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Survey and trial translocation of Sanguisorba officinalis and Hordeum secalinum - Progress report 1

Introduction

Hordez~m secalinum (Meadow Barley) and Sanguisorba officinalis (Greater Burnet) both occur at sites proposed for redevelopment by Aughinish Alumina in Co. Limerick. ' The development will eliminate plants occurring within the area of the proposed development and, as these are taxa listed on the Flora Protection Order (1999), conservation actions need to be taken to preserve these populations. The detailed work plan has already been outlined but in summary this project will take place in three stages:-

1. Initial site visits to record the number of protected plants within the location, the area the populations cover, the habitats that the protected species are located within and to collect seed from both the Sanguisorba officinalis and Hordeum secalinum populations.

2. Establish an experimental translocation for each of the protected species within an approved receptor sites. The initial translocation experiment will be followed by successive translocations until all protected plants that are threatened by the proposed development have been transplanted.

3. Monitor the translocations to ensure that populations of both species have been successfblly established within the receptor sites.

1. Initial Site Visit

The site was visited on 9~ September 2005, in attendance were Dr. Jim Martin (BEC Consultants), Noleen Smyth (BEC Consultants) and Tom Hartney (Aughinish Alumina Ltd.). During the site visit two Sanguisorba oflcinalis populations and one Hordeum secalinum population, all of which will be destroyed during 2007, by the proposed extension to the mud stack, were visited. In addition, the receptor site suggested by Dr. Mike Wyse-Jackson (NF'WS) for both S. ofJicinalis and H. secalinum was also visited. Finally, other areas of the site as indicated by Mike Wyse-Jackson were also searched for the two protected plant species.

1.1 Sanguisorba officinalis sub-populations

The first sub-population was located in a semi-natural wet grassland habitat. The area the species was located in had been taped off and the species was not located in any other areas of the field. Only one clump of S. officinalis was recorded and it covered an area of approximately 5 x 5 m at grid reference R2766651361. A 1 x 1 m quadrat was recorded where the species was located. Species cover was recorded using the dornin scale (0.1=1 individual 4 % cover, 1= 2-3 individuals 4 % cover, 2= several individuals <I % cover, 3=1- 4% cover, 4=5-10% cover, 5=11-25% cover, 6=26-33% cover, 7=34-50% cover, 8=51-75% cover, 9=76-90% cover, 10=9 1-100).

Table 1: 1

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Other species common in the locality of S. officinalis were Juncus effusus, Rumex acetosa, Filipendula ulmaria, Agropyron repens and Plantago lanceolata.

The second sub-population was also located in a semi-natural wet grassland habitat. The area the species was located in had been taped dff and the species was not located in any other areas of that second field. At the time of the visit the field had been recently cut outside the taped area. Four large clumps of S. officinalis were recorded and they covered an area of approximately 10 x 10 in at grid reference R2756451343. A 1 x 1 m quadrat was recorded where the species was located.

Table 2: 1 x 1 in quadrat at the second Sanguisorba oflcinalis population

Other species common in the locality of S. ofjcinalis were Juncus effusus and Filipendula ulmaria.

Seeds were collected from both the 5'. officinalis sub-populations. The number of seed heads in the first sub-population were limited, due to the small size of the population, and only approximately 20 seed heads (total number of ripe heads) could be collected. The total number of flowering heads within this population were no more than 100. The second population was much larger and it was possible to collect approximately 300 seed heads. The total number of flowering heads within this second population was approxilnately 2000. All collected seed was placed out on paper to diy on return to the laboratory. A sample of the collected seed will be geminated to examine the viability of the seed collected. The remainder of the seed will be dried, counted and stored within the seed bank in Trinity College Botanic Gardens.

1.2 Hordeum secalinum population

This population was located in a semi-natural wet grassland habitat that was currently being grazed by cattle. Although the habitat was semi-natural grassland Lolium perenne was relatively common indicating that the grassland had been improved. H. secalinzrm was recorded along the northern side of a ditch, approximately 20 plants were located and they covered an area of approximately 30 x 4 in at grid reference R2793350965. H. secalinum was recorded within 2 m to 4 m of the drain. The species has previously been recorded in the next field on the eastern side of the ditch ( T. Hartney Pers. Comm), but it was not located during this site visit. A 1 x 1 m quadrat was recorded where the species was located.

