Moorland, or moor, is a type of upland habitat found within the temperate grassland, savanna and shrubland biomes and the montane grassland and shrubland biome, characterised by low-growing vegetation on acidic soils. The term today generally means uncultivated hill land, such as Dartmoor in South West England, though it also covers low-lying wetlands such as Sedgemoor in the same region. Moorland is closely related to heath, and experts disagree on the exact line between the two; broadly, moor describes highland, high-rainfall ground while heath describes lowland zones more often shaped by human activity. Moorland habitats occur mainly in tropical Africa, northern and western Europe and South America, and most moorlands worldwide are diverse ecosystems, with the extensive tropical moorlands in particular supporting very high biodiversity. Moorland is also related to tundra, where the subsoil is permafrost, and the boundary between the two shifts as climate changes.
Cross-Tradition Connections
Demonstrates
Slow decomposition of plant matter under waterlogged, low-oxygen conditions is what forms the characteristic blanket peat of moorland.
In Biome
Sources
Moorland (Wikipedia)
WikipediaLead section, first paragraph, on the disputed heath/moor lineQuote, Lead section, first paragraph, on the disputed heath/moor line
It is closely related to heath, although experts disagree on the exact distinction between these types of vegetation.
Moorland (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIn Biome: Montane Grasslands and Shrublands, Lead section, first paragraph, naming moorland biomes directlyQuote, In Biome: Montane Grasslands and Shrublands, Lead section, first paragraph, naming moorland biomes directly
Moorland or moor is a type of habitat found in upland areas in temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands and the biomes of montane grasslands and shrublands, characterised by low-growing vegetation on acidic soils.
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Open Questions (1 open question)
Where exactly does heath vegetation end and moorland begin?
Wikipedia's own Moorland article states plainly that experts disagree on the exact distinction between heath and moorland: moor is generally described as highland, high-rainfall ground while heath is lowland and more often shaped by human activity, but the line is not sharp and both the Heath and Moorland articles describe each as closely related to the other with no agreed boundary.
What would resolve this A published vegetation-classification standard drawing an explicit, measurable line between heath and moorland (by elevation, rainfall, peat depth or floristic composition) accepted across the ecological literature, rather than the regional and traditional usage the sources currently describe.
Moorland (Wikipedia)
Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.
View At A Past Year
The atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.