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European Committee for the Conservation of Bryophytes (ECCB) (ed.) (1995). Red Data Book of European bryophytes. Trondheim: European Committee for the Conservation of Bryophytes.

Flora (Protection) Order, 2015. Statutory Instrument No. 356 of 2015. Dublin: Stationery Office.

Hill, M.O., Blackstock, T.H., Long, D.G. & Rothero, G.P. (2008). A checklist and census catalogue of British and Irish bryophytes, updated 2008. Middlewich, Cheshire: British Bryological Society.

IUCN (2001). IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. Version 3.1. Gland: International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

IUCN (2010). Guidelines for using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. Version 8.1 (August 2010). Gland: International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Lockhart, N., Hodgetts, N. & Holyoak, D. (2012a). Rare and Threatened Bryophytes of Ireland. Belfast: National Museums Northern Ireland Publication No. 028.

Lockhart, N., Hodgetts, N. & Holyoak, D. (2012b). Ireland Red List No.8: Bryophytes. Dublin, Ireland: National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

Nick Hodgetts, 15 Earlish, Portree, Isle of Skye, IV51 9XL. e nick1901@hotmail.co.ukNeil Lockhart, National Parks and Wildlife Service, 7 Ely Place, Dublin 2. e neil.lockhart@ahg.gov.ieChristina Campbell, Montana, The Ward, Co. Dublin. e campbech@tcd.ie

It will be necessary to review the FPO from time to time. Taxa are occasionally discovered new to the Irish flora through survey efforts, and sometimes taxa are added or removed from the checklist through taxonomic revisions. Molecular data from DNA barcoding would be desirable to assess levels of genetic variation within and between populations of species with taxonomic uncertainties. On-going monitoring will be required to assess the status and health of FPO populations. A full reassessment of the Red List should be undertaken in 2020, in line with IUCN guidance (IUCN, 2010; Lockhart et al., 2012b). A further revision of the FPO should then follow as the natural outcome.

AcknowledgementsThis revision of the FPO bryophyte schedule was circulated for comment and the authors wish to thank the following for their contributions: Dr Andy Bleasdale, Dr Joanne Denyer, Dr Maurice Eakin, Dr Rory Hodd, Dr David Holyoak, Dr Matthew Jebb, Dr Daniel Kelly, Dr Naomi Kingston, Dr Melinda Lyons, Dr Noeleen Smyth, Mr Donal Synnott, Dr Michael Wyse Jackson and members of the Conservation and Recording Committee of the British Bryological Society.

References

During, H.J. (1992). Ecological classifications of bryophytes and lichens. In: J.W. Bates & A.M. Farmer (eds) Bryophytes and lichens in a changing environment. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

rFig. 18 (left): The only known extant locality of Meesia triquetra in Ireland, Ox Mountains, Sligo. N. Lockhart. rFig. 19 (right): The beautiful stems of Paludella squarrosa, W. Mayo. N. Lockhart.

In June of 2015 whilst engaged on some surveying on Dersingham Bog National Nature Reserve, which lies some 8 km to the

north of King's Lynn in Norfolk, UK (TF670285), we noticed an odd looking sapling pine (Pinus sylvatica). Closer examination showed it had a surface coating, or sleeve, of Sphagnum fragments (Fig. 1), over and through which a multitude of ants were moving. It seemed fairly obvious that this surface coating had been created by the ants themselves. A similar, but smaller, structure was also noted around the base of a nearby birch sapling. A photograph was posted on Bryonet (bryonet-I@mtu.edu), to see whether this phenomenon had been noticed elsewhere. Although several replies were received none of them reported similar structures; however, Janice Glime suggested several interesting hypotheses as to what might be occurring. These prompted us to contact Doreen Wells, who is the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists' Society recorder for ants. She requested some specimens for identification and these were subsequently named as Lasius platythorax Seifert. This species, according to the Bees, Wasps and Ant Recording Scheme website (www.bwars.org) typically nests, not in soil, but in

Ants, and their use of Sphagnum & other mosses

rFig. 1: A Sphagnum rich sleeve on a sapling pine. R. Stevenson.

Moss ‘sleeves’, ants and aphid farms... what is happening among the saplings of Dersingham Bog? Robin Stevenson and Julia Masson investigate.

