Moffat Hills

General site character

• Inland water bodies (Standing water, Running water) (1%)
  
• Bogs, Marshes, Water fringed vegetation, Fens (30%)
  
• Heath, Scrub, Maquis and Garrigue, Phygrana (20%)
  
• Humid grassland, Mesophile grassland (25%)
  
• Alpine and sub-Alpine grassland (13%)
  
• Improved grassland (2%)
  
• Broad-leaved deciduous woodland (4%)
  
• Inland rocks, Screes, Sands, Permanent Snow and ice (5%)
  

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

• 4060 Alpine and Boreal heaths

  Moffat Hills represents the best examples of Alpine and Boreal heath in the Southern Uplands of Scotland and contains some of the best examples south of the Highlands. H13 Calluna vulgaris – Cladonia arbuscula heath occurs as small stands on high ridges. Lichen-rich H19 Vaccinium myrtillus – Cladonia arbuscula heath is relatively extensive for a locality south of the Highlands and is well-developed with characteristic flora. H22 Vaccinium myrtillus – Rubus chamaemorus heath occurs here at the southern edge of its geographic range.

• 6150 Siliceous alpine and boreal grasslands

  Moffat Hills represents Siliceous alpine and boreal grassland in the central Southern Uplands. The main type represented is U10 Carex bigelowii – Racomitrium lanuginosum moss-heath which covers the higher summits, including solifluction ground. This is some of the best-developed Carex – Racomitrium moss-heath occurring south of the Highlands, though loss of Racomitrium cover may have occurred due to grazing. The moss-heath is grassy, and contains much sheep’s-fescue Festuca ovina and wavy hair-grass Deschampsia flexuosa together with the small herb heath bedstraw Galium saxatile. The frequency of these species is probably an indication of nutrient enrichment from grazing sheep. The snow-bed U7 Nardus stricta – Carex bigelowii grass-heath is widespread here, at one of its few sites south of the Highlands.

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

• 4030 European dry heaths
• 6430 Hydrophilous tall herb fringe communities of plains and of the montane to alpine levels
• 7130 Blanket bogs (* if active bog)  * Priority feature
• 8110 Siliceous scree of the montane to snow levels (Androsacetalia alpinae and Galeopsietalia ladani)
• 8210 Calcareous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation
• 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