Introduction to Sedges
Thursday 19 – Friday 20 June 2008
Location: Malham Tarn Field Centre, Yorkshire
Participant Standard: Beginner - Intermediate
Tutor(s): Judith Allinson
Sedges are at their best in June. Participants will learn about the flowering and vegetative parts of a sedge, how to use sedge keys and how to recognise different species in their habitats. Malham Tarn is a superb area - one third of the British Carices (24 species) plus nine other Cyperaceae can be found within two miles of the Tarn, in calcareous flushes, calcareous grassland, fen and acid habitats. The workshop fee includes one nights full board accommodation, including lunch on both days and an evening lab session with microscopes.
Who should attend this workshop?
This course is for absolute beginners, beginners and for people with a little experience of sedge identification
Anything participants need to know/read before coming on the training event, or need to have with them?
Note: coffee and all meals are supplied, including packed lunches.
Pleas bring:
- Notebook and pencil
- Waterproofs and wellingtons and strong waterproof footwear (though they can be hired if necessary)
- A hand lens (at least x 8 magnification ). If you do not have a hand lens, I recommend a Swiss army penknife: Explorer version. (A few hand lenses will be available for loan if you forget your lens)
- Two large plastic bags for specimens (carrier bag size).
- A copy of the BSBI Sedges book: Sedges of the British Isles by A.C. Jermy, A.O. Chater and R.W. David 1982) if you have one, plus any other books you may have with sedge keys.
What will participants learn from the workshop (learning outcomes)?
1.To enable participants to become familiar with the terminology used in describing the vegetative and flowering parts of sedges
2. To introduce participants to sedge keys, and to enable those with previous experience in using sedge keys to become more efficient in using them.
a) by explaining some of the words used in describing different parts of a sedge
b) by practising using keys
c) by learning the diagnostic features of a few easily distinguishable sedges.
3. To learn to recognize some sedges, including a few examples each of
a) some easily recognizable distinctive sedges
b) some sedges which are indicators of certain habitats and soil conditions.
c) some sedges which are “Constant Species” in some of the NVC types we’ll visit.
4. To see some of the special sedges of the Malham Tarn area
Programme:
The indoor work will take place at one of the labs at Malham Tarn Field Centre, Grid Ref: SD 894673, seven miles north east of Settle. There will be visits to parts of the Malham Tarn Estate including limestone pasture, calcareous mire, fen, and peat-bog. This is a Grade 1 SSSI, National Nature Reserve and a Ramsar Site, and an excellent area for sedges.
| 9.30am | Coffee |
| 10am | Introduction to the vegetative and flowering parts of a sedge. In depth investigation of on example of a sedge (e.g.) C sylvatica or C flacca. Binocular microscopes available |
| 11.30am | Look at “brought in” examples of some of the sedges we will see in the field |
| 12.30pm | If fine, possible short walk to hill slope above Ha Mire, next to the Tarn shore, where we will have lunch. (A packed lunch will be provided by the centre) At lunch we will look for common limestone sedges: Carex flacca, Carex panacea and Carex caryophyllea. (Glaucous sedge, carnation sedge and spring sedge respectively), |
| 1.30pm | Walk to Ha Mire SD 898667 1 km away. This is calcareous mire (National Vegetation Classification type M10) with a diverse mosaic of other more acid mire vegetation types, including Trichophorum cespitosum-Erica tetralix wet heath (M15). (Deergrass - Crossleaved heath community) We shall search for Carex and other Cyperaceae specimens, and compare their individual habitats with respect to pH and associated species. Thus we shall learn what habitat types they can indicate. |
| Providing the group agrees, each participant will choose a sedge species that interests them. In the evening they will give a mini presentation (7 min) on that species. | |
| 4.30pm | Afternoon tea |
| 5pm | Lab work. Practice keying out specimens |
| 6pm | Dinner |
| 7.00pm | View Field Studies Council and Malham Tarn Field Centre offprints for sale. Sort out specimens in lab. Practise using keys Fill in Character sheets for one or two species |
| 8.30pm | Give mini-presentations; (with agreement of group) |
| 9.30pm | Retire to bar/library etc. |
| Friday | |
| 8.15am | Prepare Packed lunches |
| 8.30am | Breakfast |
| 9.10am | Lab work; Introduction to the sedges of Malham Tarn Fen and the hydrosere. |
| 10.15am | Short Optional Revision ID Quiz |
| 11.00am | Coffee |
| 11.20am | Walk on Malham Tarn Fen boardwalk and Moss (1 km west of the Centre) Revise some of the sedges seen earlier and look for some special fen species. (Details can be supplied, including the Fibrous tussock sedge Carex appropinquata and Brown sedge Carex disticha. and Slender Sedge Carex lasiocarpa) Lunch in the field |
| 3pm | Revision in lab. Sort specimens |
| 3.30pm | Afternoon tea. |
| 4.00pm | Depart |
A two hour trip to Goredale (a spectacular cliff and waterfall) may also be fitted in according to the interest of the group, where there are some good limestone flush sedges.
Cost: £210 IEEM members, £330 non-members.