Black Lough is a large, complex site. Wetland plant communities are diverse and include several rare species. The site also includes areas of lowland heath and species-rich grasslands.
The fen has developed in an elongated valley and consists of areas of open water connected by bottle sedge swamp and are surrounded by a floating poor-fen dominated by bogbean. Other areas of fen are more diverse supporting rare vegetation communities. Notable plants include lesser tussock-sedge, marsh St-John's-wort, western gorse and the mosses Calliergon cordifolium and Sphagnum squarrosum.
The site is also important for invertebrates with ten species of Odontata and 39 species of aquatic Coleoptera. Notable species include the rare Irish damselfly a number of water beetles and the water bug Notonecta obliqua.
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