Grasslands can be split into different types reflecting the local geology, soil and climatic conditions. There are four main grassland habitats in the three counties, which are listed below.
- Floodplain grazing marsh - habitat mosaic of wet grassland, wetland (ditches, ponds, swamp communities) and other grassland types including lowland meadows.
- Lowland meadows - grasslands with a near neutral soil pH (around pH 7), usually occurring below 250m in altitude.
- Lowland calcareous grasslands - They are found on shallow, well-draining lime-rich soils (soil pH above 7), generally overlying limestone or chalk in the warmer, drier areas of England.
- Lowland dry acid grasslands - They typically occur on nutrient-poor, generally free-draining soils with pH ranging from 4 to 5.5 overlying acid rocks or superficial deposits such as sands and gravels.
If you would like to know what type of soils are in your area, look at the Soilscapes website
