Monadh Mor

General site character

• Inland water bodies (Standing water, Running water) (0.7%)
  
• Bogs, Marshes, Water fringed vegetation, Fens (25.1%)
  
• Heath, Scrub, Maquis and Garrigue, Phygrana (3.9%)
  
• Dry grassland, Steppes (6.5%)
  
• Humid grassland, Mesophile grassland (1%)
  
• Coniferous woodland (62.1%)
  
• Mixed woodland (0.7%)
  

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

• 7140 Transition mires and quaking bogs

  Monadh Mor is the last remnant of an extensive complex of woodland and swamp communities with Scandinavian affinities which once occupied a large part of the summit of the Black Isle ridge in north-east Scotland. The site supports a complex mosaic of well-drained ridges and wet hollows formed by glacial processes with a resultant landscape supporting many areas of open water. The wet hollows support lochans and the streams into which they drain are fringed by extensive stands of M4 Carex rostrata – Sphagnum recurvum mire which represent relatively extensive examples of Transition mires and quaking bogs. These in turn grade into M18 Erica tetralix – Sphagnum papillosum mire with scattered trees, the 91D0 Bog woodland habitat for which this site has also been selected.

• 91D0 Bog woodland  * Priority feature

  Monadh Mor in northern Scotland is a complex area of ridges and hollows resulting from glacial deposition. Many of the hollows have become filled with peat and swamp, though larger depressions contain open water. Peat-coring suggests these bog woodland communities are relatively recent developments on previously cut-over mire. The ridges are free-draining and are largely wooded with Scots pine Pinus sylvestris and birch Betula spp., while more extensive hollows support bog on which stunted pine is abundant. These communities are classed as bog vegetation (M18 Erica tetralix – Sphagnum papillosum) with scattered trees. The pine-bog relationship appears to be stable, and the pines are still growing. This site represents one of the largest areas of Bog woodland in a single location in the UK.

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

• Not Applicable

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