Moorland ormoor is a type ofhabitat found inupland areas intemperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands and thebiomes ofmontane grasslands and shrublands, characterised by low-growing vegetation onacidic soils. Moorland today generally means uncultivatedhill land (such asDartmoor inSouth West England), but also includes low-lyingwetlands (such asSedgemoor, also South West England). It is closely related toheath, although experts disagree on the exact distinction between these types of vegetation. Generally, moor refers tohighland and high rainfall areas, while heath refers tolowland zones which are more likely to be the result of human activity.[1]
Moorland habitats are found mainly intropicalAfrica,northern andwestern Europe, andSouth America. Most of the world's moorlands are diverseecosystems. In the extensive moorlands of the tropics,biodiversity can be extremely high. Moorland is also related totundra (where thesubsoil ispermafrost or permanently frozen soil),[2][dubious –discuss] appearing as the tundra and the naturaltree zone. The boundary between tundra and moorland constantly shifts withclimatic change.
Heathland and moorland are the most extensive areas of semi-natural vegetation in theBritish Isles. The moorlands of eastern Britain are similar to heaths, but are distinguished by having a covering ofpeat. On western moors, the peat layer can be several metres thick. Scottish "muirs" are generally heather moors, but also have extensive cover ofgrass,cotton-grass,mosses,bracken and undergrowth such ascrowberry, with the wetter moorland havingsphagnum moss merging intobog-land.[1]
The extent to which human activity was responsible for the creation of moors is a subject with a considerable degree of uncertainty.Oliver Rackham writes thatpollen analysis shows that some moorland, such as those on the islands and in the far north of Scotland, are clearly natural, never having had trees,[3] whereas much of thePennine moorland area was forested inMesolithic times.[4] How much the deforestation was caused by climatic change and how much by human activity is uncertain.[5]
A variety of differenthabitat types can be found in different world regions of moorland. The wildlife and vegetation forms often lead to highendemism due to the chemically harsh soil andmicroclimate characteristics. An example of this is theExmoor Pony, a rarehorse breed which has adapted to the harsh conditions in England'sExmoor.
In Europe, the associatedfauna consists of bird species such asred grouse,hen harrier,merlin,golden plover,curlew,skylark,meadow pipit,whinchat,ring ouzel, andtwite. Other species dominate in moorlands elsewhere. Reptiles are few due to the cooler conditions. In Europe, only thecommon viper is frequent, though in other regions moorlands are commonly home to dozens ofreptile species.Amphibians such asfrogs are well represented in moorlands. When moorland isovergrazed, woody vegetation is often lost, being replaced by coarse, unpalatablegrasses andbracken, with a greatly reduced fauna.
Some hillsheep breeds, such as theScottish Blackface and theLonk, thrive on the austere conditions ofheather moors.[6]
Burning of moorland has been practised for a number of reasons, including whengrazing is insufficient to control growth. This is recorded in Britain in the fourteenth century.[7] Uncontrolled burning frequently caused (and causes) problems and was banned bystatute in 1609.[citation needed] With the rise ofsheep andgrouse management in the nineteenth century, it again became common practice. Heather is burnt at about 10 or 12 years old when its regenerative capacity is optimal. However, if the stems are left to mature for a longer period, they will tend to burn more aggressively, hindering the process of regeneration. Burning of moorland vegetation needs to be very carefully controlled, as the peat itself is susceptible to combustion, which can be challenging, if not impossible, to extinguish. Moreover, uncontrolled burning of heather can promote the growth ofbracken and rough grass, which ultimately leads to a reduction in value of the vegetation for grazing.[8] As a result, burning is now a controversial practice; Rackham calls it "second-best land management".[9]
Mechanical cutting of the heather has been used in Europe, but it is important that the material is removed to avoid choking regrowth. If heather and other vegetation is left standing for too long, a large amount of dry and combustible material will accumulate. This can lead to awildfire burning out a large area, although heather seeds have been found to germinate better when exposed to the brief heat of controlled burning.[citation needed]
In terms of managing moorland for wildlife in the UK, vegetation characteristics are important forpasserine abundance, while predator control benefits red grouse, golden plover, and curlew abundances. Many management options are needed to benefit multiple species. However, management must be carried out in locations that are also suitable for species in terms of physical characteristics such as topography, climate and soil.[10]
The development of a sensitivity to nature and one's physical surroundings grew with the rise of interest inlandscape painting, and particularly the works of artists that favoured wide and deep prospects, and rugged scenery.[11] To the EnglishRomantic imagination, moorlands fitted this image perfectly, enhancing the emotional impact of the story by placing it within a heightened and evocative landscape. Moorland forms the setting of various works of late Romantic English literature, ranging from theYorkshire moorland inEmily Brontë'sWuthering Heights andThe Secret Garden byFrances Hodgson Burnett toDartmoor inArthur Conan Doyle'sHolmesian mysteryThe Hound of the Baskervilles. They are also featured inCharlotte Brontë'sJane Eyre representing the heroine's desolation and loneliness after leavingMr Rochester.
Enid Blyton'sThe Famous Five series featured the young protagonists adventuring across various moorlands where they confronted criminals or other individuals of interest. Such a setting enhanced the plot as the drama unfolded away from the functioning world where the children could solve their own problems and face greater danger. Moorland in theForest of Bowland inLancashire is the setting for Walter Bennett'sThe Pendle Witches, the true story of some of England's most notorious witch trials. InErin Hunter'sWarriors series, one of the four Clans, WindClan, lives alone on the moor.
Michael Jecks, author of Knights Templar Mysteries, sets his books in and aroundDartmoor, England.Paul Kingsnorth’sBeast is also set on a western English moor, using the barren landscape and fields of heather to convey themes of timelessness and distance from civilisation.
Great Britain is home to an estimated 10–15% of the world's moors.[12] Notable areas of upland moorland in Britain include theLake District, thePennines (including theDark Peak andForest of Bowland),Mid Wales, theSouthern Uplands of Scotland, theScottish Highlands, and a few pockets in theWest Country.
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Moorlands are calledpáramos in Spanish. They are particularly common inNorthern Spain and theMeseta Central.
Two similar habitats, although more arid, found in western North America:
Colombia is one of only three countries in the world to be home topáramo (tropical moorland) and more than 60% of the paramo regions are found on its soil.[13]
Moorlands are upland areas with acidic, low-nutrient and often water-logged soils. In their cold, windy and wet conditions colourful heather plants dominate, growing on the deep peaty layers. These seas of pinks and purples are a haven for many small mammals and insects, but fewer reptiles than on lowland heaths. British moorland may look like wilderness, but it is actually a man-made and highly managed landscape, with regular burning to allow new heather growth. Some 10–15% of the world's moorland is found in the UK, mainly in the north and west of the country.
(The Páramo Ecosystem) It is concentrated in the northwest corner of South America, mostly in Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador.
