Home›Species›Ecosystem›MoorlandEcosystemMoorlandTemperate Forest and ShrublandReference and ClassificationVerifiedMoorland, 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.FactsMoorlandConnectionsIn the Other AtlasesSourcesOpen Questions (2 open questions)Take a Related QuizComments (0)Reader Challenges (0)FactsClassificationBiogeographic RealmWell-attestedPalearctic 1Biogeographic RealmWell-attestedNeotropic 1Biogeographic RealmWell-attestedAfrotropic 1MoorlandFilter Results22 entriesCommon GroupAllBirds Of Prey (Raptors) (2)Butterflies And Moths (Lepidoptera) (1)Clubmosses (Lycopodiaceae) (2)Cypresses And Junipers (Cupressaceae) (1)Gulls, Terns And Auks (1)Heaths, Camellias And Primroses (Ericales) (1)Horsetails (Equisetum) (1)Passerines (Songbirds) (5)Shorebirds (Waders) (2)Snakes (Serpentes) (1)True Ferns (Polypodiopsida) (1)Waterfowl (1)TaxonomyAllAccipitridae (1)Anseriformes (1)Caracal (1)Charadriidae (1)Circus (1)Cricetidae (1)Cupressaceae (1)Emberizidae (1)Ericaceae (1)Felidae (1)Geometridae (1)Larus (1)Lycopodiopsida (2)Motacillidae (1)Passeriformes (1)Plantae (1)Pteridophyta (1)Scolopacidae (1)Turdus (2)Vipera (1)HabitatAllAlpine (1)Bog (1)Boreal Forest (1)Freshwater Marsh (1)Grassland (8)Lake (1)River (1)Savanna (2)Steppe (1)Temperate Forest (2)Tropical Rainforest (1)Tundra (3)Wetlands (3)Conservation StatusAllLeast Concern (16)Not Evaluated (5)Vulnerable (1)Everyday GroupAllBirds Of Prey (Raptors) (2)Butterflies And Moths (Lepidoptera) (1)Clubmosses (Lycopodiaceae) (2)Cypresses And Junipers (Cupressaceae) (1)Gulls, Terns And Auks (1)Heaths, Camellias And Primroses (Ericales) (1)Horsetails (Equisetum) (1)Passerines (Songbirds) (5)Shorebirds (Waders) (2)Snakes (Serpentes) (1)True Ferns (Polypodiopsida) (1)Waterfowl (1)DietAllCarnivore (5)Detritivore or Scavenger (1)Herbivore (4)Insectivore (2)Omnivore (4)Photosynthetic Autotroph (6)System (Realm)AllFreshwater (3)Marine (3)Terrestrial (21)ThreatsAllInvasive and Other Problematic Species, Genes and Diseases (1)Relationship to PeopleAllAgricultural or Structural Pest (3)Domesticated (1)Hunted or Fished (1)Invasive or Introduced Species (2)Kept as Pets (1)Natural Pest Control (2)Used in Traditional Medicine (5)Living or ExtinctAllYes (17)Where It LivesAllAfghanistan (3)Africa (5)Albania (5)Algeria (3)Andorra (1)Antigua and Barbuda (1)Argentina (2)Armenia (2)Australia (4)Austria (7)Azerbaijan (2)Bahamas (1)Bahrain (2)Bangladesh (2)Barbados (1)Belarus (7)Belgium (20)Belize (1)Benin (1)Bhutan (2)Bolivia (4)Bosnia and Herzegovina (2)Botswana (3)Brazil (2)Brunei (1)Bulgaria (7)Burundi (2)Cambodia (1)Cameroon (2)Canada (3)Chile (1)China (2)Colombia (6)Comoros (2)Costa Rica (4)Croatia (2)Cuba (2)Cyprus (4)Czechia (2)Democratic Republic of the Congo (1)Denmark (19)Djibouti (1)Dominica (1)Dominican Republic (4)Ecuador (4)Egypt (3)Eritrea (1)Estonia (2)Eswatini (3)Ethiopia (3)Europe (1)Federated States of Micronesia (1)Fiji (3)Finland (7)France (10)Georgia (5)Germany (7)Greece (5)Grenada (1)Guatemala (1)Guinea (2)Guyana (2)Haiti (3)Honduras (2)Hungary (7)Iceland (9)India (2)Indonesia (1)Iran (4)Iraq (3)Ireland (10)Israel (2)Italy (7)Jamaica (1)Japan (5)Jordan (1)Kazakhstan (7)Kenya (3)Kiribati (1)Kyrgyzstan (1)Lesotho (3)Luxembourg (3)Madagascar (2)Malawi (2)Manchuria (4)Mauritius (2)Mongolia (5)Morocco (2)Mozambique (4)Myanmar (2)Namibia (1)Nepal (1)Netherlands (5)New Zealand (1)North America (14)Norway (15)Pakistan (1)Palestine (1)Poland (6)Portugal (2)Romania (2)Russia (7)Saint Kitts and Nevis (1)South Africa (1)South Asia (8)Spain (12)Sweden (14)Switzerland (4)Taiwan (2)Tanzania (1)Tunisia (1)Ukraine (8)United Arab Emirates (2)United Kingdom (3)United States (4)Uruguay (1)Venezuela (2)Yemen (1)Zimbabwe (1)Show ResultsBrowseCompareSelect all 22African Golden CatMoorlandBrackenMoorlandCalluna vulgarisMoorlandCommon reed buntingMoorlandCommon StarlingMoorlandEurasian whimbrelMoorlandEuropean AdderMoorlandEuropean golden ploverMoorlandEuropean water voleMoorlandFieldfareMoorlandGreat black-backed gullMoorlandGreylag GooseMoorlandHen harrierMoorlandJuniperus communisMoorlandLatticed heathMoorlandLycopodium ClavatumMoorlandMeadow pipitMoorlandRing ouzelMoorlandRough-legged buzzardMoorlandRunning Club MossMoorlandServalMoorlandWood HorsetailMoorlandConnectionsDemonstratesDecomposition, Natural Phenomena Well-attested Slow decomposition of plant matter under waterlogged, low-oxygen conditions is what forms the characteristic blanket peat of moorland.Source Encyclopaedia Britannicatier 1HostsAfrican Golden Cat, Species Well-attested Source Wikipedia: African golden cattier 2Bracken, Species Well-attested Source Wikidata: BrackenAdditional Source Moorland (Wikipedia)Article texttier 2Calluna vulgaris, Species Well-attested Source Calluna (Wikipedia)Common reed bunting, Species Well-attested Source Common reed bunting (Wikipedia)Common Starling, Species Well-attested Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Sturnus vulgaris (Animal Diversity Web)Eurasian whimbrel, Species Well-attested Source Eurasian whimbrel (Wikipedia)European Adder, Species Well-attested Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Vipera berus (Animal Diversity Web)European golden plover, Species Well-attested Source European golden plover (Wikipedia)European water vole, Species Well-attested Source European water vole (Wikipedia)Fieldfare, Species Well-attested Source Fieldfare (Wikipedia)Great black-backed gull, Species Well-attested Source Great black-backed gull (Wikipedia)Greylag Goose, Species Well-attested Source Wikidata: Greylag GooseAdditional Source Greylag Goose (Wikipedia)Article texttier 2Hen harrier, Species Well-attested Source Hen harrier (Wikipedia)Juniperus communis, Species Well-attested Source Plants For A Future: Juniperus communisLatticed heath, Species Well-attested Source Latticed heath (Wikipedia)Lycopodium Clavatum, Species Well-attested Source Plants For A Future: Lycopodium clavatumMeadow pipit, Species Well-attested Source Wikidata: BrackenAdditional Source Moorland (Wikipedia)Article texttier 2Ring ouzel, Species Well-attested Source Ring ouzel (Wikipedia)Rough-legged buzzard, Species Well-attested Source Rough-legged buzzard (Wikipedia)Running Club Moss, Species Well-attested Source Plants For A Future: Lycopodium clavatumServal, Species Well-attested Source Serval (Wikipedia)tier 2Wood Horsetail, Species Well-attested Source Plants For A Future: Equisetum sylvaticumIn BiomeMontane Grasslands and Shrublands, Biomes Well-attested Source Moorland (Wikipedia)tier 2Open QuestionsWhat is the total global area of moorland?, Open Questions Well-attested Source Moorland (Wikipedia)tier 2Where exactly does heath vegetation end and moorland begin?, Open Questions Well-attested Source Moorland (Wikipedia)tier 2In the Other AtlasesFound InEnglandAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.Sources1. WWF Terrestrial Ecoregions of the Worldtier 2World Wildlife Fundown sourced description: occurs mainly in tropical Africaown sourced description: occurs mainly in northern and western Europeown sourced description: occurs mainly in South AmericaView the SourceMoorland (Wikipedia)tier 2WikipediaLead section, first paragraph, on the disputed heath/moor lineIt is closely related to heath, although experts disagree on the exact distinction between