Deadman SSSI, Somerset
Protected area in Somerset, England
50°56′05″N 3°05′29″W / 50.93474°N 3.09147°W / 50.93474; -3.09147
Deadman (grid reference ST234156) is a 28.8 hectare (71.2 acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest on the edge of the Blackdown Hills, near Buckland St Mary 5 miles (8.0 km) south of Taunton in Somerset, notified in 1987.
Deadman is one of the best remaining examples of a mixed valley mire in Somerset. It contains a rich mosaic of wet heath, bog pools and birch/willow carr grading into acid marshy grassland. These communities support several species of plant which are rare in the county. Ground water issues from numerous springs within the greensand producing a locally raised water table and shallow peaty surface horizon. It is at these points that bog communities develop, characterised by the floating leaves of bog pondweed (Potamogeton polygonifolia), bog bean (Menyanthes trifoliata) and marsh St John's-wort (Hypericum elodes). In places this wet heath has undergone a transition to birch (Betula sp.) and willow (Salix sp.) carr. This provides an important habitat for breeding nightingales and grasshopper warblers.[1]
References
- ^ "Deadman" (PDF). English Nature. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 October 2006. Retrieved 12 August 2006.
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Biological Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Somerset
- Aller and Beer Woods
- Aller Hill
- Asham Wood
- Axbridge Hill and Fry's Hill
- Babcary Meadows
- Barle Valley
- Barrington Hill Meadows
- Berrow Dunes
- Black Down and Sampford Commons
- Brean Down
- Bridgwater Bay
- Briggins Moor
- Catcott, Edington and Chilton Moors
- Chancellor's Farm
- Cheddar Complex
- Cheddar Reservoir
- Cheddar Wood
- Cleeve Hill
- Cogley Wood
- Crook Peak to Shute Shelve Hill
- Curry and Hay Moors
- Deadman
- Draycott Sleights
- Dunster Park and Heathlands
- East Polden Grasslands
- Ebbor Gorge
- Edford Woods and Meadows
- Exmoor Coastal Heaths
- Fivehead Woods and Meadow
- Freshmoor
- Friar's Oven
- Ge-mare Farm Fields
- Great Breach and Copley Woods
- Grove Farm
- Hardington Moor
- Hestercombe House
- Holme Moor & Clean Moor
- King's Sedgemoor
- Kingdown and Middledown
- Kingweston Meadows
- Lang's Farm
- Langford Heathfield
- Langmead and Weston Level
- Long Lye
- Long Lye Meadow
- Longleat Woods
- Millwater
- Moorlinch
- Nettlecombe Park
- North Brewham Meadows
- North Curry Meadow
- North Exmoor
- North Moor
- Old Iron Works, Mells
- Perch
- Porlock Ridge and Saltmarsh
- Postlebury Wood
- Priddy Pools
- Prior's Park & Adcombe Wood
- Quantock Hills
- Quants
- Ringdown
- River Barle
- Rodney Stoke
- Roebuck Meadows
- Ruttersleigh
- Severn Estuary
- Shapwick Heath
- Sharpham Moor Plot
- South Exmoor
- Southey and Gotleigh Moors
- Southlake Moor
- Sparkford Wood
- St. Dunstan's Well Catchment
- Stowell Meadow
- Street Heath
- Tealham and Tadham Moors
- Thurlbear Wood and Quarrylands
- Twinhills Woods and Meadows
- Vallis Vale
- Walton and Ivythorn Hills
- West Moor
- West Sedgemoor
- Westhay Heath
- Westhay Moor
- Wet Moor
- Whitevine Meadows
- Windsor Hill Marsh
- Wookey Hole
- Woolhayes Farm
- Neighbouring areas
- Avon
- Devon
- Dorset
- Wiltshire
