Editing Heath (section)

== Characteristics ==
Heathland is favored where climatic conditions are typically hard and dry, particularly in summer, and soils acidic, of low fertility, and often sandy and very free-draining; a [[mire]] may occur where drainage is poor, but usually is only small in extent. Heaths are dominated by low shrubs, {{convert|20|cm|in|0}} to {{convert|2|m|ft|0|abbr=off}} tall.

Heath vegetation can be extremely plant-species rich, and heathlands of Australia are home to some 3,700 endemic or typical species in addition to numerous less restricted species.<ref name="Specht"/> The [[fynbos]] heathlands of South Africa are second only to tropical rainforests in plant biodiversity with over 7,000 species.<ref name=wwf>{{WWF ecoregion|id=at1203|name=Montane fynbos and renosterveld}}</ref> In marked contrast, the tiny pockets of heathland in Europe are extremely [[Depauperate ecosystem|depauperate]] with a flora consisting primarily of [[Calluna|heather]] (''Calluna vulgaris''), [[Erica (plant)|heath]] (''Erica'' species) and [[Ulex|gorse]] (''Ulex'' species).

The bird [[Fauna (animals)|fauna]] of heathlands are usually cosmopolitan species of the region.<ref name="Specht"/><ref name=wwf/> In the depauperate heathlands of Europe, bird species tend to be more characteristic of the community, and include [[Montagu's harrier]] and the [[tree pipit]]. In Australia the heathland avian fauna is dominated by nectar-feeding birds such as [[honeyeater|honey-eaters]] and [[Lories and lorikeets|lorikeets]], although numerous other birds from [[emu]]s to [[eagle]]s are also common in Australian heathlands. The birds of the South African fynbos include [[sunbird]]s, warblers and siskins. Heathlands are also an excellent habitat for insects including [[ant]]s, moths, butterflies and wasps; many species are restricted entirely to it. One such example of an organism restricted to heathland is the silver-studded blue butterfly, ''[[Silver-studded blue|Plebejus argus]]''.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Dennis |first1=Roger L.H. |last2=Sparks |first2=Tim H. |title=When is a habitat not a habitat? Dramatic resource use changes under differing weather conditions for the butterfly Plebejus argus |journal=[[Biological Conservation]] |year=2006 |volume=129 |issue=3 |pages=291–301 |doi=10.1016/j.biocon.2005.10.043|bibcode=2006BCons.129..291D }}</ref>