Article

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widespread on the site, as are the stumps of trees which have been cut down during mire restoration work. It is these stumps which are the locus for ant colonisation. Presumably the distribution of seeds is more-or-less random, and dictated by wind patterns. However, the establishment of pine seedlings need not necessarily coincide with the conditions needed for the formation of ant colonies, which would explain why sleeves are comparatively rare, even in suitable areas. In the area examined so far it is estimated that less than 1% of pine saplings had sleeves on them, but, out of the 38 examples of sleeves found, 86% were associated with pine saplings and only 13% with birch, despite the fact that birch is the dominant invasive over considerable areas of the site. Not all of the pines had active ants on them, nor did they all have obvious aphid populations. However, this may have reflected the time of day or weather conditions at the time of survey. Pines might also be favoured because they may offer the ants other 'products' beside aphids. The frequency with which sleeves occur indicates that their usefulness renders the effort of making them worthwhile. Subsequent to our discovery, and the initiation of our investigations, Keith Fox - a volunteer worker on the site - revealed (pers. comm.) that he had noticed, and commented on, these structures 5 or 6 years previously, so they are obviously not a recent innovation. A question which arose initially was: Is the use of Sphagnum a matter of active choice on the part of the ants, or is it fortuitous, being dictated purely by what is locally available? The evidence suggests the latter since a substantial number of sleeves contain little or no Sphagnum. However, where Sphagnum does occur it seems to be an item of choice, as does Aulacomnium palustre when it is present.

a Narthecium ossifragum - Sphagnum papillosum mire (Rodwell 1991) and H1 Calluna vulgaris - Festuca ovina heath. Within these communities the actual presence of ant colonies is dictated by the presence of dead wood, as a site visit by Doreen Wells has confirmed. Dersingham Bog is particularly susceptible to invasion by pine (large areas of the site were formerly coniferised), so pine saplings are

known as the Scots Pine Aphid, and normally associated with that species, it has also been recorded from Corsican Pine. The aphids found on birch (Betula spp) were Symydobius oblongus (von Heyden, 1837), the Shiny Birch Aphid. Samples of some of the sleeves were taken and examined microscopically. It then became apparent that they were more complex than initially thought. Whilst sleeves made up of Sphagnum are most easily spotted because of their pale colour, a wide range of other materials are also used. Three species of Sphagnum, viz S. fallax, S. palustre & S. tenellum have been identified in use, the commonest other moss used being Aulacomnium palustre. Although frequent to common on the site, fragments of Hypnum jutlandicum and Polytrichum commune appear to be used only rarely. Vascular debris found in sleeves includes seeds of grasses and Betula, leaves of Vaccinium oxycoccus L., Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull and Erica tetralix L. (Nomenclature for mosses follows Hill et al. 2008; that for vascular plants Stace, 2010). In some cases the colour of the sleeve was much darker, and in these instances little or no bryophyte material was present the sleeves being mainly made up of wood fragments, Calluna debris, and indeterminable vegetable material. Where this was the case the ant's nest, located in dead wood, was very close at hand. However, darker coloured sleeves were also found where Aulacomnium palustre was a dominant component as the tomentum associated with this species had clearly been deliberately selected. Sleeves appear to be restricted to areas where, although usually wet enough to support Sphagnum species, the water levels fluctuate. All the sleeves located so far were found in the zone of transition between M25 Molinia caerulea - Potentilla erecta mire; M21b, the Vaccinium oxycoccus - Sphagnum recurvum subcommunity of

organic matter such as grass tussocks (including Molinia) and rotting wood. Later searching has located 43 saplings having similar coatings, scattered in suitable habitat across the whole site (Fig. 2). Generally the level of coating was less complete than in Figure 1. In some instances this appeared to be due to possible damage caused by heavy rain or abrasion, caused by the movement of nearby vegetation in strong winds. However, in other instances it looked as if the sleeve had been deliberately sited higher up, around branching points (Fig. 3) and the lower trunk ignored. When a portion of sleeve was removed for sampling purposes a 'herd' of aphids were revealed underneath, with ants in close proximity (Fig. 4). This suggests that the purpose of the sleeve is to afford shelter to 'farmed' aphids - a phenomenon which is a well known activity by ants, and one of the hypotheses suggested by Janice Glime. The aphids on pine have been identified by Dr. Tony Irwin as Cinara pini L. Although

rFig. 2. Dersingham Bog, showing the position of some of the main concentrations of Sleeves on the site.

rFig. 3 (above). Partial sleeve constructed around branching point. R. Stevenson. rFig. 4 (below). Ants tending aphids hidden under Sphagnum rich sleeve. R. Stevenson.

Ants, and their use of Sphagnum & other mosses Ants, and their use of Sphagnum & other mosses

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The NBN Gateway (https://data.nbn.org.uk) indicates that Lasius platythorax is most abundant in the south-east and east of the country, with a scattering of other records in the far west, Wales, Ireland and Scotland, where the records seem to be mostly coastal. However, bryologists should keep their eyes open for these sleeves in any location where abundant dead wood occurs on, or adjacent to areas of Sphagnum growth. There are, unsurprisingly, few ant specialists so there are plenty of opportunities to fill in gaps on the distribution map.

