Abstract
A 2022 survey of Equisetum variegatum Schleich. Ex F. Weber & D. Mohr (Equisetaceae) (Variegated Horsetail) on the Sefton Coast sand-dunes, north Merseyside, found the plant in 19 of 28 known sites for the species. Most extant localities were in relatively young, calcareous dune-slacks and scrapes with short vegetation close to the shore, having ground-water-gley or peaty-gley soils with a high pH. Quadrats in vegetation supporting E. variegatum had a total of 78 vascular taxa, 20 of them being regionally or nationally notable and 10 Red-listed. There were only four non-native species. TABLEFIT analysis found that five UK National Vegetation Classification (NVC) dune-slack communities were represented, the most frequent being SD15: Salix repens-Calliergon cuspidatum dune-slack, followed by SD16: Salix repens-Holcus lanatus dune-slack. However, statistical fits to recognised NVC vegetation types were often poor. Loss of E. variegatum from nine sites was considered to be due to overgrowth by coarse vegetation and scrub, while 11 sites appeared to be imminently threatened by scrub development. Management practices that could assist conservation of E. variegatum and other notable plants in the Sefton dunes are discussed.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
E. variegatum was present at 19 of 28 known sites.
- Taxon
- Equisetum variegatum
Equisetum variegatumt0 - Outcome
- found the plante0
- Value
- 19 of 28 known sitese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“found the plant in 19 of 28 known sites for the species.”
t0“Equisetum variegatum”
Claim · model-written summary
Most extant sites had young calcareous dune slacks and scrapes near shore.
- Taxon
- Equisetum variegatumEquisetum variegatumt0
- Outcome
- relatively young, calcareous dune-slacks and scrapese0
- Setting
- close to the shoree0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Most extant localities were in relatively young, calcareous dune-slacks and scrapes with short vegetation close to the shore, having ground-water-gley or peaty-gley soils with a high pH.”
t0“Equisetum variegatum”
Claim · model-written summary
Vegetation supporting E. variegatum contained 78 vascular taxa, including 20 notable and 10 Red-listed taxa.
- Taxon
- E. variegatumEquisetum variegatume0
- Outcome
- vascular taxae0
- Value
- 78 vascular taxae0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Quadrats in vegetation supporting E. variegatum had a total of 78 vascular taxa, 20 of them being regionally or nationally notable and 10 Red-listed.”
Claim · model-written summary
Only four non-native species occurred in supporting vegetation.
- Taxon
- Equisetum variegatumEquisetum variegatumt0
- Outcome
- non-native speciese0
- Value
- four non-native speciese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“There were only four non-native species.”
t0“Equisetum variegatum”
Claim · model-written summary
Five NVC dune-slack communities were represented.
- Taxon
- Equisetum variegatumEquisetum variegatumt0
- Outcome
- dune-slack communitiese0
- Value
- fivee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“five UK National Vegetation Classification (NVC) dune-slack communities were represented”
t0“Equisetum variegatum”
Claim · model-written summary
SD15 was the most frequent community, followed by SD16.
- Taxon
- Equisetum variegatumEquisetum variegatumt0
- Outcome
- most frequente0
- Direction
- most frequente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the most frequent being SD15: Salix repens-Calliergon cuspidatum dune-slack, followed by SD16: Salix repens-Holcus lanatus dune-slack.”
t0“Equisetum variegatum”
Claim · model-written summary
Statistical fits to recognized NVC types were often poor.
- Taxon
- Equisetum variegatumEquisetum variegatumt0
- Outcome
- statistical fitse0
- Comparator
- recognised NVC vegetation typese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“statistical fits to recognised NVC vegetation types were often poor.”
t0“Equisetum variegatum”
Claim · model-written summary
Overgrowth by vegetation and scrub was considered responsible for loss at nine sites.
- Taxon
- E. variegatumEquisetum variegatume0
- Treatment
- overgrowth by coarse vegetation and scrube0
- Outcome
- Loss of E. variegatume0
- Value
- nine sitese0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Loss of E. variegatum from nine sites was considered to be due to overgrowth by coarse vegetation and scrub”
Claim · model-written summary
Eleven sites appeared imminently threatened by scrub development.
- Taxon
- Equisetum variegatumEquisetum variegatumt0
- Outcome
- imminently threatened by scrub developmente0
- Value
- 11 sitese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“11 sites appeared to be imminently threatened by scrub development.”
t0“Equisetum variegatum”