Types of Grasslands in Oxfordshire

Examples of grassland habitat in Oxfordshire
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Lowland Meadows (Neutral grassland):
‍In Oxfordshire we have some exceptional lowland meadows, many of which are designated and protected sites. Dependent on low fertility soils and traditional management methods. Flower rich, important for invertebrates and ground nesting birds such as skylark. Sensitive to changes in hydrology and nutrient status. These include the scarce flood meadows, e.g., Oxford Meadows SAC and Long Mead at Eynsham. Usually on clay in Oxfordshire such as:

- Floodplain Meadows (can be managed as a hay meadow but the high-water content can change the species mix and botanical composition)
- Traditional hay meadows

The British National Vegetation Classification (NVC) is a system of classifying habitats according to the vegetation they contain. Unimproved neutral grassland, including hay meadows, is known under the National Vegetation Classification (NVC) system as MG5 grassland, and used to be considered the predominant type of old meadow and pasture in the lowlands across the UK.

Lowland Calcareous Grassland:
A key habitat in Oxfordshire, associated with areas of chalk and limestone geology, found particularly in the Chilterns and Cotswolds. Flower rich, important for invertebrates (particularly butterflies). Sensitive to changes in nutrient status.

Acidic Grassland:
Not known for its species diversity, but rather for the specialism of the species that thrive in this habitat, and as such is home to some rare species. There are very few pockets in Oxfordshire, including: Dry Sandford and Hitchcope Pits (S. west of Oxford), Shotover and Lye Valley Nature Reserve. Sensitive to changes in nutrients and soil pH. 
 
- Acid grassland can grade into Heathland mosaic: Lowland Heathland: of restricted distribution in Oxfordshire, associated with sandy soils such as those on the Mid-vale Ridge. Generally not flower rich, but important for rare plants and invertebrates. Sensitive to changes in nutrient status. Download the Shotover leaflet to find out more.
- Acid grassland is a Priority habitat under the Oxfordshire Wildlife and Landscape Study (OWLS) - find out more on their website.

Tussocky grassland:
Dominated by tussock grasses, this habitat is typically not wildflower rich but is important for many invertebrates and provides excellent shelter for small mammals, amphibians and reptiles.

What determines the type of grassland?
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•     Down to the soil types and underlying geology ofthe area
•     Not grasslands are wildflower meadows

Thanks to its geological diversity, Oxfordshire has a wide mix of grasslands from the large areas of chalk downland in the Chilterns, North Wessex Downs and Cotswolds to the floodplain meadows in river valleys and small pockets of acid grassland, heath and fen.  

Around the river valleys is clay soil – this is claggy, retains the water, slows drainage. These soils are typical of floodplain grazing marsh /meadows

Around Chilterns there is chalk downland (chalk grassland). Chalk and limestone soils are not the same thing but both are more free draining than clay

There is very little acid grassland / heathland / fen rare in Oxfordshire. There are small patches around edge of Oxfordshire e.g. Lye Valley and parts of Shotover Country Park (these aren’t on the map because they’re tiny pockets).