Calcareous species-rich dune grassland

Grazing on calcareous sand dunes helps to create a rich grassland. The level of grazing is important as too much can lead to erosion and loss of vegetation whilst too little the the growth of coarse grasses and scrub at the expense of the close-cropped sward. These plant communities are often the most diverse of the sand dune vegetation.

Caption: Species rich calcareous dune grassland with Anacamptis pyramidalis, dunes in the north of Scotland. These dunes may have little or no bare sand, but require grazing to maintain the open grassland. Note the paucity of marram grass in the sward.