |
| Photo of a podsol
profile from Sweden. |
http://www.ma.slu.se/IM/Sweden/SubSC.html |
| Grassland versus
forest soils. |
http://jimswan.com/111/soil/soil_profiles.jpg |
| Soils and
vegetation (profiles). |
http://jimswan.com/111/soil/soils.jpg |
| Meterological
conditions for the Cairngorms. |
http://www.ecn.ac.uk/Database/index.html |
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Management
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| Cairngorms
National Park is due to open March 2003.
Although this will be the biggest national park in
Britain, it may end up covering half the area Scottish
Natural Heritage recommended. The Scottish Executive have
been criticised by campaigners who say political
interests have been put before conservation. The final
designation order is to be set before the Scottish
Parliament in the Autumn (2002). At the time of writing,
pdf maps can be downloaded from the SNH site http://www.snh.org.uk The issue has received coverage in
the Scottish press. Newspapers |
| Would you like to see more pages
like this at this site? Obvious errors? Email me and let
me know. |
