Assessment of Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) Habitat Quality on Castlemartin Range Pembrokeshire (2015)
The marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia is an Annex II species of European conservation importance and a primary feature of Castlemartin Range Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in south Pembrokeshire. The Castlemartin metapopulation was discovered in 2003 and, although identified too late for inclusion in the Limestone Coast of South West Wales Special Area of Conservation (SAC), is recognised as a key SSSI feature within the SAC Core Management Plan. As marsh fritillary populations function as metapopulations, with local extinctions and recolonisations occurring naturally over time, the availability of an extensive network of suitable habitat is essential for their long-term persistence. This survey was undertaken to identify and assess potential marsh fritillary habitat across the Castlemartin Training Area and to determine the extent and condition of habitat available to support the metapopulation. The survey area covered approximately 360 hectares of grassland and heathland within the Castlemartin Range SSSI, the majority of which lies within the Limestone Cliffs of South West Wales SAC.
- Identification
- Extent
- Distribution
- Quality
- Keywords
- Spatial Reference System
- Content
- Constraints
- Maintenance
- Metadata
Identification
- Identifier
- NRW_DS116492
- Alternative Title
-
- Metadata Language
- English
- Lineage
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Natural Resources Wales supplied an outline map identifying approximately 360 hectares of grassland and heathland considered capable of supporting marsh fritillary populations within the Castlemartin Training Area. Habitat surveys were undertaken using the standard NRW marsh fritillary habitat assessment methodology. Survey areas were classified into six habitat categories based on the presence and abundance of devil's-bit scabious Succisa pratensis, the principal larval foodplant of the marsh fritillary.
During habitat assessment, incidental records of marsh fritillary larval webs were collected where encountered. Due to time constraints, systematic transect surveys were not undertaken and these records should therefore be regarded as casual observations rather than comprehensive population data. Habitat quality assessments also considered vegetation structure, particularly the presence of tussocky swards, which provide shelter, overwintering habitat and spring basking sites for larvae and are characteristic of many Welsh marsh fritillary sites, especially on damp rhos pasture. Results were used to assess the extent, distribution and condition of habitat capable of supporting the Castlemartin marsh fritillary metapopulation.
- Dataset Reference Date (Publication)
- 2015-10-04
Temporal Extent
- Begin date
- 2015-08-28
- End date
- 2015-10-04
- Topic category
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- Biota
Extent
Extent
- Geographic Extent
- SIR BENFRO - PEMBROKESHIRE
- Geographic Extent
- Wales (WLS)
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Distribution
Distribution
- Format Type and Description
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Database
(
Unknown
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- Specification
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Species records on Welsh Invertebrate Database
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Documents
(
Unknown
)
- Specification
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Report as pdf format
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Database
(
Unknown
)
Quality
Data quality
- Quality Scope
- Dataset
- Conformity
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services
- Explanation
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This dataset has not been assessed for conformance to the referenced INSPIRE regulation.
- Degree
- false
- Lineage
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Natural Resources Wales supplied an outline map identifying approximately 360 hectares of grassland and heathland considered capable of supporting marsh fritillary populations within the Castlemartin Training Area. Habitat surveys were undertaken using the standard NRW marsh fritillary habitat assessment methodology. Survey areas were classified into six habitat categories based on the presence and abundance of devil's-bit scabious Succisa pratensis, the principal larval foodplant of the marsh fritillary.
During habitat assessment, incidental records of marsh fritillary larval webs were collected where encountered. Due to time constraints, systematic transect surveys were not undertaken and these records should therefore be regarded as casual observations rather than comprehensive population data. Habitat quality assessments also considered vegetation structure, particularly the presence of tussocky swards, which provide shelter, overwintering habitat and spring basking sites for larvae and are characteristic of many Welsh marsh fritillary sites, especially on damp rhos pasture. Results were used to assess the extent, distribution and condition of habitat capable of supporting the Castlemartin marsh fritillary metapopulation.
Keywords
Keywords
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Publication)
- 2008-06-01
Keywords
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NRW Thesaurus
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- marsh fritillary butterfly
- eurodryas aurinia (Euphydryas aurinia)
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Publication)
- 2026-08-27
Spatial Reference System
Content
Content Information
NRW Profile
Custom Elements
- NRW Related Title
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Assessment of marsh fritillary habitat quality on Castlemartin Range Pembrokshire in 2015
Constraints
Constraints
Limitations on Public Access and Use
- Restriction type
- Other restrictions
Access Constraints Directive
- Limitations
- no limitations
Access Constraints Text
- Other constraints
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There are no access restrictions on this data. NRW may release, publish or disseminate it freely.
Use Constraints
- Use constraints type
- Other restrictions
- Other constraints
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© CNC/NRW Data may be re-used under the terms of the Open Government Licence providing it is done so, acknowledging both the source and NRW's copyright. It is the recipient's responsibility to ensure the data is fit for the intended purpose.
Attribution Statement
- Other constraints
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Contains Natural Resources Wales information © Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights Reserved.
Licence
- Other constraints
- Open Government Licence
Metadata
Metadata
- File Identifier
- 4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-313136343932 XML
- Metadata Language
- English
- Resource type
- Dataset
- Metadata Date
- 2026-10-07T15:08:06.595Z
- Metadata Standard Name
- NRW
- Metadata Standard Version
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1.0