AcknowledgementsWe are grateful to Ash Murray and his team at Dersingham Bog, for their enthusiastic support, help, and tea. Thanks are also due to Professor Janice Glime for her encouragement to pursue the investigation, and to Bill Boyd, the Norfolk Wildlife Trust Reserves manager for West Norfolk, for permission to search for sleeves on Roydon Common NNR. Doreen Wells and Dr Tony Irwin have given freely of their expertise and suggested fruitful lines of enquiry - for this too we are grateful.

References

Bees, Wasps and Ant Recording Scheme www.bwars.org - accessed July 2015.

Hill, M.O., Blackstock, T.H.,Long, D.G. & Rothero, G.P. (2008). A Checklist and Census Catalogue of British and Irish Bryophytes. Middlewich: British Bryological Society.

National Biodiversity Network Gateway. https://data/nbn.org.uk - accessed July 2015.

Proctor, M.C.F. (1979). Structure and Eco-physiological Adaptation in Bryophytes. In: Clarke CGS & Duckett, JG. (eds) Bryophyte Systematics. London: Academic Press.

Rodwell, J.S. (ed) (1991). British Plant Communities Volume 2. Mires and Heaths. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Stace, C.A. (2010). New Flora of the British Isles (3rd edn.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

C. Robin Stevensone crs111@talktalk.netJulia Massone julia@naturenet.plus.com

The ability of Sphagnum to retain water and the role of tomentum in forming part of an external capillary water system (Proctor, 1979) suggests that Sphagnum and Aulacomnium palustre fragments might have been selectively gathered in order to create a moisture retaining sleeve around the stem of the pines. Equally, however, their use could simply reflect the composition of the nearest source, though in a few cases Sphagnum fragments appear to have been transported some distance from the sleeve - up to 10 cm in some instances. The use of Aulacomnium tomentum could also be because it helps to bind other materials together, by trapping it within its strands. In sleeves where it is absent some other material or method must be used to bind the fragments together. (It is notable that the leaves of Erica tetralix, which have long bristles on the side, are as useful for creating tangles of other debris as is the tomentum of Aulacomnium palustre). Sleeves appear to be confined to very small saplings, where the trunk diameter is at most about 15 mm. Attempting to construct a sleeve around a stem is a task which increases as the trunk diameter increases, which, in turn, is related to the age of the sapling. It would seem that, for the ants, there is a trade-off between the advantages of constructing sleeves and the effort required for their construction; these advantages seem to be restricted to young saplings, decreasing as the trees grow older. Roydon Common NNR, which is managed by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, has similar habitat, as well as known colonies of Lasius platythorax. A brief survey located several sleeves, again associated with pine. These two Norfolk sites are the only ones on which Sphagnum sleeves have been recorded so far. The Roydon examples were found on an 'edge' between dry heath and M21b.

Introduction

The Long Mynd

The Long Mynd SSSI is an elongated, 12 km long, fault block with a gently undulating summit plateau (Fig. 1)

rising to 516 m at Pole Bank, bounded in the west by a steep escarpment and in the east by a series of steep-sided valleys (‘batches’). It lies on the boundary between the Welsh uplands in the west and the English lowlands in the east. The area was probably cleared of trees by the late Bronze Age (Smith et al., 2007), with the main habitats today comprising dry acidic grassland, bracken and heather moorland. A particularly notable and designated feature of the site are the many hundreds of springs and flushes that are scattered throughout the hills, arising from the heavily cleaved Precambrian sandstones, siltstones and mudstones. These are focal points for grazing stock, which include sheep and ponies. Rocky outcrops are generally scarce. Ground conditions are generally acidic to mildly basic, and no springs or flushes have any significant tufa formation.

Bryophyte recordingThe earliest bryophyte records on The Long Mynd are from R. de G. Benson during the 1890s and since the 1960s the site has been well-visited by bryologists, mainly undertaking casual recording or, more recently, bringing groups of pupils from the Preston Montford Field Centre. Prior to the current fieldwork there were very few bryophyte survey reports dealing with The Long Mynd, together covering only a small proportion of this large site. A particular gap in understanding was the status and distribution of species of conservation concern. This article presents some of the results of surveys undertaken annually by the author during 2012-2015. Copies of the full reports are available upon request.

Methods

FieldworkFieldwork was undertaken during the spring periods of 2012 (19 days), 2013 (twelve days), 2014 (ten days) and 2015 (seven days). The 2012 work was concerned with sampling and describing the phytosociological characteristics

Notes on Bryophytes of The Long Mynd, Shropshire

Des Callaghan discusses his survey results focusing on nationally rare and scarce species: new insights into a species-rich under-recorded site

Article

rFig. 1: The view across Wildmoor Pool, part of the summit plateau of The Long Mynd, with a long flush system rising uphill in the distance. D.A. Callaghan.

Ants, and their use of Sphagnum & other mosses