EUNIS habitat classification 2017 > N - Coastal habitats > N2 - Coastal shingle > N22 - Mediterranean and Black Sea coastal shingle beach

Mediterranean and Black Sea coastal shingle beach

Description (English)

Shingle and cobble beaches formed on dynamic coasts around the Mediterranean and Black Seas, where waves, mostly in winter, weather cliffs and redeposit the eroded material. Mixed with shells and decaying algae and sea grass washed ashore, it provides a nitrogen-rich surface for patchy and sporadic colonisation by annuals and some perennials, also sometimes weedy assemblages. Though widespread, its stands are narrow and localised and highly vulnerable to tourist recreation and coastal development.

Source: EUNIS habitat classification

Quick facts

EUNIS habitat type	code N22
Relation to	Resolution 4 habitat type (used for designation of Emerald sites)

Legal status

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
Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats	Revised Annex I of Resolution 4 (1996) of the Bern Convention on endangered natural habitats types using the EUNIS habitat classification (year of revision 2010)	Annual vegetation of drift lines	1210	Overlap	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]
Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats	Revised Annex I of Resolution 4 (1996) of the Bern Convention on endangered natural habitats types using the EUNIS habitat classification (year of revision 2010)	Perennial vegetation of stony banks	1220	Overlap	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]
Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats	Revised Annex I of Resolution 4 (1996) of the Bern Convention on endangered natural habitats types using the EUNIS habitat classification (year of revision 2010)	Shingle beach driftlines	B2.1	Overlap	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]
Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats	Revised Annex I of Resolution 4 (1996) of the Bern Convention on endangered natural habitats types using the EUNIS habitat classification (year of revision 2010)	Upper shingle beaches with open vegetation	B2.3	Overlap	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]

Vegetation types

Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)

Not available

Indicator species

Diagnostic species

Constant species

Dominant species

Flowering Plants Crithmum maritimum

Flowering Plants Pancratium maritimum

Flowering Plants Matthiola tricuspidata

Flowering Plants Eryngium maritimum

Flowering Plants Sporobolus pungens

Flowering Plants Glaucium flavum

Flowering Plants Silene sericea

Flowering Plants Anthemis maritima

Flowering Plants Limonium virgatum

Flowering Plants Medicago marina

Flowering Plants Lotus cytisoides

Flowering Plants Anchusa crispa

Diagnostic species occur concentrated in the habitat in question, but are absent or rare in other habitats. They are good positive indicators of the habitat, but they do not need to occur in every location of the habitat.

Species scientific name	English common name	Species group
Crithmum maritimum		Flowering Plants
Pancratium maritimum		Flowering Plants
Matthiola tricuspidata		Flowering Plants
Eryngium maritimum		Flowering Plants
Sporobolus pungens		Flowering Plants
Glaucium flavum		Flowering Plants
Silene sericea		Flowering Plants
Anthemis maritima		Flowering Plants
Limonium virgatum		Flowering Plants
Medicago marina		Flowering Plants
Lotus cytisoides		Flowering Plants
Anchusa crispa		Flowering Plants

Flowering Plants Crithmum maritimum

Flowering Plants Pancratium maritimum

Flowering Plants Eryngium maritimum

Flowering Plants Sporobolus pungens

Flowering Plants Matthiola tricuspidata

Flowering Plants Glaucium flavum

Fishes Salsola kali

Flowering Plants Medicago marina

Flowering Plants Lotus cytisoides

Flowering Plants Helichrysum italicum

Flowering Plants Silene sericea

Flowering Plants Reichardia picroides

Flowering Plants Frankenia laevis

Flowering Plants Cakile maritima

Flowering Plants Anthemis maritima

Flowering Plants Ammophila arenaria

Constant species occur frequently in the habitat, but they may include generalist species that are also frequent in other habitats.

