T6
Mosaic of wet willow-alder-birch forests (Betula pubescens, Alnus glutinosa, Salix atrocinerea) and fens on degraded lowland raised bogs
Description
The current mosaic consists often of light willow-alder-birch carrs, sedge swamps and fens on largely peat excavated areas with bog pools and elevations. A weakly developed shrub layer of tree species plus Viburnum opulus and Frangula alnus (mostly in Great Britain). The herb layer is often opulent and sometimes species-rich with Phragmites australis, Carex species, other helophytes and ferns. Bryophytes play an important role, particularly sphagnum moss species. Due to the extensive peat excavation to below the height of the adjacent rivers, locally extensive water bodies have arisen with reed bank vegetation and sedge swamps in the shore areas.
Tree Layer
Betula pubescens s. L. (Downy Birch), Alnus glutinosa (Common Alder), Salix atrocinerea (Crack Willow), locally Fraxinus excelsior (Ash), Quercus robur (Common Oak), Pinus sylvestris (subspontaneous) (Scots Pine)
Downy Birch, Common Alder, Crack Willow, locally Ash, Common Oak and Scots Pine
Shrub Layer
Myrica gale (wild_shrub), Salix cinerea (White Willow Bush), Frangula alnus (Alder Buckthorn); locally Viburnum opulus (Linden Bush), Ilex aquifolium (Holly), Sorbus aucuparia (Rowan)
Alder, Oak, Apple, Willow and Downy Willow saplings
Lianas
Solanum dulcamara, Lonicera periclymenum
Herb Layer
Molinia caerulea (sweet_grass), Dryopteris dilatata (fern_1, bracken, fern), Dryopteris cristata (bracken, fern), Thelypteris palustris (fern, fern_1, large_fern_3, bracken), Osmunda regalis (bracken), Carex rostrata (greater_fen_sedge), Carex paniculata (bottle_sedge), Carex diandra (rushes), Carex appropinquata (bottle_sedge), Carex nigra (deergrass), Carex panicea (bottle_sedge), Carex lasiocarpa (lush_grass), Equisetum fluviatile (wood_horsetail), Equisetum palustre (wood_horsetail), Potentilla palustris, Valeriana dioica, Filipendula ulmaria (cotton_grass), Phragmites australis (dry_reeds), Juncus effusus (rushes), Caltha palustris (sweet_woodruff), Cardamine pratensis, Galium palustre (sweet_woodruff), Eupatorium cannabinum (sea_lavender), Lythrum salicaria (nettles), Lysimachia vulgaris (sweet_woodruff)
Wetlands in Eriador, incl. the Midgewater Marshes
