This database and mapping tool was produced to allow the identification of sites important to this incredibly diverse range of grassland fungal species for which Scotland is important on a global scale. Promotion of this project could lead to a great amount of these vulnerable sites being managed for their waxcaps, leading directly to the conservation of biodiversity, including several species on the Scottish Biodiversity List.
Included layers:
Heatmap of grassland fungi to the 10km level. The fewest species per square is represented by the lightest colour and the highest species per square represented by darkest colour. ADVICE: This layer is ideal for giving an overview of records in the area, but it doesn’t mean the fungi are throughout the area, or that the whole area is unimproved grassland.
Heatmap of grassland fungi to the 1km level. The fewest species per square is represented by the lightest colour and the highest species per square represented by darkest colour. ADVICE: 1km grid square layer may provide a false picture and a blank square does not necessarily mean that no grassland fungi are there. Accurate georeferencing of biological records before the age of GPS and specialist phone apps was rare with many blocks of records being given the same centroid grid reference. Also, it would be common for many recorders to record the first find of a species on a site and none thereafter. THE 10KM SQUARE SHOULD BE LOOKED AT ALONGSIDE THIS LAYER.
Point layer showing the Waxcap Sites. Sites are based centroid grid references for a spread of records in the area. The sites do not have clear boundaries, and so some form of local habitat knowledge is needed to set actual site boundaries within the real-world boundaries of unimproved grassland.
• RED: Any site passing any of the SSSI thresholds
• AMBER: Any site not passing any of the SSSI thresholds but with more than 11 species of Hygrocybe s.l. or with more than 4 IUCN species or with more than 4 indicator species.
• GREEN: Any other site that has records of grassland fungi