Ancient Woodland Indicators (AWI's) and the Honeysuckle
An ancient woodland is one which has been continually wooded since around 1600AD in England and Wales, and since 1750 in Scotland. The biodiversity value of ancient woodland is extremely high, due to the plethora of different species that thrive amongst it. Ancient woodlands may be identified using historic maps, church archives and the doomsday book, as well as the species that call it home. In the UK, ancient woodland is found in fragments and it is not as widely distributed as it used to be, due to the historical use of timber in ship-building and deforestation to make way for pasture and arable land. However, there remains small patches of ancient woodland in the UK even now, and we can use the occurrence of certain species, called ancient woodland indicators (AWI's), to locate and certify these areas ancient woodland status. There are over 200 plant AWI's in Britain.
These AWI's act as biological indicators, meaning their presence or absence in a habitat indicates environmental qualities and conditions. The 200+ plants used as AWI's are those that are common in ancient woodlands, due to the long evolution of these habitats to contain interdependent plants with slow or poor dispersal, however they are not exclusive to ancient woodlands, and they may be found in young woodlands too. It is the total number, distribution and abundance of these species that acts as indicators for ancient woodland.
What then, makes a plant a good AWI? Well, AWI species are typically those which are slow to colonise a new habitat (making them less likely to be found in new woodlands); those which are less likely to survive outside of the protection of a woodland canopy; they need stable conditions provided by the continuous cover of woodland, and those which are easily identifiable. AWI's cannot be the only indicators of ancient woodland, because there are of course other factors which influence the presence of these species, including woodland size, type of woodland and site management. However, they can be used to suggest that a woodland may be ancient.
Example of AWI species include:
These AWI's act as biological indicators, meaning their presence or absence in a habitat indicates environmental qualities and conditions. The 200+ plants used as AWI's are those that are common in ancient woodlands, due to the long evolution of these habitats to contain interdependent plants with slow or poor dispersal, however they are not exclusive to ancient woodlands, and they may be found in young woodlands too. It is the total number, distribution and abundance of these species that acts as indicators for ancient woodland.
What then, makes a plant a good AWI? Well, AWI species are typically those which are slow to colonise a new habitat (making them less likely to be found in new woodlands); those which are less likely to survive outside of the protection of a woodland canopy; they need stable conditions provided by the continuous cover of woodland, and those which are easily identifiable. AWI's cannot be the only indicators of ancient woodland, because there are of course other factors which influence the presence of these species, including woodland size, type of woodland and site management. However, they can be used to suggest that a woodland may be ancient.
Example of AWI species include:
- Wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa)
- Wood sorrel (Oxalis acetosella)
- Small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata)
- Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum)
The Honeysuckle:
Clade - Angiosperms
Order - Dipsacales
Family - Caprifoliaceae
Genus - Lonicera
Around 180 species of honeysuckle have so far been described in the world today, with 20 native species to Europe. Lonicera periclymenum is a native species of honeysuckle to the UK that may be used to identify areas of ancient woodland in the UK. The honeysuckle is named as such as a result of the sweet nectar that may be sucked out from its flowers.
Honeysuckles are twining climbers, and often use other trees or large structures (eg. arbours, trellises etc.) to grow. They are a relatively hardy species and their vines/branches are shrubby and woody-looking. Most species of honeysuckle, including L. periclymenum, are deciduous, with leaves being oval in shape and around 5-8cm long. L. periclymenum will grow in most soils, however it thrives in a dry loamy soil, in full sunlight.
As with many species of plant, honeysuckles have been subject to hybridisation, with two species of honeysuckle being combined. Such hybrids include L. x purpusii, otherwise known as "winter berry".
The flowers of the honeysuckle are tubular in shape, and are bilaterally symmetrical. They range in colour, from a pale yellow, to a bright pink or even orange, and they have a very fragrant scent. The honeysuckle also produces fruits in the form of berries, and these attract many wildlife species, including birds (such as bullfinches and thrushes) and small mammals. The honeysuckle's flowers attract bees, butterflies and the hummingbird hawk moth.
The honeysuckle is a relatively useful plant, with it being commonly used as an ornamental plant in gardens, and the thicker stems of honeysuckle that form as branches become entwined, are used to produce beautiful walking sticks.
Honeysuckles are twining climbers, and often use other trees or large structures (eg. arbours, trellises etc.) to grow. They are a relatively hardy species and their vines/branches are shrubby and woody-looking. Most species of honeysuckle, including L. periclymenum, are deciduous, with leaves being oval in shape and around 5-8cm long. L. periclymenum will grow in most soils, however it thrives in a dry loamy soil, in full sunlight.
As with many species of plant, honeysuckles have been subject to hybridisation, with two species of honeysuckle being combined. Such hybrids include L. x purpusii, otherwise known as "winter berry".
The flowers of the honeysuckle are tubular in shape, and are bilaterally symmetrical. They range in colour, from a pale yellow, to a bright pink or even orange, and they have a very fragrant scent. The honeysuckle also produces fruits in the form of berries, and these attract many wildlife species, including birds (such as bullfinches and thrushes) and small mammals. The honeysuckle's flowers attract bees, butterflies and the hummingbird hawk moth.
The honeysuckle is a relatively useful plant, with it being commonly used as an ornamental plant in gardens, and the thicker stems of honeysuckle that form as branches become entwined, are used to produce beautiful walking sticks.
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| Honeysuckle |
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