Islands: moorland and machair

There are hundreds of islands in Scotland and they are home to some unique landscape features, like moorland and machair.

In this article you can learn about:

• What moorlands are
• What peat is and its uses
• What machair is and where it can be found
• Carnivorous plants of Scottish moorland

This resource is suitable for Landscapes topics for primary school learners.

Join Isla and Connor as they explore moorland and machair in North Uist.

An island is a piece of land surrounded by water. Continents are also surrounded by water but they are too big to be classified as islands.

There are around 800 islands in Scotland and they are home to some unique landscape features.

• Moorland is a type of landscape or habitat made up of bogs, and different kinds of grasses and shrubs, like heather.
• Moorland is most often found in upland areas in the north and west of the UK, like the Scottish Highlands and Islands.
• Trees don't grow on moorland because the peaty soil is waterlogged and doesn't have enough nutrients for trees to grow.

• Peat is a special layer of soil made up of organic matter.
• Peat traps carbon dioxide. It is a carbon sink.
• It has been used as a traditional source of fuel in some parts of Scotland. Soft peat is cut into slices and laid out to dry. The dried peat is then collected into stacks outside people's homes.
• Like other non-renewable energy sources, burning peat on a large scale isn't good for the environment. This is because burning peat releases carbon dioxide into the air.
• However, in the islands, peat is generally burned on a small scale to fuel individual homes. There are fewer energy alternatives available in some island communities, and energy is often more expensive.
• Peat is also used as compost but this is to be ended in Scotland in the near future.

• Machair is a rare type of habitat that is only found in the west of Scotland and Ireland.
• It is formed when wind blows calcium-rich sands onto the shore.
• The word machair means 'low lying fertile grassy plain' in Gaelic.
• In summer machair is covered in colourful flowers.

• In the video at the top of the page, Isla and Connor spotted a carnivorous plant called sundew that grows in moorland areas.
• Carnivorous plants usually grow in soil that does not have a lot of nutrients, like peat.
• They can't get all their nutrients from the soil so they trap and digest insects.

Learn about photosynthesis and respiration, and how plants gain nutrients to grow: How do plants get energy and food to grow?

• moorland - An upland landscape or habitat made up of different kinds of grasses, shrubs and bogs.
• bog - A very wet muddy area of land where many types of moss tend to grow. Bogs are acidic and often have very low levels of nutrients.
• peat - A layer of soil made up of dead plants. It traps carbon dioxide and helps prevent flooding. It has been used a source of fuel in some parts of Scotland.
• carnivorous plant - A plant that can trap and digest small animals, like insects.
• machair - A rare type of habitat covered in colourful flowers found in certain parts of Ireland and Scotland.

Draw and label a picture of a carnivorous plant.

Research a carnivorous plant. Draw a picture of the plant and label some of its key features.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• What plant are you going to draw? Some examples of carnivorous plants are the pitcher plant and the venus fly trap.
• How does the plant trap insects? Do insects stick to it? Can it trap the insect with a mouth-like part?
• Remember, your plant need roots (to get water from the soil) and leaves (to absorb sunlight through photosynthesis).