Possil Marsh Wildlife Reserve - geograph

Possil Marsh is a

nature reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geologic ...

and

Site of Special Scientific Interest A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain, or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland, is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle ...

, of both

flora Flora (: floras or florae) is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous (ecology), indigenous) native plant, native plants. The corresponding term for animals is ''fauna'', and for f ...

and

fauna Fauna (: faunae or faunas) is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding terms for plants and fungi are ''flora'' and '' funga'', respectively. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively ...

, within the city of

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

. The reserve was once part of an extensive system of

loch ''Loch'' ( ) is a word meaning "lake" or "inlet, sea inlet" in Scottish Gaelic, Scottish and Irish Gaelic, subsequently borrowed into English. In Irish contexts, it often appears in the anglicized form "lough". A small loch is sometimes calle ...

s and

marsh In ecology, a marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous plants rather than by woody plants.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p More in genera ...

es which extended throughout much of lowland West Central

. However, centuries of drainage and reclamation have resulted in the elimination of much of this system. Due to its geographic position, the marsh is particularly vulnerable from industrial and residential development. The reserve contains a monument for the High Possil meteorite, which fell there in 1804.

Geography

The reserve is in size, and lies in the catchment of the

River Kelvin The River Kelvin () is a tributary of the River Clyde in northern and northeastern Glasgow, Scotland. It rises on the moor south east of the village of Banton, Scotland, Banton, east of Kilsyth. At almost long, it initially flows south to D ...

at 50m above sea level, adjacent to

High Possil Milton is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow, situated north of the River Clyde. The housing scheme is about north of Glasgow City Centre and forms part of the northern edge of the city's urban area. Location and history The constructi ...

and

Lambhill Lambhill is an area in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated north of the River Clyde, approximately north of the city centre. Lambhill is a mainly residential area comprising both council and private housing. Residents are of a mixed ...

on the north side of Glasgow. Occupying a natural basin of

fluvio-glacial Fluvioglacial landforms or glaciofluvial landforms are those that result from the associated erosion and deposition of Sediment, sediments caused by Meltwater, glacial meltwater. Glaciers contain suspended sediment loads, much of which is initiall ...

origin between the

River Clyde The River Clyde (, ) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde, in the west of Scotland. It is the eighth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the second longest in Scotland after the River Tay. It runs through the city of Glasgow. Th ...

and the Kelvin, the site is roughly triangular in shape. Its northern border is bounded by Lochfauld Farm, whilst the south and eastern borders are protected from direct contact with industrial and residential areas by the

Forth and Clyde Canal The Forth and Clyde Canal is a canal opened in 1790, crossing central Scotland; it provided a route for the seagoing vessels of the day between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde at the narrowest part of the Scottish Lowlands. This allow ...

, as is the western border by the A879 and Lambhill Cemetery.

Status

Possil Marsh has been under the custodianship of the

Scottish Wildlife Trust The Scottish Wildlife Trust () is a registered charity dedicated to conserving the wildlife and natural environment of Scotland. Description The Scottish Wildlife Trust has well over 46,000 members. The Scottish Wildlife Trust acquired its fi ...

since 1982, when it was acquired as a gift. Prior to this it had been managed by the Scottish Society for the Protection of Wild Birds, on behalf of the Scottish Wild Birds Sanctuaries Trust, since 1950. This management, and subsequent protection, has resulted in little alteration within the site in the past 50 years. Due to its importance, the marsh was first notified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 1954. Subsequently, it was then designated a bird sanctuary under Wild Bird Statutory Instrument 1956 No 333 (S10). Following the

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (c. 69) is an act of Parliament in the United Kingdom implemented to comply with European Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds. In short, the act gives protection to native species ...

