Heath (habitat)
Heath or heathland is the name of a habitat in northern Europe where heather (Calluna vulgaris), heath (Erica species) and gorse (Ulex species) are the dominant vegetation. This habitat is often maintained artificially by grazing, burning, and other means; if not so maintained, it is colonised by woodland, mainly of pine (Pinus species) and Silver birch (Betula pendula). Heathland is a lowland habitat, and is favoured where climatic conditions are typically warm, dry, particularly in summer, and soils very free-draining and of low fertility.
One of the biggest heaths is the Lueneburg Heath in northern Germany, though the German word is heide. Other notable heaths include large parts of the New Forest and the Breckland in southern and eastern England respectively, and the Veluwe in the Netherlands.
Heaths have a very typical associated bird fauna, notably Montagu's Harrier, Hobby, Nightjar, Stonechat and Dartford Warbler; where there are scattered trees, Green Woodpecker is also characteristic.
Upland moorland habitats in northern Britain are similar in also being dominated by heather, but differ from typical heathland in being colder and much wetter (often with extensive bogs), giving rise to a different mix of associated species, such as Red Grouse, Hen Harrier, Merlin, Golden Plover, Curlew, Meadow Pipit, Whinchat, Ring Ouzel and Twite.
See also
Referenced By
Erica | Gorse | Habitat | Heath | Peat bog | Ulex
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