Species scientific name	English common name	Species group
Crithmum maritimum		Flowering Plants
Pancratium maritimum		Flowering Plants
Eryngium maritimum		Flowering Plants
Sporobolus pungens		Flowering Plants
Matthiola tricuspidata		Flowering Plants
Glaucium flavum		Flowering Plants
Salsola kali		Fishes
Medicago marina		Flowering Plants
Lotus cytisoides		Flowering Plants
Helichrysum italicum		Flowering Plants
Silene sericea		Flowering Plants
Reichardia picroides		Flowering Plants
Frankenia laevis		Flowering Plants
Cakile maritima		Flowering Plants
Anthemis maritima		Flowering Plants
Ammophila arenaria		Flowering Plants

Flowering Plants Crithmum maritimum

Flowering Plants Matthiola tricuspidata

Flowering Plants Sporobolus pungens

Dominant species are those that often reach high cover in the habitat, thus determining the habitat physiognomy.

Species scientific name	English common name	Species group
Crithmum maritimum		Flowering Plants
Matthiola tricuspidata		Flowering Plants
Sporobolus pungens		Flowering Plants

Please note that a maximum of 20 species of each indicator category is shown.

Other classifications

Classification	Code	Habitat type name	Relationship type
EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012)	B2.4	Fixed shingle beaches, with herbaceous vegetation	overlap
EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012)	B2.1	Shingle beach driftlines	overlap
EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012)	B2.2	Unvegetated mobile shingle beaches above the driftline	overlap
EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012)	B2.3	Upper shingle beaches with open vegetation	overlap
European Red List of Habitats	B2.1b	Mediterranean and Black Sea coastal shingle beach	same

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

History

Classification	Code	Habitat type name	Relationship type
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410	B2.4	Fixed shingle beaches, with herbaceous vegetation	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410	B2.1	Shingle beach driftlines	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410	B2.2	Unvegetated mobile shingle beaches above the driftline	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410	B2.3	Upper shingle beaches with open vegetation	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	B2.4	Fixed shingle beaches, with herbaceous vegetation	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	B2.1	Shingle beach driftline habitats	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	B2.2	Unvegetated mobile shingle beaches above the driftline	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	B2.3	Upper shingle beaches with open vegetation	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	B2.4	Fixed shingle beaches, with herbaceous vegetation	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	B2.1	Shingle beach driftline habitats	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	B2.2	Unvegetated mobile shingle beaches above the driftline	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	B2.3	Upper shingle beaches with open vegetation	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910	B2.4	Fixed shingle beaches, with herbaceous vegetation	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910	B2.1	Shingle beach driftline habitats	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910	B2.2	Unvegetated mobile shingle beaches above the driftline	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910	B2.3	Upper shingle beaches with open vegetation	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811	B2.4	Fixed shingle beaches, with grassy or heathy vegetation	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811	B2.1	Shingle beach driftline habitats	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811	B2.2	Unvegetated mobile shingle beaches above the driftline	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811	B2.3	Upper shingle beaches with open vegetation	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199712	B6.4	Fixed shingle beaches, with grassy or heathy vegetation	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199712	B6.1	Shingle beach driftline habitats	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199712	B6.2	Unvegetated mobile shingle beaches above the driftline	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199712	B6.3	Upper shingle beaches with open vegetation	same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 199905	17.4	Gravel bank heaths and grasslands	same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 199905	17.3	Sea kale communities	same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 199905	17.2	Shingle beach drift lines	same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 199905	17.1	Unvegetated shingle beaches	same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1997	17.4	Gravel bank heaths and grasslands	same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1997	17.3	Sea kale communities	same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1997	17.2	Shingle beach drift lines	same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1997	17.1	Unvegetated shingle beaches	same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1996	17.1		same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1996	17.2		same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1996	17.3		same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1996	17.4		same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1993	17.1		same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1993	17.2		same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1993	17.3		same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1993	17.4		same
CORINE Biotopes Classification 1991	17.1		same
CORINE Biotopes Classification 1991	17.2		same
CORINE Biotopes Classification 1991	17.3		same
CORINE Biotopes Classification 1991	17.4		same
CORINE Biotopes Classification 1989	17.1		same
CORINE Biotopes Classification 1989	17.2		same
CORINE Biotopes Classification 1989	17.3		same

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Mediterranean and Black Sea coastal shingle beach

Description (English)

Quick facts

Legal status

Relation to other habitat types mentioned in legal instruments

Vegetation types

Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)

Indicator species

Other classifications

History