Habitat types key navigation

You can use the 'key navigation' function to identify a specific habitat by answering a set of questions. Starting from first question to next questions you select one of the possible answers. Here are samples of possible answers:

• No ( 002 ) - Leading to question named '002'
• Yes [ G ] - Leading to another questions subset of level G
• No [ E6 ] - Links directly to factsheet for E6

Additionally the diagram may be used for reference.


Category : (E )Grasslands and lands dominated by forbs, mosses or lichens
Diagram :

Question i :   Significant tree presence?

Grasslands which have a significant tree presence, i.e. canopy cover between 5 - 10%, are separated (path = Yes).

Answers: Yes [ E7 ] No ( ii )

Question ii :   Saline?

Grasslands and herb-dominated habitats on saline soils (path = Yes) are distinguished.

Answers: Yes [ E6 ] No ( iii )

Question iii :   Dominant species

Habitats dominated by tall forbs or ferns are distinguished from habitats where the dominant vegetation type is other low-growing herbs, especially grasses, but also bryophytes and lichens (where cover is greater than 30%). Note that land colonised by weeds follows path = tall forbs or ferns.

Answers: tall forbs and ferns ( iv ) other ( v )

Question iv :   Very dry with unpalatable species?

Very dry over-grazed Mediterranean habitats (ermes), characterised by unpalatable tall herb species, are distinguished (path = Yes).

Answers: No [ E5 ] Yes [ E1 ]

Question v :   Climate zone

Climate zones separate alpine grasslands from other grassland habitats which are more typical of montane, collinar or lowland levels. Alpine grasslands are typically found towards or beyond the forest limit but below permanent snow generally at higher altitudes in the mountains of Europe, although they may penetrate to lower altitudes, especially at higher latitudes and in the oceanic parts of Europe.

Answers: alpine [ E4 ] other ( vi )

Question vi :   Moisture

Seasonally wet and wet grasslands which have some affinities with wetlands, but which are not permanently waterlogged ({question - 007}) are distinguished from predominantly dry grasslands and from mesic grasslands (including non-alpine bracken fields) which are usually mesotrophic or eutrophic.

Answers: dry [ E1 ] mesic [ E2 ] wet [ E3 ]