157:
48:
60:
1189:
333:
1196:
1658:
33:
320:
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is a Gaelic word meaning "fertile plain", but the word is now also used in scientific literature to describe the dune grassland unique to
Western Scotland and north-west Ireland. It had been used by naturalists since 1926, but the term was not adopted by scientists until the 1940s. The word is used
136:
as a general term for the whole dune system, including the dune ridge, while others restrict its use to the extensive flat grasslands inland of the dune ridge. In
Ireland, the word has been used only in place-names, and the habitat's existence there was only recently confirmed. In Manx Gaelic,
295:
in the sea next to the machair softens the impact of waves, reducing erosion, and when it is washed ashore by storms, forms a protective barrier on the beach. As the kelp decays it provides home to local sand flies which in turn provide rich feeding for flocks of
252:, which makes it necessary to feed cattle supplements or take them to summer pastures elsewhere. The sandy soil does not hold nutrients well, making artificial fertilisers ineffective and limiting the crops that can be grown to certain strains of
212:
Human activity has an important role in the creation of the machair. Archaeological evidence indicates that some trees had been cleared for agriculture by around 6000 BC, but there was still some woodland on the coast of
203:
in 1830. He worked out that shell fragments are rolled by waves towards the shore, where they are broken up further. The small shell fragments are blown up the beach to form hillocks, which are then blown inland.
132:
in a number of Irish, Scottish and Manx placenames to refer to low-lying fertile ground or fields, even in areas where no machair has ever been supported. In
Scotland, some Gaelic speakers use
427:, reduced the amount of grazing taking place in many crofting areas, and led some areas to be undergrazed or abandoned. A lack of native seed increases the need for fertilizers and herbicides.
844:
477:
1692:
1702:
217:
as late as 1549. Seaweed deposited by early farmers provided a protective cover and added nutrients to the soil. The grass is kept short by
779:
1540:
681:
510:
156:
1545:
837:
144:, although a number of systems still evade classification. This proved difficult when the habitat was listed on Annex I of the
1638:
1530:
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47:
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1327:
1232:
1195:
1687:
1682:
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453:
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830:
420:
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Arable and fallow machair is threatened by changes to the way the land is managed, where the original system of
1345:
76:
419:
is under threat from a reduction in the number of crofters and the use of "modern" techniques. Changes to the
1026:
753:
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and others. If covered with sand, kelp will compost to form a fertile bed where annual coastal flowers and
1487:
1242:
1633:
643:
702:
180:
concentrations of between 20% and 80% on the beaches, and decreasing further away from the shore. The
1462:
1415:
1370:
1355:
754:"SCF Contribution to the Scottish Government Food Policy Discussion "Choosing the Right Ingredients""
397:
277:
200:
37:
1707:
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1360:
924:
344:
17:
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1522:
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1335:
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145:
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59:
1591:
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904:
869:
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677:
671:
506:
430:
392:
313:
177:
624:
500:
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1001:
919:
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113:
1623:
1405:
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1217:
1126:
1121:
1006:
889:
656:
403:
384:
332:
148:
in 1992, leading to the distinction between "machair grassland" and the "machair system".
168:
on the east coast of
Scotland by a lower mineral content, whereas the links are high in
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894:
457:
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101:
41:
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1611:
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117:
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eroded 3 metres (9.8 feet) of machair along the entire length of Uist and Barra. On
1492:
1380:
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1247:
1146:
1136:
1081:
416:
341:
261:
165:
499:
Novo, Francisco García; Crawford, Robert M. M.; Barradas, Mari Cruz Díaz (1997).
1643:
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348:
21:
32:
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372:
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109:
105:
52:
1512:
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1300:
1237:
1156:
1086:
301:
281:
249:
226:
89:
191:
The inner side of a machair is often wet or marshy, and may contain lochs.
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93:
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909:
380:
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also pose a threat to low-lying coastal areas, leading to increased
319:
160:
A stream cutting through the machair highlights a sandy composition
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85:
58:
46:
31:
1616:
1606:
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1021:
969:
964:
309:
292:
253:
233:
63:
The machair towards West beach, Isle of
Berneray, Outer Hebrides
826:
1096:
899:
257:
567:
Ritchie, W. (1976). "The
Meaning and Definition of Machair".
199:
The modern theory of machair formation was first set out by
181:
16:
This article is about the landform. For the TV series, see
229:, forming tussocks that favour a number of bird species.
