A Lichen Survey of the Ben Nevis Plateau
Citation
John Muir Trust (2022). A Lichen Survey of the Ben Nevis Plateau. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/1qw5ft accessed via GBIF.org on 2023-12-05.Description
This survey was commissioned by the John Muir Trust to study the lichen communities of the Ben Nevis plateau and any threats posed to these communities. Field work was carried out over a 4 day period in September 2006. The plateau is a vast boulder-field with pebble, cobble, and boulder size scree and occasional outcrops. The rock is of two lava types: Trachyte and Dacite.Purpose
The survey was commissioned by John Muir Trust. The aim of the work was to study the lichen communities of the Ben Nevis plateau describing rare and significant lichens together with any threats posed to these communities. The survey work included a number of different habitat types including: scree, outcrops, eutrophicated cairns and buildings, lignum (wood) from old buildings, freshwater and small lenses of bryophyte and lichen heath.Sampling Description
Quality Control
The survey work involved searching the scree and outcrops and recording and collecting specimens. Nine sub-sites were chosen (see Map 1) to give a range of habitat types including: fine scree, large boulder scree, outcrops, bryophyte/lichen heath, freshwater and human eutophicated habitats.Specimens were collected as many of the lichens encountered require microscopic examination in order to identify them correctly. Voucher specimens were retained in the surveyors private collection with many of the rarer species being retained in the herbaria of The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh (E). Nomenclature follows Coppins (2002). Species conservation status follows Woods & Coppins (2003). Records classed as new for the Nevis range reflect records on the newly updated Scottish Lichen Database held by the British Lichen Society.
Method steps
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The survey work involved searching the scree and outcrops and recording and collecting specimens. Nine sub-sites were chosen to give a range of habitat types including: fine scree, large boulder scree, outcrops, bryophyte/lichen heath, freshwater and human eutophicated habitats.
Specimens were collected as many of the lichens encountered require microscopic examination in order to identify them correctly. Voucher specimens were retained in the surveyors private collection with many of the rarer species being retained in the herbaria of The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh (E). Nomenclature follows Coppins (2002). Species conservation status follows Woods & Coppins (2003). Records classed as new for the Nevis range reflect records on the newly updated Scottish Lichen Database held by the British Lichen Society.
Taxonomic Coverages
Geographic Coverages
Nine subsites on the Ben Nevis Plateau
Bibliographic Citations
Contacts
originatorJohn Muir Trust
Tower House, Station Road
Pitlochry
PH16 5AN
email: admin@johnmuirtrust.org
homepage: http://www.johnmuirtrust.org/
metadata author
John Muir Trust
Tower House, Station Road
Pitlochry
PH16 5AN
email: admin@johnmuirtrust.org
homepage: http://www.johnmuirtrust.org/
distributor
NBN Atlas
Unit F, 14 - 18 St Mary's Gate, Lace Market
Nottingham
NG1 1PF
Nottinghamshire
GB
email: admin@nbnatlas.org
Biodiversity Officer
administrative point of contact
email: Elizabeth@jmt.org