Taking bryophytes into account in
Ecological Impact Assessment
Dr Joanne Denyer
Why are bryophytes important in Ireland?
Mosses :c600 taxa
Ireland supports roughly:
Liverworts: c230 taxa
Hornworts: 3 taxa
5% of the World’s bryoflora
40% of Europe’s bryoflora
50% of Europe’s liverwort flora
Adelanthus lindenbergianus
Sphagnum as indicator species
Sphagnum teres
Indicates higher pH (6-7) & [Ca2+]
Sphagnum squarrosum
Indicates shading & nutrients
Sphagnum cuspidatum
Indicates high water levels
Bryophytes and EcIA?
Rare/ protected bryophytes in Ireland
Annex II species
Hamatacaulis vernicosus [1393]
Petalophyllum ralfsii [1395]
© Des Callaghan BBS Field Guide
Rare and threatened bryophytes of Ireland
Launched Spring 2012
Published by National Museums of Northern Ireland
Available for free on NPWS website:
http://www.npws.ie/publications/redlist
s/RL8.pdf
Red Data Book species
195 bryophyte taxa on Red List
Regionally
extinct
Critically
Endangere
d
Endangered
Vulnerable
Total
Liverworts
5
4
13
25
47
Mosses
35
19
30
64
148
195
Revision of the Flora Protection Order (FPO)
Currently 4 liverworts and 14 mosses protected (Flora (Protection) Order,
1999)
NPWS (Neil Lockhart) has undertaken thorough review of FPO list in
consultation with bryophyte experts in Ireland and UK
*Recommended that new FPO list will include over 60 taxa
(c 1/3 liverworts, 2/3 mosses) and protect c10% of the liverwort flora and c7%
of the moss flora*.
*Reccomendations produced by Neil Lockhart 2013 (not yet published)
Bryophyte surveys for EcIA
Currently no Irish (RoI) EcIA guidance on bryophyte surveys
Key issues:
• When is a specialist bryophyte survey is required?
• Surveyor competence
CIEEM and British Bryological Society working towards
‘Competencies for species survey’ (CSS) for bryophytes
When is a bryophyte survey necessary?
Importance of bryophytes in Ireland
Desktop data – how good is
our information?
Ditrichum plumbicola
5 New Vice County records for H20
52 new species to the site
Bartramia halleriana
Glendalough, Co. Wicklow
Important Bryophyte Areas (IBrAs)
47 IBrAs
identified
Map supplied by Neil Lockhart, NPWS
Cephaloziella nicholsonii
Metalliferous bryophytes on copperrich mine waste
Lockhart et al. 2012
Habitats of RDB bryophytes
Rock outcrops
Bare ground/ soil/ banks
Riverine
Dunes
Oceanic peatland
Fen
Metalliferous
Woodland
Examples of bryophyte habitats and
potential impacts
Rhizomnium pseudopunctatum
Alkaline fen [7230]
Transition mires and quaking bogs [7140]
Hamatocaulis vernicosus.
Humid dune slacks [2190]
Petalophyllum ralfsii © Micheal Lueth.
Calaminarian grasslands of the Violetalia calaminariae [6130]
Old sessile oak woods with Ilex and Blechnum in the British Isles
[91A0]
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Neil Lockhart (NPWS) for providing figures from
the RDB and information on the FPO revision
Des Callaghan and others (credited under each photo) for
photo use