A summary of ECN Cairngorm vegetation monitoring 1998-2020: data methods and summary report

This report details core vegetation recording carried out at the Cairngorm Environmental Change Network (ECN) field site since establishment in 1998. It is designed to be of use to researchers wanting to understand and make use of ECN Cairngorm vegetation datasets. Three core systematic species presence surveys have been undertaken since: (i) a systematic gridded baseline survey with a spacing of 166.5 m resulting in 353 2 m x 2 m plots (VB), (ii) a coarse grain (VC) re-survey of a random subset (40) of the baseline plots every 9 years; with species presence recorded for twenty-five 40 cm x 40 cm cells within each 2 m x 2 m plot. (iii) a fine grain (VF) survey of key habitat types within the catchment (14) every 3 years; with species presence recorded for ten 40 cm x 40 cm cells within each 10 m x 10 m plot. For VF surveys, plots were accurately relocated >99 % of the time, whilst 85 % of sub-plots were accurately re-located. By contrast, 82 % of VC plots were accurately relocated across all surveys. In total 223 unique species of vascular plants, lichen and bryophyte (including liverworts) have been recorded across the three surveys. The species assemblage varied greatly depending on habitat type, with Bryophytes featuring prominently in woodland and montane habitats, and Cladonia lichens and Ericaceous species more common in moorland habitats. Calluna vulgaris was the most frequently encountered vascular species, occurring in >75 % of all plots surveyed. In addition to the core repeated surveys other vegetation surveys have taken place in the catchment either as part of one off research projects or as additional long-term monitoring. Notably the Global Observation Research Initiative in Alpine Environments (GLORIA) a repeat survey of four mountain tops (2002, 2008 and 2015) involving quadrats, and broader summit area surveys to identify all species occupying the top 10 m of four mountain summits within the catchment.