Biodiversity surveys at Dundreggan
During the winter there haven’t been any surveys for biodiversity carried out on Dundreggan, for the obvious reason that many organisms, such as insects and most fungi, are not visible then. However, we have been receiving the reports from the surveys that were carried out in the summer of 2009, and they contain some interesting results.
 Liz Balharry looking at a pine marten den she found in the north of Dundreggan, near Loch Beinn Bhan. |
Liz Balharry carried out a survey in the summer and autumn for mammals, and most of her time was involved with searching for signs of mammals, as the animals themselves are very hard to spot, with many of them being nocturnal. A total of 48 terrestrial mammals species occur in Scotland, including several non-native species, and based on current distribution maps, 32 of those could potentially occur on Dundreggan. Liz’s work confirmed the presence of 18 of those species (including the wild boar inside the specially-constructed enclosure on the estate!), with another 3 thought likely to be present, but unconfirmed by her study. Of those she found, most are common species, such as wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), mole (Talpa europea), fox (Vulpes vulpes) and red deer (Cervus elaphus).
A total of 5 mammals that are listed on the UK’s Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) as priority species for conservation were recorded – mountain hare (Lepus timidus), brown long-eared bat (Plecotus auritus), water vole (Arvicola terrestris), otter (Lutra lutra) and pine marten (Martes martes). No evidence of red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) was encountered, and this confirms the experience of both Allan Common and local neighbour Jane Bowman, neither of whom have seen squirrels on the estate. However, the species has been recorded elsewhere in Glen Moriston, in Forestry Commission Scotland’s Inverwick Forest, just across the River Moriston, and at Bhlaraidh, to the east of Dundreggan, so we hope that, over time, our work of forest restoration will enable the red squirrel to spread naturally from those sites on to Dundreggan.
One other finding of note from the survey was evidence of the American mink (Mustela vison) beside the River Moriston. This introduced non-native species is a serious problem in many parts of Scotland, and has been implicated in the decline of the water vole, which is also present on Dundreggan. However, the locations where water voles were found during the survey were all above 340 metres and well away from the River Moriston, so it may be that the population on Dundreggan is not at immediate risk of predation by mink.
With last autumn being a very good fruiting year for fungi, it was good timing for Liz Holden to make return visit to Dundreggan, to continue the fungal survey work she had already done in 2007 and 2008. Although the focus for this latest survey was to look for fungi associated with montane scrub in the high ground in the north of the estate, she also spent some time in the woodland areas, where a wide variety of fungi were fruiting in abundance. As a result she identified a further 99 species of fungi that hadn’t been recorded during her previous surveys, bringing the total number of species known on Dundreggan to 288. Of particular note was the discovery of additional tooth fungi, bringing the number of known tooth fungi species on the estate to 6, all of them on the UK’s BAP list.
Other findings of note in the survey include the presence of one species of hedgehog fungus (Hydnum ellipsosporum) that was only recorded for the first time in the UK in 2008. This record from Dundreggan is only the 4th known UK site for the species, although it may be more widespread, as it is difficult to distinguish from a commoner species, the terracotta hedgehog (Hydnum rufescens). In terms of the fungi associated with montane scrub, a total of 7 ectomycorrhizal fungi species were found, while another interesting record for that habitat was that of a bright orange cup fungus (Melastiza scotica), a species that is normally found fruiting in litter or with bryophytes in Caledonian pinewoods. As always, time restrictions limited the area of the estate that could be searched for fungi, and there are undoubtedly plenty of other species still waiting to be recorded on Dundreggan.
Alan Watson Featherstone
Pages about Biodiversity on Dundreggan on this site
New discoveries in charity's 'Lost world' Highland Estate - 20th January 2012
Biodiversity News - April 2011
Rare and endangered species found in Highlands estate's "lost world" - 17th December 2010
Rare sawfly discovered for first time in UK - 5th November 2010
Biodiversity surveys and discoveries - October 2010
Biodiversity surveys at Dundreggan - May 2010
Alder tongue fungus found at Dundreggan (and near Plodda Lodge) - 15 April 2010
Biodiversity surveys identify over 50 key species on Highland Estate - 15th February 2010
Biodiversity discoveries - November 2009
Biodiversity surveys - August 2009
Surveys and biodiversity discoveries - November 2008
Reaping the results of our biodiversity surveys - May 2008
Dundreggan's diversity keeps growing! - November 2007
Biodiversity on Dundreggan - First impressions, August 2006
Biodiversity on Dundreggan