Yanal Bog

Geobox Protected Area
name = Yanal Bog
native_name =
other_name =
other_name1 =
category_local = Site of Special Scientific Interest
category_iucn =


image_size =
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country = England
region = South West
region_type = Region
district = Avon
district_type = Unitary Authority
city =
city1 =
area_unit = ha
area = 1.6
area_round = 1
location = Sandford, Somerset
lat_d = 51
lat_m = 20
lat_s = 33
lat_NS = N
long_d = 2
long_m = 49
long_s = 42
long_EW = W
elevation =
established_type = Notification
established = 1988
management_body = Natural England
management_location =
management_lat_d =
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management_lat_NS =
management_long_d =
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management_long_s =
management_long_EW =
management_elevation =
visitation =
visitation_year =
free_type = Area of Search
free = Avon
free1_type = Interest
free1 = Biological

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map_size = 243
map_caption =
map_locator = UK
map_first = yes
website = [http://www.natureonthemap.org.uk/map.aspx?
]

Yanal Bog (gbmapping|ST424607) is a 1.6 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest on the southern edge of the North Somerset Levels, just north of the village of Sandford, North Somerset. It was notified as an SSSI in 1988.

ite description

Yanal Bog is a calcicolous lowland mire. Underlying the site are gravels and clay alluvium. Above this sits a layer of peat. This results in a high water table, creating a distinct domed landscape feature.

Biological Interest

The plant communities of the mire are nationally rare in Britain, and support two species, Black Bog-rush ("Schoenus nigricans") and Blunt-flowered Rush ("Juncus subnodulosus"), which have restricted distributions in south-west England, and a number of species which are localised in the Avon area. Surrounding the raised mire is a belt of grassland, and although this is included within the SSSI, it is comprised largely of common grass and herb species.

In the community in the western part of the mire, Blunt-flowered Rush, Purple Moor-grass ("Molinea caerulea") and Carnation Sedge ("Carex panicea") are abundant species, and this part of the mire is characterised by the presence of a number of species which favour base-rich conditions. Black Bog-rush is locally abundant along a wet drainage ditch in this western part of the site. In the eastern part of the mire Purple Moor-grass and Blunt-flowered Rush are again abundant, but the abundant sedge species here are Lesser ("Carex acutiformis") and Greater Pond-sedges ("C. riparia"). Common Reed ("Phragmites australis") and Marsh Horsetail ("Equisetum palustre") are also frequent. This part of the site supports plant species associated with more neutral conditions.

The site has a species-rich flora; species which occur here but are localised or confined to specialised habitats in the Avon are Flea Sedge ("Carex pulicaris"), Saw-wort ("Serratula tinctoria"), Meadow Thistle ("Cirsium dissectum"), Marsh Valerian ("Valeriana dioica"), Dyer’s Greenweed ("Genista tinctoria"), Marsh Arrowgrass ("Triglochin palustris"), Southern Marsh-orchid ("Dactylorhiza praetermissa"), Fen Bedstraw ("Galium uliginosum"), Devil’s-bit Scabious ("Succisa pratensis") and Tawny Sedge ("Carex hostiana") and Tufted-sedge ("Carex elata").

ee also

*Max Bog, a similar SSSI to the southwest of Yanal Bog

ource

* [http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1000599.pdf English Nature citation sheet for the site] (accessed 15 July 2006)

External links

* [http://www.english-nature.org.uk/ English Nature (SSSI information)]
* [http://www.natureonthemap.org.uk/map.aspx?
]
* [http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=51.342774~-2.82902&style=h&lvl=16&scene=4248675 Aerial photo at Windows Live Local]