, the bird sanctuary was redesignated under Wild Birds (Possil Marsh Sanctuary Glasgow) Amendment Order 1983. At present the reserve has multiple occupation – 4 owners, 2 occupiers, 1 owner/occupier. It also has

British Trust for Ornithology The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) is an organisation founded in 1932 for the study of birds in the British Isles. The William, Prince of Wales, Prince of Wales has been patron since October 2020. History Beginning In 1931 Max Nicholson ...

status and district importance for wintering

wildfowl The Anatidae are the biological family of water birds that includes ducks, geese, and swans. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on all the world's continents except Antarctica. These birds are adapted for swimming, floating o ...

, and its diversity of wintering birds, supporting up to 150 bird species, with 22 species recorded breeding. In addition to this it also contains a diverse number of

invertebrate Invertebrates are animals that neither develop nor retain a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''spine'' or ''backbone''), which evolved from the notochord. It is a paraphyletic grouping including all animals excluding the chordata, chordate s ...

fauna, including 2 nationally scarce species and a number of locally scarce species, as well as many important plant species.

Important habitats

The reserve consists of a shallow mesotrophic loch, covering roughly 15% of the total site, with extensive

fen A fen is a type of peat-accumulating wetland fed by mineral-rich ground or surface water. It is one of the main types of wetland along with marshes, swamps, and bogs. Bogs and fens, both peat-forming ecosystems, are also known as mires ...

() and

swamp A swamp is a forested wetland.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p. Swamps are considered to be transition zones because both land and water play a role in ...

() 45-50%, damp

grassland A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominance (ecology), dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes such as clover, and other Herbaceo ...

15%, dry

meadow A meadow ( ) is an open habitat or field, vegetated by grasses, herbs, and other non- woody plants. Trees or shrubs may sparsely populate meadows, as long as they maintain an open character. Meadows can occur naturally under favourable con ...

10%, and birch and willow

scrubland Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominance (ecology), dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbaceous plant, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally o ...

15%. Within the site there are a number of vegetation communities including ''

Typha latifolia ''Typha latifolia'' is a perennial herbaceous wetland plant in the genus ''Typha''. It is known in English as bulrushStreeter D, Hart-Davies C, Hardcastle A, Cole F, Harper L. 2009. ''Collins Flower Guide''. Harper Collins (sometimes as common b ...

'' beds, ''

Potentilla palustris ''Comarum palustre'' ( syn. ''Potentilla palustris''), known by the common name marsh cinquefoil,Streeter D, Hart-Davies C, Hardcastle A, Cole F, Harper L. 2009. ''Collins Flower Guide''. Harper Collins also purple marshlocks and swamp cinquefoi ...

'' meadows and ''

Carex rostrata ''Carex rostrata'', the bottle sedge or beaked sedge, is a perennial species of sedge in the family Cyperaceae. Range and habitat The species is native to Holarctic fens and can be found in Canada and the northern part of the United States, and ...

'' swamps. These fen/swamp habitat communities are the largest remaining areas of their type within the district, and also include limited areas of ''

Carex diandra ''Carex diandra'' is a species of Carex, sedge known by the common names lesser tussock-sedge and lesser panicled sedge. Distribution It is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere, where it can be found throughout North America, Europe, an ...

'' fen (locally rare). Other notable areas of interest include the dry grassland/

heath A heath () is a shrubland habitat found mainly on free-draining infertile, acidic soils and is characterised by open, low-growing woody vegetation. Moorland is generally related to high-ground heaths with—especially in Great Britain—a coole ...

habitat and the central birch island which contains an important number of ''

sphagnum ''Sphagnum'' is a genus of approximately 380 accepted species of mosses, commonly known as sphagnum moss, also bog moss and quacker moss (although that term is also sometimes used for peat). Accumulations of ''Sphagnum'' can store water, since ...

'' species.

Notable flora

Plants that are of local and/or national importance include: ''

Lysimachia thyrsiflora ''Lysimachia thyrsiflora'', the tufted loosestrife, is a plant in the genus ''Lysimachia''. It is native to large sections of the northern Northern Hemisphere, including Eurasia and North America. It often grows in marshes, shorelines of lakes an ...

