Editing Machair (section)

==Ecology==
Machairs have received considerable [[ecological]] and [[conservation biology|conservational]] attention, chiefly because of their unique [[ecosystem]]s.

===Sea===
[[Kelp]] 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.<ref name=glas/> As the kelp decays, it provides a home for local sand flies, which in turn provide food for flocks of [[starling]]s and other [[passerine]]s, wintering [[wader]]s, [[gull]]s and others.<ref name=glas/> When covered with sand, kelp will compost to form a fertile bed in which annual coastal flowers and [[Ammophila (plant)|marram grass]] will thrive.<ref name=glas/>

[[File:Machair.jpg|thumb|right|Wildflowers on a machair]]

===Flora===
[[File:Hebridean Spotted Orchid.jpg|thumb|upright|Hebridean spotted orchid]]
They can house [[rare species|rare]] [[carpet flower]]s, including [[Orchidaceae|orchids]] such as [[Spiranthes|Irish lady's tresses]] and the [[Dactylorhiza maculata subsp. fuchsii|Hebridean spotted orchid]] and other plants such as the [[yellow rattle]].

===Fauna===
Bird species including the [[corn crake]], [[twite]], [[dunlin]], [[common redshank]] and [[ringed plover]], as well as rare insects such as the [[northern colletes]] bee, the great yellow bumblebee (''[[Bombus distinguendus]]'') and the moss carder bee (''[[Bombus muscorum]]''), are found there.

===Threats===
Arable and fallow machair is threatened by changes in land management, where the original system of [[croft (land)|crofts]] is under threat from a reduction in the number of crofters and the use of "modern" techniques.<ref name=efn>{{cite web |url=http://www.efncp.org/hnv-showcases/scottish-hebrides/machair/facts/ |title=Machair - unknown jewel |publisher=European Forum on Nature Conservation and Pastoralism |access-date=19 December 2013}}</ref> Changes in the [[Common Agricultural Policy]], which decoupled production from [[subsidy|subsidies]], reduced the amount of grazing taking place in many crofting areas, and led to some areas being undergrazed or abandoned.<ref name=efn/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.crofting.org/uploads/crofter_journal/crofter96.pdf |title=To him who hath shall be given… |date=September 2012 |work=The Crofter |access-date=20 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.crofting.org/uploads/consultations/Food_Policy_Discussion.pdf |title=SCF Contribution to the Scottish Government Food Policy Discussion "Choosing the Right Ingredients" |publisher=Scottish Crofting Federation |access-date=20 December 2013}}</ref> A lack of native seed increases the need for fertiliser and herbicides.<ref name=efn/>

[[Rising sea levels]], a consequence of [[global warming]], also pose a threat to low-lying coastal areas, leading to increased [[erosion]].<ref name=glas/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/environment/machair-under-threat-from-rise-in-level-of-seas.21083043 |first=Emily |last=Beament |work=The Herald |date=14 May 2013 |title=Machair under threat from rise in level of seas |access-date=19 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://wild-scotland.org.uk/species/102/machair-habitat-/ |title=Machair |publisher=Wild Scotland |access-date=19 December 2013}}</ref> In January 1993, the storm which ran [[MV Braer|MV ''Braer'']] aground off [[Shetland]] eroded {{convert|3|m|ft|abbr=off}} of machair along the entire length of Uist and Barra.<ref name=glas/> On [[List of European windstorms#Severe European windstorms between 2000 and 2009|11/12 January
2005]], a storm blew consistently in excess of [[Beaufort scale|hurricane force 12]], destroying hectares of machair.<ref name=glas/>
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