Weathered rock and outcrop habitats

English name: Weathered rock and outcrop habitats

Description (English)

Rocks and outcrops colonized by pioneer communities, especially of Crassulaceae. The substrates are mostly siliceous, occurring in the alpine or montane levels of higher mountains of the nemoral zone. The communities are dominated by succulent Sempervivum arachnoideum ssp. arachnoideum, Sempervivum arachnoideum ssp. tomentosum, Sempervivum montanum ssp. montanum, Sempervivum montanum ssp. stiriacum, Sempervivum wulfenii, Jovibarba arenaria, Sedum montanum, Sedum anglicum ssp. pyrenaicum, Sedum sexangulare, Sedum album, Sedum annuum, Saxifraga aspera, accompanied by Silene rupestris, Scleranthus polycarpos, Veronica fruticans, Thymus praecox ssp. polytrichus, Viola tricolor ssp. saxatilis, by small crucifers, lichens and mosses.

Source: EUNIS habitat classification

Quick facts

EUNIS habitat type code H3.6
Relation to Annex I habitat types (EU Habitats Directive)

Vegetation types

Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)

Name Definition Other names Reference
Sedo albi-Veronicion dillenii Korneck 1974 Thermophilous therophyte- and geophyte-rich vegetation on stable siliceous rubble of Central Europe Spergulo pentandrae-Veronicion dillenii de Foucault 1999; Spergulo pentandrae-Veronicion dillenii de Foucault 2001; Rumici-Veronicion dillenii Passarge 1977; Veronicion dillenii Oberd. 1957 Schaminee et al, 2012
Valerianion tuberosae Guinochet 1975 Communities of calcareus shallow rubble soils in supramediterranean belt of Prealps of southern France Schaminee et al, 2012
Hyperico perforati-Scleranthion perennis Moravec 1967 Boreo-montane cilicicolous meso-xerophytic closed swards on shallow skeletal soils of Central Europe, British Isles and Fennoscandia Thymo pulegioidis-Sedion sexangulare Didukh et Kontar 1998; Koelerio-Phleion phleoidis Korneck 1974; Poo compressae-Rumicion acetosellae Dudikh et Kontar 1998 Schaminee et al, 2012
Aethionemion saxatilis Bergmeier et al. 2009 Thermophilous communities of calcareous and metalliferous rock outcrops of northern Hellas Schaminee et al, 2012
Thero-Airion Tx. ex Oberd. 1957 Pioneer vegetation on acidic shallow soils of winter-mild atlantic and sub-boreal regions of Europe and Madeira Tuberario guttatae-Airion praecocis de Foucault 1999; Airion caryophylleo-praecocis Rivas-Mart. 1978; Thero-Airion Tx. 1951; Thero-Trifolion Doing 1974; Tuberario guttatae-Airion praecocis de Foucault 2001 Schaminee et al, 2012
Tortello tortuosae-Sedion albi Hallberg ex Dengler et Löbel 2006 Xeric basiphilous grasslands of shallow soils of southern Baltic alvars Festucion alvarense Albertson 1950; Tortello-Sedion Hallberg 1971; Helianthemo-Globularion Br.-Bl. 1963 nom. dubium p.p.; Helianthemo-Cetrarion (Br.-Bl. 1963) Krahulec et al. 1986; Anthyllido-Artemision campestris Sunding in Marker 1969 Schaminee et al, 2012
Alysso-Sedion Oberd. et T. Müller in T. Müller 1961 Thermophilous stonecrop communities of weathered calcareous rocks Allio sphaerocephali-Sedion albi (Oberd. et T. Müller in T. Müller 1961) de Foucault 1999; Alysso-Veronicion praecocis Passarge 1977; Sedo albi-Poion compressae (Oberd. et T. Müller in T. Müller 1961) de Foucault 1999; Sedo-Teucrion Doing 1963; Valerianello-Veronicion arvensis Passarge 1996; Gageo bohemicae-Sedion albi (Oberd. 1957) de Foucault 1999; Acino arvensis-Arenario serpyllifoliae de Foucault 1989; Sedo albi-Paronychion serpyllifoliae Tx. et Oberd. 1954 Schaminee et al, 2012
Sedo-Thymion De Molenaar 1976 Open sub-thermophilous grassy swards and low scrub on skeletal shallow soils on siliceous substrates of Greenland Schaminee et al, 2012
Sedion anglici Br.-Bl. in Br.-Bl. et Tx. 1952 Pioneer vegetation on acidic shallow soils on rocky outcrops on siliceous rocks of atlantic region of Europe Hyperico linarifolii-Sedion rupestris de Foucault 2001; Hyperico linarifolii-Sedion reflexi de Foucault in Julve 1993; Hyperico linarifolii-Sedion rupestris de Foucault 1999; Hyperico linarifolii-Sedion reflexi de Foucault 1999 Schaminee et al, 2012
Veronico-Poion glaucae Nordhagen 1943 Open sub-thermophilous grasslands on sandy and skeletal shallow soils on siliceous substrates of Scandinavia Veronico-Poion alpinae Sunding 1978; Veronico-Poion glaucae Nordhagen 1942 Schaminee et al, 2012
Sedo-Scleranthion Br.-Bl. 1950 Pioneer vegetation on acidic shallow soils on rocky outcrops on siliceous rocks of Alpic valleys Sedo-Scleranthion Br.-Bl. 1949; Sedo-Scleranthion Br.-Bl. 1955; Sempervivo-Sedion (Br.-Bl. 1955) T. Müller 1961; Rumici acetosellae-Scleranthion perennis de Foucault 1999; Rumici acetosellae-Scleranthion perennis de Foucault 2001 Schaminee et al, 2012
Scabioso-Trifolion dalmatici Horvatic et N. Randelovic in N. Randelovic 1977 Silicicolous therophyte swards of submediterranean-continental Serbia Scabioso-Trifolion dalmatici Horvatic et N. Randelovic 1973; Scabioso-Trifolion dalmatici N. Randelovic et Horvatic 1974; Scabioso-Trifolion dalmatici Horvatic et N. Randelovic in N. Randelovic 1975 Schaminee et al, 2012
Sedion micrantho-sediformis Rivas-Mart., P. Sánchez et Alcaraz ex P. Sánchez et Alcaraz 1993 Communities of calcareous outcrops in mesomediterranean southwestern Iberia Sedion micrantho-sediformis Rivas-Mart., P. Sánchez et Alcaraz in Alcaraz et al. 1991; Sedion micranthi (O. de Bolòs 1981) De la Torre et al. 1996 Schaminee et al, 2012
Sedion pyrenaici Tx. in Rivas-Mart. et al. 2011 Pioneer vegetation on acidic shallow soils on rocky outcrops on siliceous rocks of Pyrenees and western Iberia Sedion pyrenaici Tx. 1954; Sedion pyrenaici Tx. ex Rivas-Mart. et al. 1984; Sedion pyrenaici Tx. in Tx. et Oberd. 1958 Schaminee et al, 2012
Diantho pinifolii-Jasionion heldreichii Bergmeier et al. 2009 Pioneer herb-rich vegetation on acidic shallow soils on rocky outcrops and stabilised ultramafic rubble of northern Hellas Schaminee et al, 2012

