Over the last fifty or so years, many of our freshwater ecosystems (rivers, streams and ponds) have been polluted – particularly with nitrates and phosphates.  This pollution has lead to eutrophication : an overgrowth of simple green algae and subsequent loss of biodiversity.  The million ponds project seeks to create new ponds, with clean, unpolluted water. The question might be posed “why not clean up and manage existing ones?”  Of course where this can be done, then it should be done but new ponds allow one to start with a clean slate.  They can be created in places where their water supply will be clean throughout the pond’s lifetime, and generally creation is cheaper and simpler than the restoration of an existing pond. Read more...

Nitrogen pollution, in the form of nitrates, ammonia and various oxides of nitrogen, is a threat to ecosystems, ecosystem services and biodiversity.   Monitoring and measuring such pollutants in rain and air borne particles is expensive and, ideally, needs frequent samples. It has been estimated that some 400,000 tonnes of airborne pollution are deposited over Britain each year.  Research by Dr H Harmens et al at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (Bangor) has indicated that there may be a simpler and cheaper way of gauging nitrogen pollution  - through the assessment of the state of local moss populations. Read more...

Recently the blog commented on the loss of wild flowers from country lanes and roadsides - occasioned by seeing nettles and cow parsley for miles, and very little else.  This loss of diversity may be attributed in part to the use of nitrogenous fertilisers and aerial deposition of pollutants.  It is 'rare' to see poppies around the edges of fields nowadays.   So what is happening ? Obviously, the seed used by farmers nowadays has fewer "wild contaminants" but Plantlife is concerned that various agricultural management practices have placed arable plants under threat.  The need to make economic use of every bit of land, the increased use of herbicides (to control pernicious weeds - such as charlock, black grass, sterile brome) has a knock-on effect on many arable wild flower species, as has the greater use of winter planting.   In some parts of the country, a switch away from arable farming has also had its effects. Some 150 wild flowers are characteristic of,  or associated with arable farming;  many are now threatened.  The majority of the 'uncommon species' are found in the south-east (crudely speaking - draw a line from the Wash across to the Bristol Channel) Read more...

The pasqueflower is not a woodland plant, but more one of open grassland (on chalk or limestone), sometimes growing with upright brome and tor grass  However, it is a particularly beautiful and rare flower - having deep purple petals, that surround the many vibrant yellow stamens.  The flowers usually appear in mid-April when the daytime temperatures have risen into double figures; it is often associated with Easter, and is,  otherwise known as easter flower, meadow anemone or dane’s blood.   The flowering period of the pasqueflower is quite long, lasting for some 4 – 6 weeks.  The pasqueflower is a member of the 'buttercup' family - the Ranunculaceae, like the wood anemone and traveller's joy The flowers are protogynous – that is the flower has a separate male and female phases, with the yellow stigmas (female structures) maturing first.  Protogyny, or indeed protandry, are mechanisms that some plants use to promote the exchange of pollen between different plants – i.e. cross-fertilisation / outbreeding .  The plant is covered with many silky hairs – these are present on the leaves, stem and flowers (see the various images in the gallery below). Read more...

The wholesale destruction of ancient woodland through farming and forestry has diminished but new roads,  bypasses and the installation of infra-structure & services (such as utilities & power lines) can still be a problem.  In recent times, new or different threats to ancient woodlands have emerged to upset the balance of woodland ecosystems. In the 1960’s and early 70’s concern focussed on the effects of air and acid rain pollution .  Such pollution was characterised by the deposition of sulphur dioxide and its derivatives (sulphuric & sulphurous acid), plus various nitrogen oxides. Read more...