EUNIS habitat classification 2012 amended 2019 > A - Marine habitats > A2 - Littoral sediment > A2.5 - Coastal saltmarshes and saline reedbeds

Coastal saltmarshes and saline reedbeds

English name: Coastal saltmarshes and saline reedbeds

Description (English)

Angiosperm-dominated stands of vegetation, occurring on the extreme upper shore of sheltered coasts and periodically covered by high tides. The vegetation develops on a variety of sandy and muddy sediment types and may have admixtures of coarser material. The character of the saltmarsh communities is affected by height up the shore, resulting in a zonation pattern related to the degree or frequency of immersion in seawater.

Source:
EUNIS habitat classification
Interpretation Manual of the habitats targeted by Resolution No. 4

Quick facts

EUNIS habitat type	code A2.5
Bern Convention	Resolution 4 habitat type (used for designation of Emerald sites)
Relation to	Annex I habitat types (EU Habitats Directive)

Legal status

Mentioned in the following international legal instruments and agreements

Legal text	Annex	More information
Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats (Bern Convention)	Revised Annex I of Resolution 4 (1996) of the Bern Convention on endangered natural habitats types using the EUNIS habitat classification (year of revision 2014)	https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc....ckColorLogged=FDC864 Resolution No. 4 (1996) of the Bern Convention lists endangered natural habitats requiring specific conservation measures [and the designation of Areas of Special Conservation Interest (ASCIs) forming the Emerald network]

Relation to other habitat types mentioned in legal instruments

Legal text	Annex	Name in legal text	Code in legal text	Habitat type relationship	More information
Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - consolidated version 01/01/2007	Annex I: natural habitat types of community interest whose conservation requires the designation of special areas of conservation	Estuaries	1130	Overlap	http://ec.europa.eu/environm...rective/index_en.htm
Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - consolidated version 01/01/2007	Annex I: natural habitat types of community interest whose conservation requires the designation of special areas of conservation	Coastal lagoons	1150	Overlap
Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - consolidated version 01/01/2007	Annex I: natural habitat types of community interest whose conservation requires the designation of special areas of conservation	Large shallow inlets and bays	1160	Overlap
Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - consolidated version 01/01/2007	Annex I: natural habitat types of community interest whose conservation requires the designation of special areas of conservation	Salicornia and other annuals colonizing mud and sand	1310	Wider
Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - consolidated version 01/01/2007	Annex I: natural habitat types of community interest whose conservation requires the designation of special areas of conservation	Spartina swards (Spartinion maritimae)	1320	Wider
Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - consolidated version 01/01/2007	Annex I: natural habitat types of community interest whose conservation requires the designation of special areas of conservation	Atlantic salt meadows (Glauco-Puccinellietalia maritimae)	1330	Wider
Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - consolidated version 01/01/2007	Annex I: natural habitat types of community interest whose conservation requires the designation of special areas of conservation	Mediterranean salt meadows (Juncetalia maritimi)	1410	Overlap
Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - consolidated version 01/01/2007	Annex I: natural habitat types of community interest whose conservation requires the designation of special areas of conservation	Mediterranean and thermo-Atlantic halophilous scrubs (Sarcocornetea fruticosi)	1420	Wider
Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - consolidated version 01/01/2007	Annex I: natural habitat types of community interest whose conservation requires the designation of special areas of conservation	Boreal Baltic coastal meadows	1630	Wider

Vegetation types

Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)

