This point dataset contains information on the quality and condition of species-rich grassland communities recorded during field surveys in the Cairngorms National Park undertaken between 2020 and 2022, as part of a joint project delivered by NatureScot and the Cairngorms National Park Authority. The aim was to establish the location and extent of species-rich grassland (SRG) within enclosed (and formerly enclosed) farm land, up to a maximum altitudinal limit of 500 m, using a combination of remote sensing and targeted field survey. This dataset covers the Livet, Avon and Dee catchments.
Patches of unimproved/semi-improved grassland, down to 0.04 ha in size, were identified and delineated by analysing high-resolution aerial photography (involving image segmentation and subsequent classification of the output). This provided a search map of polygons to visit in the field, targeting survey effort towards the areas where species-rich grassland was most likely to occur.
The field survey was undertaken by contractors during July to September in 2020 and 2021, and July to October in 2022. For each polygon, grassland communities and their relative proportion cover were described using the National Vegetation Classification (NVC), and species-richness was assessed. Locations of any missed species-rich grassland, occurring outside the search map polygons, were captured in the field and added to the dataset. This information is stored in the associated CNPGrasslandMapping_2020to2022_Polygons dataset.
When species-rich grassland was encountered, additional detailed attributes describing the quality and condition of these stands, plus photo attachments, were collected in this point dataset (which can be joined/related to the polygons using the POLY_ID/ PARENT_POLY fields). A rapid assessment of key features relating to species-richness, sward characteristics, management, and presence and abundance of notable species was undertaken following a structured walk through each SRG stand. Attributes are mostly categorical to promote a consistent, standardised response.
The dataset contains the following fields:
SRG_NVC – species-rich grassland NVC community;
SRG_HAB – broad SRG habitat type;
SPEC_SQ_M – number of species per square metre (≤10, 11-20, 21-30, >30);
FORB_COV – % cover of forbs (≤10, 11-25, 26-50, 51-75, ≥75);
SWRD_HT_CM – sward height range (cm) (≤5, 6-20, 21-30, >30);
THATCH_ACCU – thatch accumulation (%) (≤10, 11-25, 26-50, 51-75, ≥75);
BARE_GRN – bare ground (%) (<1, 1-5, 6-10, >10%);
MANAGEMENT –obvious management at time of survey (grazing - sheep, grazing - cattle, grazing - sheep & cattle, grazing - deer, cutting - hay, cutting - silage, cutting - verge, no grazing / cutting, other - describe in comment);GRAZ_INTENS – grazing intensity (at time of survey) (none, low, moderate, high);
PRESSURES – negative pressures impacting site condition (none, over-grazed, under-grazed, scrub / tree encroachment, under-grazed & scrub / tree encroachment, bracken encroachment, ruderals, heavy poaching, other - describe in comment);
COMMENT – additional notes on quality/condition/management;
Notable species, recorded using DAFOR scale (Dominant, Abundant, Frequent, Occasional, Rare, or Absent): CIRS_HETR – Cirsium heterophyllum; GENT_CAMP – Gentianella campestris; GALI_BORE – Galium boreale; HELI_NUMM – Helianthemum nummularium; LINU_CATH – Linum catharticum; LYCH_FLOS – Lychnis flos-cuculi; MEUM_ATHA – Meum athamanticum; PERS_VIVI – Persicaria vivipara; PIMP_SAXI – Pimpinella saxifraga; TROL_EURO – Trollius europaeus; VIOL_LUTE – Viola lutea; AVEN_PRAT – Avenula pratensis; BRIZ_MEDI – Briza media; BOTR_LUNA – Botrychium lunaria; COLE_VIRI – Coeloglossum viride; DACT_FUCH – Dactylorhiza fuchsii; DACT_MACU – Dactylorhiza maculata; DACT_PURP – Dactylorhiza purpurea; DACT_SP – Dactylorhizasp.; GYMN_BORE – Gymnadenia borealis; NEOT_OVAT – Neottia ovata; PLAT_BIFO – Platanthera bifolia; PLAT_CHLO – Platanthera chlorantha; PSUD_ALBI – Psudorchis albida; TOT_OTRCH_AB - Total orchid abundance (all species combined);
WAXCAPS – presence of waxcap fungi (present/absent);
OTH_NOTABLE – other notable species;
PARENT_POLY – unique identifier of polygon in which the point was collected (can be used as join/relate field);
GRIDREF – grid reference of point;
SURV_YEAR – year of field survey;
SURV_DATE – date of field survey;
SURVEYOR – field surveyor;
CATCHMENT – river catchment area;
POINT_ID – unique identifier.
Complete project metadata on spatialdata.gov.scot