Geograph - photograph every grid square

Snowy Inkcap Fungi are strongly linked to dung, and in the Belmaduthy Dam Reserve of the Scottish Wildlife Trust cattle are stocked there for their role in conservation management. This image shows two stages of the life-cycle of the Snowy Inkcap fungus. The technical name of the fungus is Coprinopsis nivea.

The 20 hectare Belmaduthy Dam is an excellent example of wet lowland heath and mire mosaic, with lime flushes providing conditions suitable for a range of interesting plants. It was once a much more common habitat on the Black Isle, but much has now been replaced by agriculture or forestry. Underground springs in the nearby upper slopes of the Black Isle introduces nutrients to the otherwise poor ground, creating pockets of base-rich soil. The reserve is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.