Vegetation (Floating River Vegetation) - Office of Public Works

Office of Public Works supported at least one species of aquatic vegetation. Floating river vegeta-
tion species were found within and beyond Special Areas of Conservation.
Channel name Surrounding habitat OPW SAC
channel status
River Maigue
Main scheme
None √ √
Site (1) None √
Site (2) Berula erecta √
Maigue trib. (Site 3) None √
Site (5) None
River Maigue (Site 6) Berula erecta
Maigue trib (Site 7) Berula erecta √
Table 8 Floating river vegetation distribution of the River Maigue survey square
A single species of floating river vegetation was observed in the River Maigue square.
Water parsnip was confined to drainage ditches and smaller watercourses where freshwater is
found. The absence of floating river vegetation species corresponds with patterns of tidal
inundation. Habitat classification of adjacent lands to the Maigue River (section 2.3) is typical of
coastal environments. The influence of the seawater may be the primary element influencing
floating river vegetation species.
Channel name Floating River Vegetation OPW SAC
channel status
River Feale
Main scheme
Fontinalis antipyretica √
Feale trib. (Site 2) None
Feale trib. (Site 3) Callitriche stagnalis √
Feale trib. (Site 4) Potamogeton gramineus √
River Feale (Site 5) None √ √
Galey River (Site 6) Ranunculus aquatilis
Galey trib. (Site 7) Fontinalis antipyretica √
Feale trib. (Site 8) None √ √
Smearlagh River (Site 9) Fontinalis antipyretica √
Table 9 Floating river vegetation distribution of the River Feale survey square
Very little floating river vegetation was recorded in the River Feale square. Moss was the
most frequently occurring aquatic vegetation recorded with a single incidence of starwort,
pondweed and Ranunculus. Water parsnip and milfoil species were not found in the River Feale
square. Tidal inundation and low water levels may have influenced species diversity and
abundance.
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