705:. European Forum on Nature Conservation and Pastoralism
184:
of a machair is typically greater than 7, i.e. it is
1554:
1521:
1326:
1286:
1203:
860:
20:. For the area in Galloway from the same root, see
569:Transactions of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh
780:"Machair under threat from rise in level of seas"
225:, which also add trample and add texture to the
140:In 1976, an effort was made to strictly define
543:"De Tha Machair? Towards a Machair Definition"
502:The Ecology and Conservation of European Dunes
838:
8:
456:, a storm blowing consistently in excess of
676:. Cambridge University Press. p. 141.
280:attention, chiefly because of their unique
845:
831:
823:
84:in English) is a fertile low-lying grassy
618:
616:
614:
612:
610:
469:
441:. In January 1993, the storm which ran
137:'magher' is a common term for a field.
673:A Nature Conservation Review: Volume 1
652:
641:
608:
606:
604:
602:
600:
598:
596:
594:
592:
590:
505:. Universidad de Sevilla. p. 42.
423:, where production was decoupled from
391:, as well as rare insects such as the
697:
695:
693:
536:
534:
532:
530:
528:
526:
524:
522:
75:
7:
625:"Oh, dear! What can the Machair be?"
272:Machairs have received considerable
357:Dactylorhiza fuchii ssp hebridensis
240:, including trace elements such as
1541:Integrated coastal zone management
355:and the Hebridean spotted orchid (
164:Machair is distinguished from the
14:
725:"To him who hath shall be given…"
630:. Glasgow Natural History Society
395:bee, the great yellow bumblebee (
104:. The best examples are found on
1657:
1656:
1194:
1187:
460:destroyed hectares of machair.
359:) and other plants such as the
88:found on part of the northwest
1639:Region of freshwater influence
778:Beament, Emily (14 May 2013).
759:. Scottish Crofting Federation
73:Scottish Gaelic pronunciation:
27:Fertile low-lying grassy plain
1:
1693:Coastal and oceanic landforms
1401:Large-scale coastal behaviour
1233:Beaches in estuaries and bays
1703:Ecology of the British Isles
172:. Machair plains are highly
548:. Scottish Natural Heritage
480:. Scottish Natural Heritage
401:) and the moss carder bee (
371:Bird species including the
1724:
421:Common Agricultural Policy
236:is low in a number of key
15:
1652:
1185:
703:"Machair - unknown jewel"
670:Ratcliffe, Derek (2012).
581:10.1080/03746607608685306
1346:Coastal biogeomorphology
336:Hebridean spotted orchid
323:Wildflowers on a machair
1243:Coastal morphodynamics
651:Cite journal requires
337:
324:
161:
64:
56:
44:
1634:Physical oceanography
335:
322:
159:
62:
50:
35:
1463:Submergent coastline
1416:Marine transgression
1371:Discordant coastline
1356:Concordant coastline
407:), are found there.
398:Bombus distinguendus
353:Irish lady's tresses
201:William MacGillivray
100:, in particular the
1688:Beaches of Scotland
1567:Coastal engineering
18:Machair (TV series)
1683:Beaches of Ireland
1536:Coastal management
1376:Emergent coastline
1047:Intertidal wetland
950:Continental margin
458:hurricane force 12
454:11/12 January 2005
338:
325:
162:
146:Habitats Directive
65:
57:
45:
1698:Coastal geography
1670:
1669:
1498:Wave-cut platform
1411:Marine regression
955:Continental shelf
945:Coastal waterfall
854:Coastal geography
431:Rising sea levels
393:northern colletes
178:calcium carbonate
77:[ˈmaxɪɾʲ]
1715:
1660:
1659:
1421:Raised shoreline
1396:Ingression coast
1391:Graded shoreline
1366:Cuspate foreland
1198:
1191:
1142:Submarine canyon
1002:Freshwater marsh
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734:. September 2012
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541:Angus, Stewart.
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51:Machair east of
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1624:Intertidal zone
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1406:Longshore drift
1351:Coastal erosion
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1218:Beach evolution
1199:
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870:Anchialine pool
856:
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821:
820:
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807:. Wild Scotland
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404:Bombus muscorum
385:common redshank
369:
340:They can house
330:
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154:
126:
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36:The machair on
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5:
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915:Brackish marsh
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895:Barrier island
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653:|journal=
623:Love, John A.
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575:(4): 431–440.