these types of vegetation.In Biome: Montane Grasslands and Shrublands, Lead section, first paragraph, naming moorland biomes directlyMoorland 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.Hosts: Bracken, Article textScottish "muirs" are generally heather moors, but also have extensive cover of grass, cotton-grass, mosses, bracken and undergrowth such as crowberry, with the wetter moorland having sphagnum moss merging into bog-land.Hosts: Meadow pipit, Article textIn Europe, the associated fauna consists of bird species such as red grouse, hen harrier, merlin, golden plover, curlew, skylark, meadow pipit, whinchat, ring ouzel, and twite.View the SourceEncyclopaedia Britannicatier 1Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.Demonstrates: DecompositionView the SourceServal (Wikipedia)tier 2Wikimedia FoundationHosts: Serval, Wikipedia intro: "ative to Africa. It is widespread in sub-Saharan countries, where it inhabits grasslands, wetlands, moorlands and bamboo thickets. Across its range, it occurs i..."View the SourceCommon reed bunting (Wikipedia)Hosts: Common reed bunting, Wikipedia intro: "e range are resident. It is a common sight in reedbeds, but also breeds in drier open areas such as moorland and arable land. For example, it inhabits purple mo..."View the SourceCalluna (Wikipedia)Hosts: Calluna vulgaris, article text (ecosystem), EntityId 366264, target E336456Quote, Hosts: Calluna vulgaris, article text (ecosystem), EntityId 366264, target E336456It is the dominant plant in most heathland and moorland in Europe, and in some bog vegetation and acidic pine and oak woodland.View the SourceWikipedia: African golden cattier 2WikipediaHosts: African Golden Cat, Distribution and habitatQuote, Hosts: African Golden Cat, Distribution and habitatIt prefers dense, moist forest with heavy undergrowth close to rivers but lives also in cloud forest, bamboo forests, and high moorland habitats.View the SourceGreat black-backed gull (Wikipedia)Hosts: Great black-backed gull, Distribution and habitatQuote, Hosts: Great black-backed gull, Distribution and habitatThe great black-backed gull is found in a variety of coastal habitats, including rocky and sandy coasts and estuaries, as well as inland wetland habitats, such as lakes, ponds, rivers, wet fields and moorland.View the SourceRough-legged buzzard (Wikipedia)Hosts: Rough-legged buzzard, Habitat and distributionQuote, Hosts: Rough-legged buzzard, Habitat and distributionDuring the winter months, from October to April, preferred habitats include marshes, moorland, prairies and agricultural regions where rodent prey is most abundant.View the SourceEuropean water vole (Wikipedia)Hosts: European water vole, HabitatQuote, Hosts: European water vole, HabitatAs well as frequenting typical lowland wetland habitats dominated by rank marginal aquatic vegetation, water voles are also just as at home in areas of upland 'peatland' vegetation where they utilize suitable small ditches, rivers, and lochs surrounded by moorland up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft) asl (e.g., northern Scotland).View the SourceHen harrier (Wikipedia)Hosts: Hen harrier, BehaviourQuote, Hosts: Hen harrier, BehaviourThis medium-sized raptor breeds on moorland, bogs, farmland, marshes, grasslands, swamps and other assorted open areas.View the SourceEurasian whimbrel (Wikipedia)Hosts: Eurasian whimbrel, BreedingQuote, Hosts: Eurasian whimbrel, BreedingThe nest is a bare scrape on tundra or Arctic moorland, often in low vegetation or moss but rarely in deep grass or marshland.View the SourceEuropean golden plover (Wikipedia)Hosts: European golden plover, Distribution