REED—ON THE EDGE • River Friend Series BOOK 5 • ISBN 978 1 9162096 4 0

Description

REED—ON THE EDGE • River Friend Series BOOK 5 • ISBN 978 1 9162096 4 0 • By Sylvia M. Haslam & Tina Bone
A5 Paperback 48pp. (60 Illustrations)

What are reeds (Phragmites) like? To begin with, it is one of the very few plants to be native (not introduced) in all five continents of the world.
Imagine working all day with a marvellous sky above and below surrounded by reeds, just a wind-blown rustle and calling birds—an experience not to be forgotten.
What are the uses of reeds and reedbeds? Whole human populations can live in and, in extreme cases, nearly entirely upon the reedbed. Hermits, and to some extent monks and nuns, ventured into reed wetlands so that their prayers would purify and sanctify the haunt of demons (St Guthlac, Beowulf).
In Europe, the struggle for community existence in the hazy band “twixt land and water”, is usually won by Phragmites. In the Americas, Australasia, Africa and much of Asia, it is usually won by other reedswamp species.
Is it just a grass; is it war-like? Yes. A silent battlefield where a plant is NOT “nice” to its neighbour in seeing that “next door” has space to grow, enough light to grow well, enough nutrients and, of course, enough water, just doesn’t happen. For the reed it is an intense and continuing, but silent, battle for survival. There is no peace in the reedbed for Phragmites—just the giant struggle for existence….

Keywords:

TINA BONE; SYLVIA HASLAM; RIVER FRIEND SERIES;RIVERS;FRESH WATER;AQUATIC PLANTS;WATER PLANTS;BINOMIAL; RIVERS; STREAMS; WATER ECOLOGY; BIOINDICATOR; RIVER TYPES; CHALK STREAMS; PLANT COMMUNITIES; AQUATIC VEGETATION; WETLAND CHANNELS; LIMESTONE STREAM; SPECIES ECOLOGY; PLANT IDENTIFICATION; REED; PHRAGMITES; REEDSWAMP; ROOT TOXINS; SCRAMBLERS; MANAGEMENT OF REEDBEDS; USES OF REEDBEDS; USES OF REED; RHIZOMATOUS GRASS; LEGEHALME; BEARDED TITS; BEARDED REEDLINGS; WILLOW; SALIX; THATCH; PURIFICATION; FILTRATION; GUTHLAC; SPRING BURNING; HARVEST; WICKEN FEN; NORFOLK BROADS; SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY; GRASSHOPPER WARBLER; BITTERN; BEOWULF; BROADLAND; PEAT; CAREX PANICULATA; SCHOENUS NIGRICANS; WATER VOLE; ARVICOLA TERRESTRIS; GALIUM APARINE; JUNCUS SUBNODULOSUS; CALAMAGROSTIS CANESCENS; CLADIUM MARISCUS; SWAMP; TALL HERB FEN; SPHAGNUM; HOLT COUNTRY PARK; SALLOW; WILLOW; BATTLE FOR SURVIVAL; STRUMPHSAW FEN; FEN DRAYTON LAKES;

CONTENTS

Introduction, 1
   Boring?, 1
Belligerent?,10
Brilliant?, 16
Uses, 23
Different wetland species and how they interact, 25
   Introduction, 25
   Reedswamp into open water (historically common), 28
Seasonal patterns, 29
Root toxins and short grass, 29
The Scramblers, 31
Management of reedbeds for some (human) use, 32
Ways to Dominate, 33
Plant factors, 33
Outside factors acting in mixed stands, 34
Reedswamp to Trees, 37
Conclusion, 38
References, 41
List of Stand-alone Titles in the River Friend Series, 42
About the Authors, 42