| synanthropic |
Associated with humans, either by feeding on resources provided by human activity, or living in structures built by humans. |
label |
| sward/field layer |
The structural layer of grasses, herbs and dwarf shrubs in an open system. The architecture includes shoots, leaves and flowers. |
resource |
| sub live |
Species associated with living subterranean tree roots. |
resource |
| sub decay |
Species associated with subterranean tree roots that have been affected by some form of decay. |
resource |
| stumps |
Tree stumps left within the ground. |
resource |
| stream & river margin |
The assemblage is found along rivers and streams passing though floodplains with sand as a major component, and appears to be restricted to the west and north of Britain. |
SAT |
| stored food products |
Synanthropic species associated with stored food products. |
label |
| stones, boulders, shingle and scree |
Larger sized boulders, rocks and bare stone screes, frequently associated with mountain slopes and strong erosive forces, but offering a sheltered matrix. |
resource |
| SQS |
Species quality score |
general glossary |
| springs & caves |
Fully subterranean and surface transition zones with flowing water. Species in this zone are often flushed out from the aquifer onto the surface near the source. |
resource |
| sphagnum/moss lawn |
Carpets of moss (often Sphagnum) found in permanently, often very acidic, wet habitats. These may be formed into hummocks, or semi-submerged at the edge of a waterbody. |
resource |
| Sphagnum bog |
An assemblage type associated with Sphagnum bogs, usually in acidic conditions and largely restricted to rain-fed (ombrotrophic) or spring-fed (soligenous) mires. |
SAT |
| Spermatophytina |
A grouping of plants that includes all the seed-bearing species, as opposed to the 'cryptogams' such as mosses and ferns that reproduce via spores. |
general glossary |
| Species Quality Indices |
A measure of the number of rare species in a sample, divided by the total number of species in the sample. |
general glossary |
| solitary wasp nests |
Species that are associated with solitary wasp nests within dead wood (not including the solitary wasps themselves). The wasp nests are often within pre-existing beetle bore-holes. |
resource |
| soil type |
Contains sand, windblown sand, clay, ball clay, calcareous, chalk and limestone clay soil types. |
subheading |
| soil humidity |
Categorises species associated with different levels of soil humidity: dry, damp or wet (or variable). |
subheading |
| soil & roots |
Species living deep within the soil. They may be free living, or directly associated with the roots of plants. |
resource |
| soft rock cliff seepage |
Slumping cliff areas can sometimes expose groundwater sources which then form seepages down the cliff face. These vary from little more than constantly damp ground surfaces, to more significant streamlets with plant communities which can include Phragmites and Juncus. |
resource |
| snow bed |
An area of late-lying or near permanent snow and ice packs that cover the higher mountain slopes throughout the year. |
resource |
| snail shells |
Empty snail shells utilised by non-molluscan invertebrates. |
resource |
| slow-flowing rivers |
The assemblage type is found in slow-flowing rivers on silty substrata, generally in lower and middle catchments. |
SAT |
| slow flow |
Water flow that does not have the energy to scour away vegetation, often leaving fringing vegetation. Silt deposition is common. Associated with canals and sluggish rivers. |
resource |
| short sward & bare ground |
In lowland habitats where disturbance removes vegetation to create areas of bare or sparsely vegetated ground. |
habitat |
| shingle banks |
This assemblage is dependent on repeated turnover of coarse grained sediment by spates and so is sensitive to management of river channels, river catchments and changes in rainfall patterns. |
SAT |
| shingle |
Rocky substrates larger than sand, and formed of pebbles and stones. Often found on beaches. Note - different from riparian shingle that is found next to rivers. |
resource |
| shallow water |
Standing water that tends to be just a few centimetres deep. As such it is often a lot warmer, favouring plant growth as well augmenting animal activity. |
resource |
| shallow freshwater pond |
A pond (generally up to 2ha in area) is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake . Freshwater ponds are those that are not affected by a high salinity. |
resource |
| shadiness |
Description of the amount of shade required within a woodland, currently classed as light or heavy |
habitat |
| shaded woodland floor |
Found in closed canopy woodland and scrub, where it is separated vertically rather than horizontally from arboreal assemblage types. It is associated with low levels of disturbance. |
habitat |
| shaded seepage |
Shaded seepages are found under alder or willow (sallow) woodland in valley bottoms, and under birch or sometimes alder-ash woodland on hillsides. The soil is constantly saturated and usually contains a large proportion of organic matter giving rise to deep ooze. |
resource |
| seepages |
A seepage is a moist or wet place where water, usually groundwater, reaches the ground surface from an underground aquifer. |
resource |
| Seepage fidelity score - woodland |
Seepage fidelity score for species associated with woodland seepages |
quality index |
| Seepage fidelity score - stable cliff |
Seepage fidelity score for species associated with stable cliff seepages |
quality index |
| Seepage fidelity score - slumping cliff |
Seepage fidelity score for species associated with slumping cliff seepages |
quality index |
| Seepage fidelity score - calcareous |
Seepage fidelity score for species associated with calcareous seepages |
quality index |