Name	Definition	Other names	Reference
Scirpion maritimi Dahl et Hadac 1941	Mesotrophic and eutrophic brackish swamp reeds of the European temperate coastal regions	Scirpion maritimi Dahl et Hadac 1941 corr. Rivas-Mart. et al. 1980; Bolboschoenion maritimi Dahl et Hadac 1941 nom. mut. propos.; Bolboschoenion (hal.) Soó 1945 (orig. form); Bolboschoenion maritimi Soó 1947; Caricion paleaceae Dahl et Hadac 1941; Eco-Magnocaricion paleaceae Chapman 1954; Eco-Phragmition Chapman 1954 p.p.; Eleocharition uniglumis Siira 1970; Eleocharition uniglumis Tyler 1969; Halo-Scirpion (Dahl et Hadac 1941) Den Held et Westhoff 1975; Bolboschoenion compacti Dahl et Hadac 1941 corr. Rivas-Mart. et al. 1980 nom. mut. propos.; Bolboschoenion maritimi continentale (Soó 1945) Borhidi 1970	Schaminee et al, 2012
Puccinellio maritimae-Spergularion salinae Beeftink 1965	Vegetation of grass-rich saline swards of supratidal habitats of European Atlantic coasts		Schaminee et al, 2012
Salicornion dolichostachyo-fragilis Géhu et Rivas-Mart. ex Géhu et Géhu-Franck 1984	Atlantic pioneer annual succulent communities of slikke of tidal mud-flats at lower tidal mark	Salicornion oliveri-procumbentis Géhu et Géhu-Franck 1982; Thero-Salicornion dolichostachyae (Tx. in Tx. et Oberd. 1958) Rivas-Mart. et al. 1998; Salicornion dolichostachyo-fragilis Géhu et Rivas-Mart.1982; Salicornion dolichostachyae Tx. 1974; Salicornion europaeae Schubert et al. 1995; Salicornion strictae Tx. in Tx. et Oberd. 1958; Salicornion dolichostachyo-fragilis Géhu et Géhu-Franck 1982; Salicornion dolichostachyo-fragilis Géhu et Rivas-Mart. ex Géhu 1992	Schaminee et al, 2012
Caricion glareosae Nordhagen 1954	Boreo-arctic upper-marsh saline coastal swards of seaboards of Northern Atlantic and Arctic Oceans	Magnocaricion glareosae Shimwell 1973	Schaminee et al, 2012
Arthrocnemion glauci Rivas-Mart. et Costa 1984	Mediterranean hypersaline coastal supratidal succulent chenopod scrub on sandy and rocky soils	Sarcocornion alpini (Rivas-Mart. et al. 1990) S. Brullo et al. 2002; Halocnemion strobilacei Korzhenevsky et Klyukin in Korzhenevsky 2000; Arthrocnemion macrostachyi Rivas-Mart. et Costa 1984 nom. mut. propos.; Limonion orientale Oberd. 1952 nom. mut.; Staticion orientale Oberd. 1952; Halocnemion strobilacei Korzhenevsky et Klyukin 1990	Schaminee et al, 2012
Spartinion glabrae Conard 1935	Pioneer vegetation of perennial cord grasses on intertidal mud and sand	Eco-Spartinion Chapman 1959; Spartinion anglicae Géhu in Bardat et al. 2004; Spartinion maritimae Beeftink et Géhu 1973; Spartinion maritimae Conard 1935 corr. Beeftink et al. in Géhu et Beeftink 1973	Schaminee et al, 2012
Thero-Salicornion Br.-Bl. 1933	Mediterranean and thermo-Atlantic pioneer annual succulent communities of tidal flats and irregularly flooded inland depressions	Salicornion Chapman 1959; Salicornion emerici Géhu et Géhu-Franck 1984; Salicornion patulae Géhu et Géhu-Franck 1984; Salicornion patulo-emerici Rivas-Mart. 1984; Salicornion strictae Tx. 1974; Suaedion Chapman 1959; Suaedion splendentis Julve 1993; Thero-Salicornion (Br.-Bl. 1933 ) Tx. 1954; Thero-Salicornion ?opa 1939; Thero-Salicornion Br.-Bl. 1931 (sensu ?opa 1939); Thero-Suaedion Br.-Bl. 1931; Thero-Suaedion Br.-Bl. ex Br.-Bl. et al. 1952	Schaminee et al, 2012
Salicornion fruticosae Br.-Bl. 1933	Mediterranean and thermo-atlantic intertidal succulent dwarf chenopod scub	Puccinellio maritimae-Halimionion portulacoidis Géhu et Biondi 1995; Salicornion fruticosae Br.-Bl. ex Br.-Bl. et al. 1952; Eco-Fruti-Salicornion Chapman 1954; Halimionion portulacoidis Géhu 1976; Halo-Puccinellion Pignatti 1952; Halo-Puccinellion Pignatti 1953; Salicornion fruticosae Br.-Bl. 1931; Sarcocornion perennis S. Brullo et Furnari 1988; Arthrocnemion perennis (Rivas-Mart. in Rivas-Mart. et al. 1980) Golub et al. 2001; Sarcocornion fruticosae Br.-Bl. 1933 nom. mut. propos.; Arthrocnemion fruticosi Br.-Bl. 1931 corr. O. de Bolòs 1967	Schaminee et al, 2012
Limoniastrion monopetali Pignatti 1952	Saline scrub of supratidal non-inundated sandy habitats of western North Africa and Western and Central Mediterranean	Frankenion thymifoliae Barbagallo et al. 1990; Limoniastrion monopetali Pignatti 1953; Limonion ferulacei (Pignatti 1952) Beeftink 1968	Schaminee et al, 2012
Festucion maritimae Christiansen 1927	Vegetation of grass-rich saline swards at low tidal mark of European Atlantic coasts	Puccinellio maritimae-Halimionion portulacoidis Géhu et Biondi 1995; Puccinellion maritimae Christiansen 1927 nom. mut. propos.; Eco-Festucion maritimae Chapman 1959; Eco-Puccinellion Chapman 1959 p.p.; Glauco-Caricion dilutae Golub et Solomakha 1988; Halimionion Chapman 1959; Puccinellion maritimae Tx. 1937; Puccinellion retroflexae Iversen 1936; Puccinellio maritimae-Salicornion herbaceae Br.-Bl. et De Leeuw 1936; Puccinellio maritimae-Halimionion portulacoidis Géhu 1994	Schaminee et al, 2012
Plantaginion crassifoliae Br.-Bl. ex Br.-Bl. et al. 1952	Western Tyrrhenian and Provencal saline swards of margins of lagoons and damp dune-slacks	Plantaginion crassifoliae Br.-Bl. 1931; Schoenion ferruginei Rivas Goday 1945	Schaminee et al, 2012
Salicornion ramosissimae Tx. 1974	Atlantic pioneer annual succulent communities of schorre tidal mud-flats at upper tidal mark	Salicornion europaeo-ramosissimae Géhu et Géhu-Franck 1984; Salicornion ramosissimae Tx. ex W. Matuszkiewicz 1981; Salicornion ramosissimae Tx. ex Rivas-Mart. et al. 1980	Schaminee et al, 2012
Frankenio laevis-Armerion maritimae Géhu et Géhu-Franck 1975	Vegetation of upper tidal coastal nutrient-rich sandy flats of cantabro-atlantic regions of Iberia and southern France	Limonio ovalifolii-Frankenion laevis Rivas-Mart. et al. 2001; Limonio ovalifolii-Frankenion laevis Arbesú et al. in Rivas-Mart. et al. 2002	Schaminee et al, 2012
Puccinellion phryganodis Hadac 1946	Boreo-arctic lower-marsh saline coastal swards of seaboards of Northern Atlantic and Arctic Oceans	Boreo-Puccinellion Pignatti 1953; Eco-Puccinellion Chapman 1959 p.p.; Juncion atrofuscae Golub et al. 2003; Puccinellion phryganodis Nordhagen 1954; Triglochino maritimi-Fucion vesiculosae Golub et al. 2003	Schaminee et al, 2012
Suaedion brevifoliae Br.-Bl. et O. de Bolòs 1958	Mediterranean-Cantabro-atlantic sub-nitrophilous supratidal succulent chenopod scrub on loamy-sandy soils	Suaedion braun-blanqueti Br.-Bl. et O. de Bolòs 1958 corr. Rivas-Mart. et al. 1991; Suaedion verae (Rivas-Mart. et al. 1990) Rivas-Mart. et al.1999; Atriplici halimi-Suaedion verae Julve 1993; Suaedion verae S. Brullo et Furnari 1988; Sarcocornion alpini (Rivas-Mart. et al. 1991) Brullo et al. 2002	Schaminee et al, 2012
Juncion maritimi Br.-Bl. ex Horvatic 1934	Mediterranean and thermo-Atlantic coastal saline rush marsh vegetation under prolonged flooding regime	Limonio gmelinii-Juncion maritimi Golub et Solomakha 1988; Apio-Juncion maritimi Pop 1962; Eco-Juncion maritimi Chapman 1954; Glauco-Juncion maritimi Géhu et Géhu-Franck 1984; Inulion crithmoidis S. Brullo et Furnari 1988; Juncion maritimi Br.-Bl. 1931; Juncion maritimi Br.-Bl. ex Br.-Bl. et al. 1952; Juncion maritimi Chapman 1959; Tetragonolobion siliquosi Pignatti 1953; Apio-Juncion maritimi Rivas Goday et Rivas-Mart. 1963; Glauco-Juncion maritimi Géhu et Géhu-Franck in Géhu 2007; Puccinellion festuciformis Géhu et Scoppola in Géhu et al. 1984	Schaminee et al, 2012
Armerion maritimae Br.-Bl. et De Leeuw 1936	Vegetation of grass- and chamaephyte-rich saline swards at high tidal mark of Atlantic seaboards of Europe	Festucion littoralis Corillion 1953 corr. Géhu 1976; Eco-Armerion Chapman 1959; Eleocharition uniglumis Krisch 1990; Festucion arenariae Corillion 1953; Junco-Caricion Corillion 1953	Schaminee et al, 2012
Dupontion fischeri Hadac 1946	Arctic subsaline coastal peaty meadows on clayey soils of Svalbard and Greenland	Caricion stantis Elvebakk 2002	Schaminee et al, 2012

