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Wildflowers and pine trees in the New Forest National Park

Heathland

Heathlands are lowland areas dominated by colourful heather, gorse and bracken. Much like moorland, the soils are acidic and nutrient-poor, but unlike the water-logged moors, heaths have light and sandy soils. These barren heaths are not the naturally wild places they seem. Early farming communities cleared woodlands and worked the land until the soil became exhausted and was left to the wild plants. Lowland heath occurs mainly in north-west Europe, with about 20% of the world's total coverage found across the warmer parts of southern England.

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About Heathland

A heath or heathland is a shrubland habitat found mainly on low quality, acidic soils, and is characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland. For example moorland has a very peaty topsoil, and it is also free-draining, whereas a heath is not[citation needed]. Moorland is generally related to high-ground heaths with — especially in Great Britain — a cooler and damper climate.

Heaths are widespread worldwide. They form extensive and highly diverse communities across Australia in humid and sub-humid areas. Fire regimes with recurring burning are required for the maintenance of the heathlands. Even more diverse though less widespread heath communities occur in Southern Africa. Extensive heath communities can also be found in the California chaparral, New Caledonia, central Chile and along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. In addition to these extensive heath areas, the vegetation type is also found in scattered locations across all continents, except Antarctica.

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Habitats

Other Terrestrial habitats

BBC News about Heathland

  • Heathland species 'under threat' Endangered heathland species in England could become extinct because of the poor condition of their habitat, conservationists have warned.

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