• Catchment Management
• Project Background
• Monitoring
• Soil Descriptions
• Vegetation Descriptions
• Topography
• Allt a' Mharcaidh references
• Deposition Chemistry
  • Bulk deposition chemistry
  • Interception deposition chemistry
• Snow
• Vegetation community composition
• Soil characteristics and chemistry
• Ground water chemistry
• Surface water chemistry
• Automatic Weather Station (CEH)
• Current Research Project
• Management of the Reserve

Allt a' Mharcaidh Catchment: A research site of national and international importance

Why was the Allt a' Mharcaidh catchment selected for monitoring?

The Allt a' Mharcaidh catchment lies on the western flank of the Cairngorm mountains in north-east Scotland, UK. The physical nature of the Cairngorm mountains and their geographical position has created a montane environment which can be considered as unique in European terms. The essentially maritime climate is near its northern extremity of the Alpine environments but also on the southern extremity of the Arctic environments. This buffering of environments creates the uniqueness of habitat diversity and species mix. In Europe this range of environments within such a small geographical unit, is not repeated in any other mountain range. The Cairngorms include the most striking examples of sub-arctic montane habitat within the UK.

Environmental changes expected to occur in the area include:

1. Climate change

Long-term changes or variations in climate will have significant impacts on the mountain environment and the adjacent regions. Predictions for changes in the UK climate include, for example a general warming over the next 50 years.   The Cairngorms may also become slightly drier and have less snow. The pattern may be complex however, and the Allt a' Mharcaidh catchment is located within zones of increasing winter and decreasing summer rainfall (Brooker and Turner, 2004).

2. Anthropogenic pollution

The Cairngorms are vulnerable to the impacts of atmospheric pollution from anthropogenic (derived from human activities) sources within the UK and throughout Europe. Changes in soil, river and lake chemistry have already been found, and this has important impacts on a range of features of the area, e.g. fish populations, lichen and bryophyte communities.

3. Land use change

Recent years have seen dramatic changes in the land use in the Allt a' Mharcaidh catchment. Grazing pressures have been significantly reduced as a result of culling practices (red deer (Cervus elaphus)), and this has allowed recolonisation of natural pine forest on intermediate slopes.

The Allt a' Mharcaidh catchment is owned by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).

Pine regeneration on the lower slopes of the Allt a' Mharcaidh catchment