Upland Habitats presents a comprehensive, illustrated guide to the habitat types, flora, fauna and conservation and management issues of Britain's wilderness areas including blanket bos, heather moors, sheep walk and deer forest, montane and sub-montane and forests. The plants and animals found in such habitats are described and illustrated with 24 boxed species case studies, line drawings and photographs. Examining the unique characteristics of upland environments, this book explores a wide range of ecological processes, including: distribution patterns, adaptation, population and community dynamics, and evolution that is not driven by anthropocentric changes. Tracing important historical events that have shaped upland habitats since the end of the last glaciation, the authors focus particularly on important conservation and management issues for the ecology and survival of British uplands as we enter the next millennium.
Modern agricultural practices and economics, habitat degredation, through overgrazing, commercial afforestation, recreation adn persecution of wildlife, the funding of upland farming and the complex conservation-related statutes imposed to control current upland land use, are all discussed and case studies selected to highlight the issues.