{"product_id":"floodplain-meadows-wild-id-guide","title":"Floodplain Meadows - Wild ID Guide","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eWild ID Floodplain meadows guide\u003c\/strong\u003e is an identification guide to the flowering plants of this internationally rare habitat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIdentification guide to 48 indicator species of flowering plants\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAccompanying text outlines significance of indicator species\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePractical for use outside: lightweight, rucksack-sized, splash-proof\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpecies-rich floodplain meadows now cover less than 1,500 hectares in the UK, making them incredibly rare and precious. What makes these meadows truly special is their remarkable diversity. Some boast up to 40 different plant species in just a single square metre, including several that are nationally scarce.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf course these meadows didn’t happen by accident. They are the result of centuries of careful management. Traditionally, farmers would take a midsummer hay cut, followed by grazing later in the season. This time-honoured routine prevents taller, coarse plants from taking over, allowing a stunning variety of wildflowers to flourish. Thanks to this legacy of stewardship, today’s floodplain meadows are living tapestries of colour and life, supporting a wealth of wildlife and connecting us to our agricultural past.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSome plants indicate that flooding is rare, such as Devil’s-bit Scabious, Field Wood-rush and Crested Dog’s-tail. Others suggest short duration flooding, such as Meadowsweet, Great Burnet and Pepper Saxifrage. And finally plants such as Common Spike-rush, Reed Canary-grass and Floating Sweet-grass point to longer duration flooding.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant species with similar soil moisture and fertility requirements tend to grow together. These form the basis of the National Vegetation Classication (NVC). This guide outlines relevant NVC communities, ranging from MG4 on occasionally inundated soils to MG8 on sites with constantly moist soils. Accompanying text explains the significance of these clues for understanding the site’s history, management practices, soil fertility and water regime.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eField Studies Council worked with the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.floodplainmeadows.org.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eFloodplain Meadows Partnership\u003c\/a\u003e to produce the Floodplain meadows guide.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eThese popular wildlife field guides measure 24.5 cm x 17.5 cm and are extremely lightweight so are the perfect identification aid for popping in your bag when heading outside. All wildlife identification guides are laminated, so are shower-proof and wipe-clean for use outside.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Field Studies Council","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52535641047381,"sku":null,"price":4.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0906\/4677\/4101\/files\/FloodplainMeadows.jpg?v=1770745192","url":"https:\/\/www.wildfungarium.com\/products\/floodplain-meadows-wild-id-guide","provider":"Wild Fungarium","version":"1.0","type":"link"}