Away from the areas of humid heath that are characterised by the presence of Agrostis curtisii, humid heath can arise as a consequence of drainage, repeated burning and / or neglect. In these situations, as the bog moss (Sphagnum) component of the wet heath habitat diminishes so does the ability of the habitat to retain water. This results in a gradual succession towards dry heath vegetation, but where cross-leaved heath is still well-represented.
