{{Short description|Nutrient-poor habitat}} '''Acid grassland''' is a nutrient-poor habitat characterised by grassy tussocks and bare ground.
==Habitat==
The vegetation is dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, growing on soils deficient in lime (calcium). These may be found on acid sedimentary rock such as sandstone; acid igneous rock such as granite; and fluvial or glacial deposits such as sand and gravel. Typical plants of lowland acid grassland in Britain include common bent grass, ''Agrostis capillaris'', wavy hair-grass, ''Deschampsia flexuosa'', bristle bent grass, ''Agrostis curtisii'', tormentil, ''Potentilla erecta'', and flowers such as sheep's sorrel, ''Rumex acetosella'' and heath bedstraw, ''Galium saxatile''.<ref name=JNCC>{{cite web|title=Acid grasslands - lowland|url=http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-3559|publisher=Joint Nature Conservation Committee|accessdate=30 March 2015|archive-date=8 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608134637/http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-3559|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==In Britain==
In Britain, under 30,000 hectares of lowland acid grassland remain, often on common land and nature reserves.<ref name=TWT>{{cite web |title=Lowland Dry Acid Grassland |url=http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife/habitats/lowland-dry-acid-grassland |publisher=The Wildlife Trusts |accessdate=30 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811155304/http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife/habitats/lowland-dry-acid-grassland |archive-date=11 August 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> It is considered a nationally important habitat; areas are found in London on freely-draining sandy and gravelly soils. 271 Sites of Special Scientific Interest have been notified with acid grassland as a principal reason for the designation. Greater London's Richmond Park, Epping Forest and Wimbledon Common are all Special Areas of Conservation with considerable areas of acid grassland.<ref name=LBP>{{cite web|title=Acid Grassland: a nationally important habitat in London |url=http://www.lbp.org.uk/downloads/Publications/Management/Acid%20Grassland%20-%20a%20nationally%20important%20habitat%20in%20London%2020.pdf |publisher=London Biodiversity Partnership |accessdate=30 March 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403031705/http://www.lbp.org.uk/downloads/Publications/Management/Acid%20Grassland%20-%20a%20nationally%20important%20habitat%20in%20London%2020.pdf |archivedate=3 April 2015 }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Ecosystems Category:Grasslands