4.3: What are the primary habitat classifications?

Based on simple observation of the area around you, deciding on what sort of primary habitat it is should be quite easy. Only an elementary ability to recognise key features and 'indicator' species is needed to conclude whether you are in woodland or scrub, grassland or heathland and so on. For many wildlife enthusiasts, perhaps with a particular interest in birds, this will be sufficient to allow them to use that knowledge when identifying the species that interest them. As I stated at the outset, that can be quite significant at times; when faced with a member of the pipit family for example.

However, for those interested in invertebrates or plants it is more complex as there are various types of woodland, scrub, grassland, heath, etc that will be significant as these species may have a small er niche habitat that suits them.

The following is a summary of the habitat types most likely to be encountered in lowland Britain. This is not scientifically based and is not definitive, it is purely intended to give a feeling of habitat classification structure as a starting point for understanding habitats.

Oak/birch woodland is very different from oak/ash woodland

1. Woodland:

Woodland is defined as an area where the dominant vegetation is trees more than five metres high when mature and forming a distinct although sometimes open canopy.

1. Broadleaf woodland: primarily oak and ash but also beech, sycamore, horse-chestnut and sweet chestnut
   
   

2. Acid woodland: occurs on acid soils, especially heath, and consists primarily of a mixture of oak and birch (both silver and downy birch)
   
   

3. Mixed woodland: where conifers have been planted deciduous or broadleaf trees
   
   

4. Wet woodland: also sometimes known as carr and where the ground is generally waterlogged and where the  primary species are willow and alder
   
   

5. Conifer plantation: primarily pine, spruce and fir species (there is no natural conifer woodland in Dorset)
   
   

6. Amenity woodland: ornamental species or natural species planted as an arboretum, park, shelterbelt, orchard, etc
   
   

2. Scrub:
   
   Scrub is defined as seral or climax vegetation dominated by locally native shrubs, usually less than five meters tall although occasional scattered trees may occur.
   
   

1. Hedgerow scrub: continuous line of shrubs providing a barrier or border definition
   
   

2. Mixed scrub: shrubs scattered or gathered in clumps in generally open areas
   
   

3. Heath
   
   Heath generally occurs on low lying acid soils and has dominant vegetation of gorse and heather species
   
   

1. Dry heath: higher areas of heath on sandy soils where the primary species are usually ling, bell heather and dwarf gorse
   
   

2. Dry heath/acid grass mosaic: areas of dry heath with patches of grassland present
   
   

3. Wet heath: lower areas that are subject to puddling and some water retention where the dominant heather becomes cross-leaved heath
   
   

4. Valley mire and bog: Low lying heathland areas almost permanently waterlogged and where the dominant vegetation becomes mosses and rushes
   
   

5. Dune heath: heath that forms on sand dunes that have been stabilised by marram grass and related species
   
   

6. Limestone heath: a rare habitat that can be found where acid soils have been deposited on limestone substrates
   
   

4. Grassland
   
   Grassland classification includes both dry areas of herbaceous vegetation dominated by grasses and wet areas where rushes and reeds dominate
   
   

1. Calcareous grassland: grassland found on chalk or limestone substrates; often open areas on escarpments and terrain difficult to manage for agriculture
   
   

2. Neutral grassland: Typically enclosed and more intensively managed for agriculture and livestock pasture
   
   

3. Rush and purple moor grass: Often damp meadows on acid soils where various rushes (especially soft rush and hard rush) dominate along with purple moor grass
   
   

4. Coastal flood grazing: Often also known as water meadows and used for cattle grazing in summer but often flooding in winter when the associated river overflows its banks
   
   

5. Amenity grassland: grassland often artificially seeded for recreational use and ornamentation (including lawns)
   
   

5. Fresh Water
   
   Areas dominated by the continual presence of freshwater either moving or stationary
   
   

1. Chalk streams: streams emanating from the higher chalk downs with fast-moving alkaline waters
   
   

2. Slow moving rivers: lower reaches of rivers where the water is moving more slowly
   
   

3. Fen: low lying areas almost permanently waterlogged by freshwater
   
   

4. Ditches and streams: small watercourses draining large areas often man-made
   
   

5. Ponds: smaller areas of standing freshwater
   
   

6. Lakes and reservoirs: larger areas of standing water often man-made through some form of mineral extraction
   
   

6. Coastal
   
   

Areas dominated by saline water and inevitably found near the sea where tides are influential

1. Mud flats and open tidal water: areas, usually near the mouths of rivers where they meet the sea and where the underlying mud flats are regularly flooded by incoming tides and then uncovered at low tide
   
   

2. Saltmarsh: areas, usually near the mouths of rivers where they meet the sea and where the peripheral pasture (usually rushes) are frequently waterlogged but not covered at high tide
   
   

3. Saline lagoon: areas of saline water totally, or almost totally enclosed and where tides have little or no effect
   
   

4. Reed bed: areas, usually near the mouths of rivers where they meet the sea and where the water is very slow-moving allowing large expanses of phragmites reeds to establish
   
   

5. Coastal dunes: low sandy shoreline where in the drier upper reaches dunes have formed
   
   

6. Coastal shingle: low stoney shoreline formed of pebbles and shells
   
   

7. Rocky shore: low lying  shoreline where the substrate is formed of rock and hard stones
   
   

8. Soft cliffs and scree: High shoreline where the cliffs are formed of soft rocks that erode and collapse into the sea
   
   

9. Hard coastal cliffs: High shoreline where the cliffs are formed by hard limestone or chalk rock
   
   

10. Open sea: Open saline water ‘off shore’
    
    

7. Brownfield
   
   Brownfield sites are those that are totally artificial resulting from specific human activity
   
   

1. Arable farmland: fields used for the growing of crops
   
   

2. Gardens and escapes: enclosed and managed areas of land where ornamental flowers and cultivated vegetables can be found and also areas external to enclosed gardens where these ornamental and cultivated plants may have spread to
   
   

3. Building, bridges and walls: constructed formations where brick or stone has been bonded together either with mortar or by using natural shapes to advantage
   
   

4. Quarries and mineral extraction: Dry areas from which stone or aggregates have been removed and have subsequently been left to be recolonised ny nature
   
   

5.  Fringes: the borders of roads and paths, areas not used for a specific purpose and abandoned, neglected areas
   

6. Redundant railway: The remnants of railway courses from which all lines and building have been removed and which are  open for public use and recreation