Site Code
Country: United Kingdom
Central coordinates: 54.24229306o [54o 14' 32" North], -7.56280170o [7o 33' 46" West]
Administrative region: Northern Ireland (Fermanagh)
Area: 5600 ha
Altitude: 41 - 64
Site Description
The site, set in a basin bordering the Republic of Ireland, is a particularly good example of a nutrient-rich lake and associated swamp, fen and wet grassland. A very large and complex freshwater system, it includes a series of islands, bays and many lakes bordered by damp pastures. Vegetation consists of reedbeds, alder and willow carr, and oak woodland. Human activities include tourism, recreation, research activities, fishing, hunting, and livestock grazing.
Botanical Significance
Noted for stoneworts and habitat interest.
ISA report, Nick Stewart 2004:There are records of 8 species of stoneworts from over thirty water bodies. Chara globularis is much the most frequent species and has been recorded from 18 loughs in the Upper Lugh Erne Complex.
The open waters of the main lough and smaller satellite loughs contain a variety of aquatic species, including Yellow water-lily Nuphar lutea, and a number of Pondweeds, such as Broad-leaved Pondweed Potamogeton natans, Blunt-leaved Pondweed P. obtusifolius and Shining Pondweed P.lucens
Depending on the degree of exposure to wind and wave action, in many places the open waters give way to a swamp zone, wich is dominated by the dense growth of Common Club-rush Schoenoplectos lacustris. This is particularly well-developed within the sheltered bays and inlets of the area. Exposed shores tend to have more open swamp communities, with Water Horsetail Equisetum fluviatile and Common Spike-rush Eleocharis palustris prominent.
Behind the swamp zone is an area of fen, where sedges are the main component of the vegetation, particularly Trufted-sedge Carex elata and Bottle Sedge C. rostrata. This zone is frequently species-rich, with a wide range of associated herbs, including such scarce species as Cowban cicuta virosa, Greater Water-parnsip Sium latifolium and Flowering-rush Butomus umbellatus, in addition to more common plants like Water-plantain Alisma Plantago-aquatica and Purple Lossestrife Lythrum salicaria.
In many places where the shoreline is grazed, there is a transitionto wet grassland, wich is very variable in species content. In general, grasse and rushes are dominant here, especially Creeping Bent Agrostis stolonifera, Soft Rush Juncus effuses and Hard Rush J. inflexus, with a range of herbs such as Creeping-Jenny Lysimachia nummularia, Marsh Pennywort Hydrocotyle vulgaris, Lesser Spearwort Ranunculus flammula and Creeping Buterrcup R. repens. Where flushing by more base-rich waters occurs, a sward dominated by sedges such as Glaucous Sedge Carex flacca and Carnation SedgeC. Panacea is found. Important concentrations of species-rich grassland communities have developed where tradicional farming methods, such as hay-making, have been maintained. Although sharp-flowered Rush Juncus acutiflorus is generally the dominant species, these meadows can be very rich in associated herbs and sedges. There are alseo communities in wich Meadow Thistle Cisium dissectum is prominent.
Wet woodland is found where the shoreline is ungrazed or only very lightly grazed. The woodland has a canopy in wich species such as Willos Salix spp. Euonymus europaeus and Guelder-rose Viburnum opulus scattered throughout. Buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica is frequent in the area although it is a scarce plant in Northern Ireland. The ground flora beneath this generally resembles that of the swamp and fen zone. Areas of drier woodland are found on many of species, including Sessile Oak Quercus petraea, Ash Fraxinus excelsior and Downy Birch Betula pubescens. In places there is a well-develop understorey with shrubs such as Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, Hazel Crylus avellana and Holly Ilex aquifolium. The ground flora is variable, ranging from grass-dominated swards, with species like Giant Fescue Festuca gigantean and False Brome Brachypodium sylvaticum, to more typical woodland herbs such as Wood Avens Geum urbanum, Enchanter’s nightshade Circaea lutetiana, Herb-Robert Geranium robertianum, Sanicle Sanicula europaea, Primrose Primula vulgaris, Wood-sorrel Oxalis acetosella and Common Dog-violet Viola riviniana.
The area contains many vascular plants with a restricted distribution in the British Isles. In addition to some of those listed above, rare plants include Arrowhead Sagittaria saqittifolia in the open water, Narrow-leaved Water-plantain Alisma lanceolatum, Marsh Pea Lathyrus palustris, Marsh Stitchwort Stellaria palustris, Grater Spearwor Ranunclus lingua and Needle Spike-rush Eleocharis acicularis in the swamp and fen, and Fen Violet Viola persicifolia and Norther Bedstraw Galium boreale on more exposed rocky shores.
(North Ireland Environment Agency)
Management guidance notes
Notes
Upper Lough Erne complex