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468:
467:
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435:global warming
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345:carpet flowers
329:
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278:conservational
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102:Outer Hebrides
42:Outer Hebrides
26:
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1629:Littoral zone
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1562:Bulkhead line
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1503:Wave shoaling
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940:Coastal plain
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361:yellow rattle
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1493:Volcanic arc
1381:Feeder bluff
1288:River mouths
1253:Raised beach
1248:Pocket beach
1176:
1147:Tidal island
1137:Strand plain
1082:Natural arch
1071:
809:. Retrieved
799:
787:. Retrieved
783:
773:
761:. Retrieved
748:
736:. Retrieved
731:
719:
707:. Retrieved
672:
665:
644:cite journal
632:. Retrieved
572:
568:
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550:. Retrieved
501:
494:
482:. Retrieved
472:
448:aground off
444:
429:
414:
402:
396:
370:
356:
347:, including
339:
314:marram grass
304:, wintering
291:
271:
231:
211:
198:
190:
163:
141:
139:
133:
128:
127:
81:
80:; sometimes
68:
66:
29:
1644:River plume
1458:Steep coast
1431:Rocky shore
1426:Rip current
1306:River delta
1278:Wash margin
1273:Storm beach
1263:Shell beach
1228:Beach wrack
1223:Beach ridge
1213:Beach cusps
1162:Tied island
1152:Tidal marsh
875:Archipelago
811:19 December
789:19 December
763:20 December
738:20 December
732:The Crofter
709:19 December
634:18 December
552:18 December
484:19 December
262:bere barley
22:The Machars
1708:Grasslands
1677:Categories
1572:Grain size
1546:Submersion
1523:Management
1508:Wind fetch
1468:Surf break
1386:Flat coast
1316:regressive
1102:Salt marsh
960:Coral reef
784:The Herald
464:References
433:caused by
373:corn crake
302:passerines
300:and other
282:ecosystems
274:ecological
215:South Uist
174:calcareous
110:South Uist
90:coastlines
55:Bay, Lewis
1531:Accretion
1513:Wind wave
1473:Surf zone
1328:Processes
1301:Mouth bar
1258:Recession
1238:Beachrock
1157:Tide pool
1087:Peninsula
975:cliff-top
862:Landforms
805:"Machair"
478:"Machair"
425:subsidies
298:starlings
250:manganese
238:nutrients
195:Formation
152:Geography
124:Etymology
1662:Category
1488:Undertow
1441:Sea foam
1436:Sea cave
1336:Blowhole
1178:Windwatt
1037:Headland
885:Avulsion
450:Shetland
351:such as
186:alkaline
98:Scotland
38:Berneray
1612:shingle
1592:granule
1577:boulder
1555:Related
1451:peresyp
1361:Current
1296:Debouch
1205:Beaches
1172:Waituna
1167:Tombolo
1077:Mudflat
1072:Machair
1062:Isthmus
982:Estuary
925:Channel
439:erosion
411:Threats
349:orchids
268:Ecology
176:, with
142:machair
134:machair
129:Machair
94:Ireland
69:machair
1602:pebble
1597:gravel
1587:cobble
1132:Strait
1112:Skerry
1067:Lagoon
1052:Island
1007:Fundus
910:Bodden
680:
509:
417:crofts
381:dunlin
306:waders
260:, and
246:cobalt
242:copper
219:cattle
208:Humans
170:silica
114:Harris
82:machar
1483:Swash
1446:Shoal
1127:Stack
1117:Sound
1107:Shoal
1057:Islet
1042:Inlet
1032:Hapua
997:Fjord
992:Fjard
987:Firth
935:Coast
930:Cliff
905:Bight
880:Atoll
757:(PDF)
728:(PDF)
628:(PDF)
546:(PDF)
445:Braer
377:twite
367:Fauna
328:Flora
310:gulls
227:sward
223:sheep
166:links
118:Lewis
106:North
86:plain
1617:silt
1607:sand
1582:clay
1311:mega
1122:Spit
1092:Reef
1022:Gulf
970:Dune
965:Cove
920:Cape
890:Ayre
813:2013
791:2013
765:2013
740:2013
711:2013
678:ISBN
657:help
636:2013
554:2013
507:ISBN
486:2013
387:and
342:rare
293:Kelp
276:and
256:and
254:oats
248:and
234:soil
232:The
221:and
116:and
108:and
96:and
1097:Ria
1027:Gut
1017:Geo
1012:Gat
900:Bay
577:doi
443:MV
288:Sea
258:rye
92:of
53:Uig
1679::
782:.
730:.
692:^
648::
646:}}
642:{{
589:^
573:42
571:.
521:^
383:,
379:,
375:,
363:.
308:,
284:.
264:.
244:,
188:.
182:pH
120:.
112:,
67:A
40:,
846:e
839:t
832:v
815:.
793:.
767:.
742:.
713:.
686:.
659:)
655:(
638:.
583:.
579::
556:.
515:.
488:.
71:(
24:.
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