Ben Lawers

General site character

• Inland water bodies (Standing water, Running water) (0.5%)
  
• Bogs, Marshes, Water fringed vegetation, Fens (14%)
  
• Heath, Scrub, Maquis and Garrigue, Phygrana (24%)
  
• Dry grassland, Steppes (38%)
  
• Humid grassland, Mesophile grassland (12%)
  
• Alpine and sub-Alpine grassland (10%)
  
• Broad-leaved deciduous woodland (0.5%)
  
• Inland rocks, Screes, Sands, Permanent Snow and ice (1%)
  

Annex I habitats that are a primary reason for selection of this site

• 3130 Oligotrophic to mesotrophic standing waters with vegetation of the Littorelletea uniflorae and/or of the Isoëto-Nanojuncetea

  The principal freshwater loch on Ben Lawers in the central Highlands is Loch nan Cat, which is representative of oligotrophic standing waters and drains a calcareous schist catchment, a rare type in Britain. The loch is at high altitude (710 m), has a variety of substrates, is of very low nutrient status (Type 3) and supports a relatively diverse flora, including quillwort Isoetes lacustris, which is indicative of this oligotrophic freshwater habitat type. In addition, the flora includes several pondweed Potamogeton spp. and delicate stonewort Chara virgata.

• 4080 Sub-Arctic Salix spp. scrub

  Ben Lawers is one of four sites selected in the Breadalbane Hills of the southern Highlands and represents Sub-Arctic Salix spp. scrub with mountain willow Salix arbuscula. The site has the largest known population of S. arbuscula in the UK, developed on steep, rocky slopes and crags that are difficult for grazing animals to reach. It also occurs on some open grazed areas where it is highly prostrate. Ben Lawers also supports fragmentary stands of W20 Salix lapponum – Luzula sylvatica scrub on calcareous schist at moderately high altitudes. Other willows are restricted to crags and rock ledges. Species include downy willow S. lapponum, dark-leaved willow S. myrsinifolia and net-leaved willow S. reticulata, together with scattered plants of woolly willow S. lanata. Generally the Salix scrub is associated with 6430 Hydrophilous tall herb fringe communities of plains and of the montane to alpine levels or 6170 Alpine and subalpine calcareous grasslands.

• 6170 Alpine and subalpine calcareous grasslands

  Ben Lawers has the most extensive development of Alpine and subalpine calcareous grasslands in the UK, representing high-altitude forms of the habitat. The main sub-type, CG12 Festuca ovina – Alchemilla alpina – Silene acaulis dwarf-herb community, is found on the open hill, and is dominated by moss campion Silene acaulis. CG14 Dryas octopetala – Silene acaulis ledge community also occurs and is largely confined to crags because of heavy grazing pressure. The site has an exceptional arctic-alpine flora, including a wide range of characteristic species and many rarities. These include cyphel Minuartia sedoides, sibbaldia Sibbaldia procumbens, mountain pansy Viola lutea, alpine forget-me-not Myosotis alpestris, alpine fleabane Erigeron borealis, alpine gentian Gentiana nivalis, mountain sandwort Minuartia rubella, rock speedwell Veronica fruticans, blue moor-grass Sesleria caerulea, alpine meadow-grass Poa alpina, alpine pearlwort Sagina saginoides and alpine saxifrage Saxifraga nivalis. There are well-developed transitions to a wide range of other alpine plant communities, including snow-beds and 7240 Alpine pioneer formations of the Caricion bicoloris-atrofuscae.

• 6430 Hydrophilous tall herb fringe communities of plains and of the montane to alpine levels

  Ben Lawers is located in the Breadalbane range in the southern Scottish Highlands where hydrophilous tall herb fringe communities occur up to high altitudes on ledges of calcareous schist. Examples of the community occur in a number of localities across the site and are relatively extensive in places. There is a diverse flora, which includes characteristic species such as roseroot Sedum rosea, water avens Geum rivale, wild angelica Angelica sylvestris, wood crane’s-bill Geranium sylvaticum, melancholy thistle Cirsium heterophyllum and globeflower Trollius europaeus. A number of rare arctic-alpines are present in the habitat type on this site, including the rock whitlowgrass Draba norvegica, alpine cinquefoil Potentilla crantzii, black alpine-sedge Carex atrata, alpine meadow-grass Poa alpina and alpine forget-me-not Myosotis alpestris.

• 7240 Alpine pioneer formations of the Caricion bicoloris-atrofuscae  * Priority feature

  Ben Lawers is one of three sites in the Breadalbane range in the southern Scottish Highlands representing the range of variation of alpine pioneer formations up to high altitude. Ben Lawers is considered to be the most important site for this habitat type in the UK because the extent and diversity of high altitude mires present here is greater than on any other site in the UK. M12 Carex saxatilis mires are especially frequent, with more open, stony M11 Carex demissa – Saxifraga aizoides mires also common. The site supports the most abundant populations in Scotland of the rarer but characteristic species of the habitat type. These include two-flowered rush Juncus biglumis, bristle sedge Carex microglochin and scorched alpine-sedge C. atrofusca. Chestnut rush Juncus castaneus and hair sedge Carex capillaris are also frequent.

• 8210 Calcareous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation

  Ben Lawers is representative of high-altitude Calcareous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation in the central Scottish Highlands. The rock faces are formed on calcareous schists and limestones outcropping extensively at very high altitude. The site supports extensive areas of chasmophytic vegetation with some of the most diverse examples of these communities in the UK. They contain a large number of nationally rare species, such as drooping saxifrage Saxifraga cernua, rock whitlowgrass Draba norvegica, alpine fleabane Erigeron borealis, alpine forget-me-not Myosotis alpestris, rock sedge Carex rupestris, alpine gentian Gentiana nivalis, mountain bladder-fern Cystopteris montana and alpine woodsia Woodsia alpina. The montane calcicole bryophyte and lichen flora of this site is outstanding.

Annex I habitats present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for selection of this site

• 4030 European dry heaths
• 4060 Alpine and Boreal heaths
• 6150 Siliceous alpine and boreal grasslands
• 6230 Species-rich Nardus grasslands, on silicious substrates in mountain areas (and submountain areas in Continental Europe)  * Priority feature
• 7130 Blanket bogs (* if active bog)  * Priority feature
• 7230 Alkaline fens
• 8220 Siliceous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation

Annex II species that are a primary reason for selection of this site

• Not Applicable

Annex II species present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for site selection

• Not Applicable