grassland vegetation of the sheffield region. I. General features

• Published in: The Journal of ecology 1971-11, Vol.59 (3), p.863-886
• Main Authors: Lloyd, P.S, Grime, J.P, Rorison, I.H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acid soils; Coal; Geology; Grasses; Grassland soils; Limestone soils; Limestones; plant ecology; Sandstones; Species; Vegetation
• ISSN: 0022-0477; 1365-2745
• DOI: 10.2307/2258145

Grassland in an area of 900 square miles (2400 km2) around Sheffield has been surveyed in order to provide source material for a description of the vegetation and for autecological studies. As an introduction to the grassland vegetation, the physical nature and history of the region is described and some aspects of the survey data are presented in terms of general features of the environment and of the vegetation. There is an exceptionally wide range of geology and topography. For example, both calcareous and acidic soils are found in upland and lowland areas, which in turn have contrasting climates. Grassland in the upland area is widespread and often ancient, but in the lowland area it is limited in extent and often more recent in origin. Throughout the region changes in land-use are affecting the nature and extent of grassland. Survey samples were collected on a restricted random basis. The range of variation in topography, soil and land-use recorded is considered an adequately representative sample. In 630 1 m2 quadrats 64% of the grassland plants known to occur in the area were recorded. Calcareous strata carried many more species than did acidic strata and the number of species/m2 was also much greater. Many species showed positive or negative associations with individual geological strata, but among the common species only four could be regarded as very reliable indicators of the underlying stratum. Subsequent papers will describe grassland types, recognized through methods of numerical analysis, in relation to their geographical and topographical distribution.