Elmley Marshes RSPB reserve in north Kent, coastal grazing marsh at its finest.
Inland of the seashore proper, and not subject to the daily rhythms of the tides, are a number of interesting terrestrial habitats. Although they have their counterparts inland, subtle maritime influences mean they have a distinct character of their own.
COASTAL GRASSLAND
Grassland can be found throughout the British Isles and is by no means unique to the coast, but where it is found within sight of the sea it often has distinct qualities. In ecological terms, grassland is typically thought of as a man-made or man-influenced habitat, created by selective management (grazing or cutting) once tree and scrub cover has been removed from the landscape. But on exposed, west-facing cliffs, for example, it is likely that many patches of grassland represent the climax vegetation for that spot, the effects of wind and salt spray ensuring that more substantial plants cannot survive. Elsewhere, grassland often grows on distinctly saline soil, ensuring that interesting salt-tolerant species predominate.
Sheltered parts of Britain, and areas of southeast England in particular, are home to some extensive stretches of coastal grazing marsh. Such places that remain relatively untouched are typically protected, to a degree, by nature reserve status. Unique plants and animals are found here, and the habitat is especially important for breeding waders and other wetland birds.
Elmley Marshes RSPB reserve in north Kent, coastal grazing marsh at its finest.
The Maid of Kent beetle Emus hirtus is confined to Elmley Marshes, where it spends much of its life inside fresh cowpats; both adults and larvae feed on other insects.
MACHAIR
Machair grassland is unique to northwest Scotland and western Ireland. The relatively short turf has developed on windblown shell sand that lends a calcareous influence to the free-draining soil. Often cut for hay and sometimes grazed in winter, machair is a floral delight in May and June. It is adversely affected by changes in agricultural use (it is entirely destroyed by ploughing, for example) and is the subject of considerable conservation interest.
MARITIME HEATH
Heathland communities of plants develop on acid, free-draining soils, and include species of heather (hence the habitat’s name) and gorse as their most characteristic members. Heathland is found locally across southern Britain and is a feature of many stretches of coast in western Britain, especially where the underlying rock is granite. Heather, Bell Heather, Gorse and Western Gorse are the dominant species in coastal heathland, and the habitat is at its most colourful in floral terms from midsummer to early autumn.
Maritime heath vegetation is typically no more than knee-high, the plants ‘pruned’ by the wind and inhibited by salt spray. In particularly exposed locations, the vegetation is known as ‘waved heath’, the habitat having a rippled appearance that echoes waves on the sea. These botanical ‘waves’ are mostly a feature of Heather and Bell Heather, and are caused when the side of a plant facing the prevailing wind and salt spray (typically facing west) is killed off, while growth continues on the sheltered (typically east-facing) side.
Maritime heath on the Pembrokeshire coast, with Western Gorse and Heather predominating.