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Anagach's
ecological profile
Although Anagach was originally
planted, it is second to none for the range of Scottish pinewood species
that it contains. These plants and animals that are typical to a
naturally occurring pinewood in the North-east of Scotland. From the
delicate twinflower (Linnaea borealis) to the towering pines (Pinus
sylvestris), from the pine hoverfly (Biera fallax) to the capercaille
(Tetrao urogallus), the have all evolved with each other over thousands
of years and they can all be found in Anagach.
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The Woods in autumn
(Bill Cuthbert © 2003) |
The dry sandy ridges and thin acid
soils suite Scots pine. All ages of tree are represented from seedlings
to 230 year old grannies. Underneath the pines there is a small tree
layer of downy birch (Betula puescens), rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) and
juniper (Juniperus communis). The shrub layer is made up of heather (Calluna
vulgaris), blaeberry (Vaccinium myrtilis), cowberry (Vaccinium
vitis-idaea) and crowberry (Empetrum nigrum). Where the
soils are deeper and moister, aspen (Populus tremula) and silver fir (Abies alba), Norway
spruce (Picea abies) and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) are
limited to the roadsides closer to town. |
Mosses, typically Hylocomium
splendens, but also Ptilium cristacastrensis occur in the shade beneath
the heaths. Of the herb layer species, chickweed wintergreen (Trientalis
europaea) is abundant, creeping ladies tresses (Goodyera repens) are
common. Other wintergreens
(Moneses uniflora and Pyrola spp) are scarce and twinflower is very
rare. The pine trees support epiphytic Pseudovernia lichen communities.
The woods are home to a range of fungi, notably cauliflower fungus (Sparassis
crispa).
Between the eskers and moraines, the hollows have filled with peat in
some places and a skin of floating vegetation covers former lochs. Bog
woodland makes up 20% of the woodland area. These bogs contain some rare
Sphagnum species, but are otherwise dominated by bog cotton grass (Eriophorum
angustifolium), deer grass (Trichophorum caespitosum) and sedges (Carex
spp).
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A main drainage channel runs the length of the wood and includes a small
lochan. Reed beds of Phragmites can be found along this waterway. Two
small kettle hole lochans provide additional habitat for open water
plants and animals.
Of the herbivores, roe (Capreolus capreolus) and rabbits (Oryctolagus
cuniculus) are common in the woods, as are red squirrels (Sciurus
vulgaris). Mammalian predators are rare, but may include foxes (Vulpes
vulpes) and pine marten (Martes martes).
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Red Squirrel,
Anagach Woods (Bill Cuthbert
© 2004) |
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Capercaille,
Anagach Woods (Bill Cuthbert
© 2003) |
Anagach is more renowned though for its birdlife: crested
tit, (Parus cristatus) and Scottish crossbill (Loxia scotica) can be
seen or heard if you are lucky. Buzzards (Buteo buteo), greater spotted
woodpeckers (Denrocopos major) and long-tailed tits (Aegithalos caudatus)
are more frequently seen in the woods.
Undoubtedly the star of the woods is the now endangered capercaille -
whose numbers have fallen from 20,000 in the 1970's to around 1,000
birds. For such a big bird however - these turkey-sized birds can prove
very elusive.
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WOODLAND FACT
FILE
WOODLAND AREA:
382 ha.
ELEVATION: 190 - 210 above mean sea level.
CLIMATE: Cool boreal climate. Temperature range: - 30șC to
+ 30șC.
ANNUAL RAINFALL: 787 - 890 mm. (31-35 ins)
GEOLOGY:
Undulating topography with fluvio glacial sands and gravels of acid rock
(quartz-feldspar-granulite) origin, deposited over boulder clays in
eskers and moraines.
SOILS:
Well-drained gravels derived from acid schists and granulites with a
thin peaty or humus later on slopes. Humic podzols and poorly drained
deep peat in hollows.
The 2001
estimate for woodland structure is as follows:
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Mature
52%
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Pole stage
6%
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Young regeneration 11%
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Broadleaved
9%
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Open ground
1%
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Bog and wetland
21%
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