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Table 3: 1 x 1 m quadrat at the H. secalinum population

Other species common in the locality of H. secalinum were Jzcncus effusus, Cirsium palustre and Holcus lanatus.

Approximately 15 H. secalinum seed heads were collected during the site visit. However, the majority of the seed had already been dropped and an earlier site visit will be required next year to collect more seed. It is difficult to estimate the total number of flowering heads this population could have produced, but H. secalinum populations of a similar size may produce 500 flowering heads. A sample of the collected seed will be germinated to examine the viability of the seed collected. The remainder of the seed will be dried, counted and stored within the seed bank in Trinity College Botanic Gardens.

1.3 Receptor Site

The receptor site north of the BRDA, at grid reference R2727652614 was visited. This field has been suggested by Mike Wyse-Jackson as a possible receptor site for H. secalinum and S. oflcinalis, the habitat in the receptor site was also semi-natural grassland. During a site visit in July 2005 Mike Wyse-Jackson recorded H. secalinum in a section of the receptor site. At the time of our visit the receptor site had been recently cut for hay harvesting and no H. secalinum was recorded. A 1 x 1 m quadrat was recorded in the field which will act as a receptor site for the two protected species.

Table 4: 1 x 1 m quadrat at the receptor site

At the end of the visit possible receptor sites north and east of the BRDA were visited. Unfortunately, the fields and some of the verges in the vicinity of the bank had recently been cut for hay harvesting and neither of the protected species were recorded. These areas will be searched again during 2006 before cutting. The management regime for all areas of the site visited, except for where the H. secalinum donor population was recorded, was to cut the areas once a year. Cutting once a year is an ideal regime for maintaining diverse semi-natural grassland and this should be continued. The management at the H. secalinum site was a moderate level of cattle grazing.

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2) Translocation of the species

2.1 Sanguisorba oflcinalis

On the 14 '~ September 2005 30 S. oflcinalis plants froin the two populations described above were removed; under licence from the NPWS, fi-om the donor site and transplanted into a 10 x 10 m grid within the receptor site. This is the first phase of a translocation process which will continue during 2006. In the next phase the remaiiliilg 70 1 x 1 m squares within the grid will be planted with individuals fi-om the donor population. I11 the final phase all remaining S. oficinalis plants will be removed fi-om the donor site and planted into the receptor site. Appendix 1 lists the details of the S. of$cinalis translocation experiment.

2.2 Hordeum secalinum

On the 14 '~ September 2005 2 1 Hordeum secalinurn plants from the donor population described above were removed; under licence from the NPWS, from the donor site and transplanted into a 25 x 2 m grid within the receptor site. This is the first phase of a translocation process which will continue during 2006. In the next phase the remaining 29 1 x 1 m squares within the grid will be planted with individuals from the donor population. In the final phase all remaining H. secalintrm plants will be removed from the donor site and planted into the receptor site. Appendix 2 lists the details of the translocation experiment.

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* Leaves counted at leaf base on soil surface 10m x 10m planting grid each grid square e.g. A1 was 1 x 1 in Each planting an herbaceous plant clump of approximately 10 x 10 cm. Where there was a flowering stem this is indicated in the table All plants were watered after replanting with water fiom adjoining drain.

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Survey and trial translocation of Sanguisorba officinalis and Hordeum secalinum - Progress report 2

Introduction

The site was visited on the lsth and 19 '~ October 2005, in attendance were Noeleen, Smyth (BEC Consultants) and Darach Lupton (BEC Consultants). The aims of the site visit were three fold:-

* Collection of Soil Samples - Soil was collected from the two donor Sanpiisorba oflcinalis sub-populations, Soil was obtained using a standard soil corer (dimensions: lcm wide by 15 cm long). The areas the two sub-populations covered were subsampled with five soil cores collected from within sub-population A and nine cores from within sub-population B. Soil was.also collected from the receptor site with 13 sub-samples taken fiom within the translocation plot. All cores obtained were collected in zip lock bags for analysis as outlined in the statement of work to be undertaken.