Species mentioned in habitat description

Not available

Other classifications

Classification	Code	Habitat type name	Relationship type
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 200112	15	Saltmarshes, salt steppes, salt scrubs	wider
CORINE Land Cover	4.2.1.	Salt marshes	n/a
Marine Habitat Classification Britain/Ireland 0405	LS.LMp.Sm	Saltmarsh	narrower
Ramsar Wetland Types	H	Intertidal marshes	wider
Phase 1 habitat classification (UK) 1993	H2	Saltmarsh	narrower
Biodiversity Action Plan Priority Habitats (UK)	32	Coastal saltmarsh	narrower

For relation to plant communities (syntaxa), see Vegetation types

History

Classification	Code	Habitat type name	Relationship type
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410	A2.5	Coastal saltmarshes and saline reedbeds	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A2.6	Coastal saltmarshes and saline reedbeds	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	A2.6	Coastal saltmarshes and saline reedbeds	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910	A2.6	Coastal saltmarshes and saline reedbeds	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811	A2.6	Coastal saltmarshes and saline habitats	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199712	B3	Coastal saltmarshes and halophytic habitats	same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 199905	15	Saltmarshes, salt steppes, salt scrubs	wider
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1997	15	Saltmarshes, salt steppes, salt scrubs	wider
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1996	15		wider
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1993	15		wider
CORINE Biotopes Classification 1991	15		wider
CORINE Biotopes Classification 1989	15.1		wider
MNCR BioMar 97.06 (Britain & Ireland)	LMU.Sm	Saltmarsh	same

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