Species mentioned in habitat description

Flowering Plants Jovibarba arenaria
Flowering Plants Saxifraga aspera
Flowering Plants Scleranthus polycarpos
Flowering Plants Sedum album
Flowering Plants Sedum annuum
Flowering Plants Sedum sexangulare
Flowering Plants Sempervivum wulfenii
Flowering Plants Silene rupestris
Flowering Plants Veronica fruticans
Species scientific name English common name Species group
Jovibarba arenaria Flowering Plants
Saxifraga aspera Flowering Plants
Scleranthus polycarpos Flowering Plants
Sedum album Flowering Plants
Sedum annuum Flowering Plants
Sedum sexangulare Flowering Plants
Sempervivum wulfenii Flowering Plants
Silene rupestris Flowering Plants
Veronica fruticans Flowering Plants

Other classifications

Classification Code Habitat type name Relationship type
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 200112 36.2 Alpine weathered rock and outcrop communities overlap
CORINE Land Cover 3.3.2. Bare rock n/a
CORINE Land Cover 3.3.3. Sparsely vegetated areas n/a
Phase 1 habitat classification (UK) 1993 I14 Natural rock exposure: other exposure wider
Phase 1 habitat classification (UK) 1993 I142 Natural rock exposure: other exposure, basic overlap
Phase 1 habitat classification (UK) 1993 I141 Natural rock exposure: other exposure, acid/neutral overlap
For relation to plant communities (syntaxa), see Vegetation types

History

Classification Code Habitat type name Relationship type
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 H3.6 Weathered rock and outcrop habitats same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 H3.6 Weathered rock and outcrop habitats same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 H3.6 Weathered rock and outcrop habitats same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 H3.6 Weathered rock and outcrop habitats same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811 H3.6 Weathered rock and outcrop habitats same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199712 H3.6 Alpine weathered rock and outcrop communities same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 199905 36.2 Alpine weathered rock and outcrop communities same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1997 36.2 Alpine weathered rock and outcrop communities same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1996 36.2   same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1993 36.2   same
CORINE Biotopes Classification 1991 36.2   same
CORINE Biotopes Classification 1989 36.2   same
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