Cors Erddreiniog and an unnamed bog - Field trip, 20th October 2014

The purpose of this first field trip was to gain some exposure to peatlands and get some experience in field sampling techniques.

The day was split into two. First we visited a large fen system in Anglesey, then compared that to a bog system south east of Bangor.

At both sites we were each required to collect 5 samples of peat for further analysis in the lab, record the temperature of both the air and the soil, measure the pH and the Conductivity and undertake quadrat samples of the vegetation. We also attempted to measure the depth of peat at each site.

Weather: Overcast with the temperature dropping as the day progressed

Site 1: Cors Erddreiniog

Location of Cors Erddreiniog
on Anglesey (from Coogle Maps)

 Located between Bryn Teg and Capel Coch in Anglesey, this extensive area of fen is managed by Natural Resources Wales (previously Countryside Council for Wales).

Location of Cors Erdderiniog between Bryn Teg and Capel Coch
(from Google Maps)

A major restoration project has been undertaken at this site in an attempt to preserve and enhance the unique fen habitats (see the LIFE project website for more details).

Observations:
Despite the large electricity pylons, this was a beautiful location. It is obvious that the site is intensely managed with evidence of this ranging from the well maintained board walks to areas that appear trampled and grazed by livestock and horses.

Cors Erddreiniog, looking east
(photo by Helen Campbell)

The relatively flat landscape has some localised undulations resulting in an extensive mosaic of habitats within the fen. Woodlands, reed beds, heathland, small lakes and open channels each provide unique niches within which certain species will thrive.


We observed very little in the way of fauna during our site visit, aside from insects and arachnids. This could have been due to the size of our group, as we were joined by the undergraduate biology class.

Quadrat for determining percentage cover of vegetation types
(photo by Helen Campbell)

Flora species included:

• Common reed - Phragmites australis
• Blunt-flowered rush - Juncus subnodulosus
• Black bog-rush - Schoenus nigricans
• Great fen-sedge - Cladium mariscus
• Bog-myrtle - Myrica gale

Sample collection:

Site 1 at Cors Erddreiniog
(photo by Helen Campbell)

Site 2 at Cors Erddreiniog
(photo by Helen Campbell)

We took peat samples from two distinct areas within the fen. The first location was dominated by tussocky grasses. The second location was dominated by Phragmites.





Peat collection was done manually, using a small trowel to dig to approximately 5cm below the surface. Samples were then obtained, ensuring that excess water was allowed to drain off before putting the peat sample into the bag.

Site 2 samples were wetter than Site 1 and harder to obtain due to the presence of large roots from the Phragmites. It was also necessary to dig a little deeper to get through the top layer of decomposing leaf litter.

Collecting peat samples from Cos Erddreiniog
(photo by Helen Campbell)

Conservation challenges:
This rare fen habitat is very susceptible to damage, the main factors being water quality and water quantity. Neglect also plays a part in degradation of fen habitats.

Cors Erddreiniog is listed as:

• A Wetland of International Importance (Ramsar)
• A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
• A Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)

These designations have overlapping legal ramifications and, at least on paper, provide the area with a very high level of protection.

The main management techniques adopted on this site are:

• Grazing - this causing trampling of the vegetation allowing oxygen to circulate in the upper layers of the soil profile increasing the decomposition of dead plant matter, releasing more nutrients into the system
• Removal of scrub - scrubby vegetation contributes to the drying of the fen so control of this vegetation is important to reduce encroachment into wetland areas
• Cutting and burning - another way to reduce the biomas on the surface of the fen and encourage regrowth of specialised wetland vegetation
• Reprofiling - Some areas need "reset" and reprofiling can be a good method to achieve this, ensuring water levels are most appropriate for the fen habitat restoration.

Site 2: Unnamed bog near Marchlyn Mawr

Location of the bog near Marchlyn Mawr Reservoir
(from Google maps)

Location of bog near Bethesda
(from Google Maps)

Our "unnamed bog" is located south west of Bethesda below Marchlyn Mawr reservoir. This area of bog shows little evidence of human disturbance in the form of drainage channels as is evident in many other areas where bog has been reclaimed for agricultural use, though it is most likely grazed by sheep.

View looking north east
(photo by Helen Campbell)

The area was fenced indicating that some level of management of the area is being undertaken, however more research will be required to establish the land owner or manager of this bog.

Observations:

At first glance this area of bog appeared very uniform, however, on closer inspection it was possible to identify areas where for example, the vegetation grew in clumps compared to areas where surface water was apparent resulting in a diversity of species across the site.

There was some evidence that this area may have at one time been more densely vegetated. Presence of large dead roots near the surface were incongruous with the current vegetation cover on the bog.

Large root material within the bog
(photo by Helen Campbell)

As with Cors Erddreiniog, fauna sightings were limited to insects and arachnids.

Quadrat for determining percentage cover of vegetation types
(photo by Helen Campbell)

Flora species included:

• Heather - Caluna vulgaris
• Bog-myrtle - Myrica gale
• Sphagnum - Sphagnum spp.
• Sedge species - Carex spp.
• Blunt-flowered rush - Juncus subnodulosus

Sample Collection:
We collected 5 samples of peat at this site in the same way as at Cors Erddreiniog. Samples were taken from locations that were representative of the whole site.

By this time the temperature had dropped so obtaining samples became quite painful as the water was extremely cold. Numb fingers made digging out the samples by hand quite difficult and it was agreed that better gloves would be a good investment.

Conservation challenges:
At the time of writing it was unclear who the land owner/manager of this site was. Further investigation into this issue would be required. From the Google image (and observations from the site visit) it is clear that there are areas close to this bog that are being used for agriculture and forestry. These are the biggest threats to this area if development of this kind was allowed to continue.


What next:
Further analysis of the samples will be undertaken in the laboratory. In the mean time our samples are in cold storage to slow any further decomposition.


Final remarks:
The two sites we visited were both prime examples of fen and bog habitats. The experience gained from collecting field samples under these conditions will be invaluable as the MSc course progresses. Being aware of management techniques for these habitats is important and recognising the different challenges that arise when attempting to restore or enhance these areas is critical to understanding how to conserve these unique habitats.