Further searches for Sanguisorba oflcinalis and Hordeum secalinum - This search was carried out to the north, north-west, west and south of the BRDA for populations of the protected species and for further suitable habitats for translocation sites.

Mapping of the donor populations of S. oflcinalis - As shown in Figures 1 and 2 the two S. oficinalis sub-populations were mapped, the areas they covered were recorded and amount of biomass within each sub-population was assessed by calculating the number of leaves. As the flowering spikes of H. secalinum had died back at the time of the visit it was not possible to map this population.

Results

I) Collection of soil samples - The three soil samples from the two S, ofJicinalis sub- populations and the S. oficinalis receptor site are currently air drying, after which their pH will be measured. The decision was made to collect soil samples from the H. secalinum donor population and receptor site next year, as the flowering spikes of H. secalinum had all died back at the time of the visit and it was not possible to locate individuals or accurately delineate the area the species covered.

2) Further searches for S. oflcinalis and H. secalinum - As indicated above areas around the BRDA were searched again for the two protected species and suitable habitats for translocation sites. Neither of the species were located, but as H. secalinum flowering spikes are no longer visible a survey of these areas will be undertaken again in summer 2006. The surveyors found other areas that would be a suitable habitat for the translocation of S. oflcinalis. However, it was felt that the current translocation site was in one of the most favourable positions due to its easy accessibility for monitoring.

3) Mapping of the donor populations of S. oflcinalis - As Figures I and 2 and Tables 1 and 2 show this species was accurately mapped and a quantitative assessment was made of the biomass of the sub-populations. As the data presented below shows sub- population A is much smaller with S. oflcinalis only covering 4.42 m2 with a total of 216 leaves compared to sub-population B where S. oflcinalis covers 51.2 m2 with 14,846 leaves. In the summer of 2006 the size of the two donor populations will be assessed again along with a demographic study as indicated in the statement of work to be undertaken.

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Table 1: The dimensions, % cover, number of leaves and co-ordinates for each of the clonal clumps of Sangz~isorba ofjcinalis within sub-population A, as shown in figure 1. The X co- ordinate is the distance in meters along the 6.8 m line and the Y co-ordinate is the distance.

Clump No.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total

Dimensions (cm) 100 x 100 90 x 50 30 x 20 80 x 40 30 x 30 90 x 30 30 x 30 20 x 20 60 x 60 70 x 70 110 x 50 100 x 70 4.42 m2

% Cover

50 40 20 3 0 10 3 0 10 5 10 40 5 0 15 -

No. of Leaves 50 20 8 16 5 22 5 1 8 15 43 23 216

X Co-ord. (m) 1.8. 2.8 5.1 4.8 6.3 4.6 3.71 2.7 3.71 3.1 2.3 2.3

Y Co-ord. (m) 0.6 0.3 0 0.5 1.8 2.2 0.1 1.3 2.3 2.4 0.5 1.0

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Table 2: The dimensions, % cover and number of leaves for each of the clonal clumps of Sanguisorba oflcinalis within sub-population B, as shown in Figure 2.

Clump No.

A (high density)

B (high density)

B (low density)

C (high density)

C (low density)

Total

Dimensions (m2) 16.2

25.6

4.8

3.6

1 .O

51.2

% Cover

9 8

98

60

98

60

-

No. of leaves 494 1

7668

944

1098

195

14846

Notes

No: of leaves estimated from average counts from three, 1x1 m quadrats (Mean = 305 leaves/m2) No. of leaves estimated from average counts from three, 1x1 m quadrats (Mean = 300 leaves/m2) No. of leaves estimated from average counts from three, 1x1 m quadrats (Mean = 1 95 leaves/m2) No. of leaves estimated from average counts from three 1x1 m quadrats (Mean = 305 leaves/m2) No. of leaves estimated from a 1x1 m quadrat (195 leaves/m2) -

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