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 : (C3 )Littoral zone of inland surface waterbodies
Diagram :

Question c10 :   Dependent on spray or steam?

Habitats dependent on spray or steam alongside waterfalls, geysers, and hot springs are separated (path = (Yes). Note that the spray zone of the supralittoral marine zone is categorised under B.

Answers: Yes [ C3.8 ] No ( c11 )

Question c11 :   Permanent water-fringing vegetation?

Areas with significant cover by permanent water-fringing or amphibious vegetation normally in shallow water, but which may occasionally be subject to drying out (path = Yes) are separated from periodically inundated shores which are either unvegetated or characterised by ephemeral, seasonal or very sparse vegetation.

Answers: Yes ( c12 ) No ( c15 )

Question c12 :   Species diversity

Habitats with amphibious or helophytic vegetation of reeds or other graminoids and other helophytes (plants rooted in, but emergent from, mud or water) which may be dominated by a single species, but which also have associated layers of diverse smaller herbaceous species (species diversity = high), are distinguished from habitats which are dominated by one or two plant species and whose species diversity is relatively low.

Answers: high [ C3.1 ] low ( c13 )

Question c13 :   Dominant species

Habitats with low species diversity where the dominant species are canes (e.g. Arundo sp., Saccharum ravennae) are separated from those with reeds or other helophytes.

Answers: canes [ C3.3 ] other ( c14 )

Question c14 :   Growth form

Species-poor water-fringing beds of tall emergent vegetation with no associated lower herb layer are separated from species-poor habitats with lower-growing emergent or amphibious vegetation

Answers: tall [ C3.2 ] low [ C3.4 ]

Question c15 :   Ephemeral vegetation?

Areas with pioneer vegetation and ephemeral annual vegetation (path = Yes) are separated from more or less unvegetated emergent banks and shores subject to periodic inundation.

Answers: Yes [ C3.5 ] No ( c16 )

Question c16 :   Substrate

Unvegetated periodically inundated shores and emergent banks are separated according to their substrate. Mobile sediments (such as mud, sand and mobile gravel) are distinguished from non-mobile hard or firm substrates including rock, boulders, artificial hard, consolidated clay and peat. Note that rapid succession between the habitat comprising unvegetated mobile sediment (C3.7) and ephemeral vegetation (C3.6) is likely and periods of inundation or submersion may cause reversal of the succession.

Answers: mobile sediments [ C3.6 ] non-mobile [ C3.7 ]