'' (nationally scarce), '' Sphagnum riparium'' (nationally scarce), ''

Sphagnum magellanicum ''Sphagnum magellanicum'', commonly called Magellanic bogmoss, Magellan's sphagnum, Magellan's peatmoss or midway peat moss, is a widespread species of moss found in wet boreal forest in the far south and southwest of South America and in norther ...

'' (locally rare), ''C.diandra'' (locally rare), and '' Lemna triscula'' (rare in Scotland). Many of the species which are firmly established within the reserve have either been deliberately introduced, such as ''

Berula erecta ''Berula erecta'', known as lesser water-parsnip, cutleaf waterparsnip, or narrow-leaved water-parsnip, is a member of the carrot family. Growing to around tall, it is found in or by water. It is widespread across much of Europe, Asia, Australi ...

'', ''

Chamerion angustifolium ''Chamaenerion angustifolium'' is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant in the willowherb family, Onagraceae. It is known in North America as fireweed and in Britain and Ireland as rosebay willowherb. It is also known by the synonyms ''Chamer ...

'', and ''

Ranunculus bulbosus ''Ranunculus bulbosus'', commonly known as bulbous buttercup or St. Anthony's turnip, is a perennial flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. It has bright yellow flowers, and deeply divided, three-lobed long-petioled basal leaves. ...

'', or have been accidentally introduced, such as ''L. thyrsiflora'', '' Mimulus luteus'', '' Urtricularia minor'', and ''

Elodea canadensis ''Elodea canadensis'' (American waterweed or Canadian waterweed or pondweed) is a perennial aquatic plant, or submergent macrophyte, native to most of North America.Flora of North America''Elodea canadensis''/ref>Plants of British Columbia''Elode ...

'', from the adjacent canal. Other species, such as '' Ranunculus scleratus'', entered the marsh due to material being brought in to level up the ground for a cottage that once stood within the reserve.

Species lost

Past land use, natural succession and human activities have played a role in changing the reserve's vegetation. This has resulted in the loss of species such as ''

Agrostemma githago ''Agrostemma githago'', the common corn-cockle (also written "corncockle"), is a herbaceous annual flowering plant a member of Caryophyllaceae, also called the pink family or the carnation family of plants. The name of this genus is derived from ...

Apium inundatum ''Apium'' is a genus, as currently circumscribed by Plants of the World Online, of 12 species of flowering plants in the family Apiaceae, with an unusual highly disjunct distribution with one species in the temperate Northern Hemisphere in the We ...

Armoracia rusticana Horseradish (''Armoracia rusticana'', syn. ''Cochlearia armoracia'') is a perennial plant of the family Brassicaceae (which also includes mustard, wasabi, broccoli, cabbage, and radish). It is a root vegetable, cultivated and used worldwide a ...

, Asplenium adainatum-nigrum,

Astrantia major ''Astrantia major'', the great masterwort, is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native to central and eastern Europe. Growing up to tall by broad, it is an herbaceous perennial, much used in gardens. Etymology The Latin spe ...

Baldellia ranunculoides ''Baldellia ranunculoides'', the lesser water-plantain, is a species of flowering plant in the family Alismataceae. Synonyms Alisma ranunculoides, Echinodorus ranunculoides, Sagittaria ranunculodes Description ''Baldellia ranunculoides'' is an ...

Barbarea verna ''Barbarea verna'' is a biennial herb in the family Brassicaceae. Common names include land cress, American cress, bank cress, black wood cress, Belle Isle cress, Bermuda cress, poor man's cabbage, early yellowrocket, early wintercress, scurvy ...

Campanula rotundifolia ''Campanula rotundifolia'', the common harebell, Scottish bluebell, or bluebell of Scotland, is a species of flowering plant in the bellflower family Campanulaceae. This herbaceous perennial is found throughout the temperate regions of the northe ...

