Current distribution of Cordgrass (Spartina anglica) in Northern Ireland

Spartina anglica

Project code 

QU08-12

Contact

Dr. Neil Reid

Project staff

, Gillian Robb & Tommy McDermott

Client

NIEA

Funding

NHRP

Client Officer(s)

John Early

Start date

2007

End date

2009

Cord-grass species (genus Spartina) colonize a wide range of substrates from soft muds to shingle in sheltered areas. There are currently four species present in the United Kingdom but only the small cord-grass (Spartina maritima) is native. During the late 1800s the smooth cord-grass (S. alterniflora) was introduced from the east coast of North America and hybridised with the native species resulting in a sterile diploid hybrid (S. x townsendii). Subsequently, a fertile amphidiploid hybrid arose called the common cord-grass (S. anglica).

Common cord-grass (Spartina anglica)

Common-cord grass was extensively planted throughout Britain to stablise soft sediments and quickly spread along intertidal mudflats. It established in Northern Ireland from 1920-1950. It is particularly prevalent throughout Strangford Lough, County Down, where it was introduced to aid sediment accretion during the 1940s. It also occurs in Carlingford Lough, Dundrum Bay and Lough Foyle.
 
In Northern Ireland, cord-grass out-competes and replaces native eel-grass (Zostera marina), on which the light-bellied brent goose depends (Branta bernicla hrota). This is one of the highest priority species for conservation action in Northern Ireland and has a Species Action Plan (SAP).
 
In accordance with the objectives of the Northern Ireland Spartina Control Group, this project aimed to further assess the current distribution of cord-grass at a number of priority sites throughout Northern Ireland and produce baseline maps to aid future management strategies.
 
This project was won under competitive tender from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA).

This project was won under competitive tender from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA)

You can download the 2008 report here:
 
 Robb, G.N., McDermott, T. & Reid, N. (2008) Current distribution of Spartina anglica in Northern Ireland. Report prepared by the Natural Heritage Research Partnership, Quercus for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Northern Ireland, UK.