and habitatQuote, Hosts: European golden plover, Distribution and habitatThe European golden plover tends to breed in the Arctic tundra and other moorland areas, ranging as far west as Iceland, where they are called Heiðlóa, and as far east as central Siberia; the southernmost breed in Wales and Belarus, after a small breeding population on Dartmoor in southwest England became extinct in about 2010.View the SourceFieldfare (Wikipedia)Hosts: Fieldfare, HabitatQuote, Hosts: Fieldfare, HabitatIn the summer, the fieldfare frequents mixed woodland of birch, alder, pine, spruce and fir, often near marshes, moorland or other open ground.View the SourceRing ouzel (Wikipedia)Hosts: Ring ouzel, Distribution and habitatQuote, Hosts: Ring ouzel, Distribution and habitatNominate T. t. torquatus is usually found on open moorland with a few stunted trees above 250 metres (820 ft), and reaching 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) in Scotland and northern Europe.View the SourceLatticed heath (Wikipedia)Hosts: Latticed heath, AdultQuote, Hosts: Latticed heath, AdultChiasmia clathrata has a wingspan of 20-25 mm.View the SourceGreylag Goose (Wikipedia)tier 2WikipediaHosts: Greylag Goose, Article textQuote, Hosts: Greylag Goose, Article textGreylag geese travel to their northerly breeding grounds in spring, nesting on moorlands, in marshes, around lakes and on coastal islands.View the SourceAnimal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Vipera berus (Animal Diversity Web)Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyHosts: European Adder, HabitatQuote, Hosts: European Adder, HabitatAdders can live in woodlands, moorlands, heathlands, and wetlands.View the SourceAnimal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Sturnus vulgaris (Animal Diversity Web)Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyHosts: Common Starling, HabitatQuote, Hosts: Common Starling, HabitatFor the remainder of the year, the starling utilizes a larger range of habitats, from open moorland to salt marshes.View the SourcePlants For A Future: Juniperus communisPlants For A FutureHosts: Juniperus communis, HabitatsQuote, Hosts: Juniperus communis, Habitatsheaths, moors, pine and birch woods in the north of Scotland on acid peatView the SourcePlants For A Future: Equisetum sylvaticumPlants For A FutureHosts: Wood Horsetail, HabitatsQuote, Hosts: Wood Horsetail, HabitatsDamp woods on acid soils, moors etcView the SourcePlants For A Future: Lycopodium clavatumPlants For A FutureHosts: Running Club Moss, HabitatsMoorland, fields and pasturesHosts: Lycopodium Clavatum, HabitatsMoorland, fields and pasturesView the SourceOpen Questions (2 open questions)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)What is the total global area of moorland?Moorland occurs as a habitat type across tropical Africa, northern and western Europe and South America rather than as one bounded place; this atlas's own cited Wikipedia article states only that Great Britain holds an estimated 10 to 15 percent of the world's moors, a proportion that itself implies no global total is stated anywhere in the article, since the figure is given as a share rather than alongside an absolute worldwide total.What would resolve this A single authoritative global inventory of moorland extent across every region where it occurs, under one consistent definition distinguishing moorland from heath and from tundra.Physical geography / vegetation ecologyMoorland (Wikipedia)Take a Related QuizWetlands, Reefs and Deltas: New EcosystemsCovers this kind of entry.Comments (0)No comments yet. 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