, Ceratophylum demersum, Ceterach Officinarum,

Drosera rotundifolia ''Drosera rotundifolia'', the round-leaved sundew, roundleaf sundew, or common sundew, is a carnivorous species of flowering plant that grows in bogs, marshes and fens. One of the most widespread sundew species, it has a circumboreal distribut ...

, Gnaphalium sylvaticum,

Humulus lupulus ''Humulus lupulus'', the common hop or hops, is a species of flowering plant in the hemp family, Cannabaceae. It is a perennial, herbaceous climbing plant which sends up new shoots in early spring and dies back to a cold-hardy rhizome in autumn. ...

, Hypericum humifusum, Lemna gibba, Mimulus luteus, Narthecium ossifragum,

Oenanthe crocata ''Oenanthe crocata'', hemlock water-dropwort (sometimes known as dead man's fingers) is a flowering plant in the Apiaceae, carrot family, native to Europe, North Africa and western Asia. It grows in damp grassland and wet woodland, often along ri ...

Ophioglossum vulgatum ''Ophioglossum vulgatum'', commonly known as adder's-tongue, southern adder's-tongue or adder's-tongue fern, is a species of fern in the family ''Ophioglossaceae''. The chloroplast genome was reported to have a size of 138,562 base pairs. Descr ...

Parnassia palustris ''Parnassia palustris'', the marsh grass of Parnassus, northern grass-of-Parnassus, or just grass-of-Parnassus, and bog star, is a flowering plant in the staff-vine family Celastraceae. It is the county flower of Cumberland in England, and appea ...

Pyrola minor ''Pyrola minor'', known by the common names snowline wintergreen, lesser wintergreen, and common wintergreen, is a plant species of the genus ''Pyrola''. It is a perennial herb or subshrub growing up to tall. It has a Circumboreal distribution ...

Radiola linoides ''Radiola linoides'' is the sole species in the ''Radiola'' genus, a monotypic genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Linaceae. It has the common names of 'allseed' and 'flaxseed'. It has a very short stem which is repeatedly subdivide ...

Ranunculus ficaria ''Ficaria verna'' (formerly ''Ranunculus ficaria'' ), commonly known as lesser celandine or pilewort, is a low-growing, hairless perennial flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. It has fleshy dark green, heart-shaped leaves and d ...

, R. hederaceus,

Rorippa amphibia ''Rorippa amphibia'', also known as great yellow-cress, is a plant species in the family Brassicaceae. The flowers are visited by many types of insects, and can be characterized by a generalized pollination syndrome. References

Rorippa, ...

Sagina nodosa ''Sagina nodosa'', the knotted pearlwort, is a species in the genus '' Sagina'', native to northern Europe. It is a low-growing plant up to 15 cm tall, with paired leaves up to 1 cm long. The flower Flowers, also known as bloom ...

Sagittaria sagittifolia ''Sagittaria sagittifolia'' (also called arrowhead because of the shape of its leaves) is an Old World flowering plant in the family Alismataceae. Description ''Sagittaria sagittifolia'' is a herbaceous perennial plant, growing in water from ...

, Salix repans, Utricularia intermedia, and U. vulgaris'', all of which are now believed to be absent.

References

*Dickson, J.H., Macphers, P., & Watson, K.J. (2000) ''The Changing Flora of Glasgow : urban and rural plants through the centuries''. Edinburgh University Press. *Morgan, C. I., & Clive, I. (1984) ''Possil Marsh Nature Reserve : management plan.'' Scottish Wildlife Trust. *Rennie, W. (1951) ''Possil Marsh : yesterday and today, or, Jottings from my journals : with map''.

External links

Fens in Glasgow

Important Habitats in Glasgow

Important Mosses in Glasgow

Reedbeds in Glasgow

Swamps in Glasgow
{{Parks and gardens in Glasgow Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Dumbarton and North Glasgow Protected areas of Glasgow