Biological components of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Wales

The process of selecting Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in Britain and the criteria which support the establishment of 731 SSSIs in Wales are reviewed. In Wales, these sites comprise over 9% of the total land mass. The uplands contain a few large SSSIs, the lowlands contain many small...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biodiversity and conservation 1996-07, Vol.5 (7), p.897-920
Main Authors: Blackstock, TH, Stevens, D P, Howe, E A
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:The process of selecting Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in Britain and the criteria which support the establishment of 731 SSSIs in Wales are reviewed. In Wales, these sites comprise over 9% of the total land mass. The uplands contain a few large SSSIs, the lowlands contain many small SSSIs, and the coast contains moderate number of SSSIs. Most of the SSSIs include more than one significant biological characteristic. Habitats as well as species are recognized in these sites. The greater representation of peatland heatlands, and sand dune habitats represents the broader priorities of Britain's conservation plans. While birds and vascular plants are frequent determinants of sites, mammals are infrequently represented as special features.
ISSN:0960-3115
1572-9710
DOI:10.1007/BF00054741