Polygon mires
English name:
Polygon mires
Description (English)
Complex mires of the arctic and subarctic patterned by surface microrelief of large, 10 to 30 m in diameter, low-centre or high-centre polygons formed by the juxtaposition of dry, 0.3 to 0.5 m high, ridges covered by shrubs, hypnoid mosses and sphagna, and of wet hollows occupied by grasses, sedges, mosses and sphagna. Polygon mires occur mainly outside Europe, in tundra where the mean annual temperature is below -1°C.
Source:
EUNIS habitat classification
Interpretation Manual of the habitats targeted by Resolution No. 4
Quick facts
| EUNIS habitat type | code D3.3 |
|---|---|
| Bern Convention | Resolution 4 habitat type (used for designation of Emerald sites) |
Legal status
Mentioned in the following international legal instruments and agreements
Vegetation types
Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)
| Name | Definition | Alternatives | Reftext |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oxycocco microcarpi-Empetrion hermaphroditi Nordhagen ex Du Rietz 1954 | Bogs of boreal-arctic zones and in alpine belt in nemoral mountain ranges of Eurasia | Eu-Fuscion Du Rietz 1950 (orig. form); Oxycocco-Empetrion hermaphroditi Nordhagen 1936; Oxycocco-Empetrion hermaphroditi Nordhagen 1943; Vaccinion microcarpi Julve 1992; Oxycocco-Empetrion hermaphroditi Nordhagen ex Hadac et Vána 1967 | Schaminee et al, 2012 |
| Sphagnion cuspidati Krajina 1934 | Vegetation of stagnant, acid, dystrophic waters in pools of bogs on deep peats of Europe | Caricion rotundatae Kalliola 1939; Droserion intermediae Succow 1974; Molinio caeruleae-Rhynchosporion albae (Koch 1926) de Foucault 1984; Leuko-Scheuchzerion palustris Nordhagen 1943; Rhynchosporion albae sensu auct., non Koch 1926; Scheuchzerio-Rhynchosporion albae Duvigneaud 1949; Scheuchzerion palustris Nordhagen 1936; Scheuchzerion palustris Nordhagen 1937; Scheuchzerion palustris Nordhagen ex Tx. 1937; Sphagnion cuspidati Krajina 1933; Stygio-Caricion limosae Nordhagen 1943; Scheuchzerio-Rhynchosporion albae (Koch 1926) Succow 1974 | Schaminee et al, 2012 |
| Caricion fuscae Koch 1926 | Fen meadows with dominating sedges and forbs on non-calcareous soils of temperate Europe and high-altitudes of Mediterranean | Caricion canescenti-fuscae Nordhagen 1936 nom. mut. propos.; Agrostio caninae-Caricion curtae Julve 1993; Anagallido tenellae-Juncion bulbosi Br.-Bl. 1967; Calamagrostion neglectae Palczynski 1975; Carici-Nardion V. Randelovic 1998; Carici-Narthecion scardici Horvat 1936; Caricion canescenti-fuscae Nordhagen ex Tx. 1937; Caricion canescenti-goodenowii Nordhagen 1936; Caricion canescenti-goodenowii Nordhagen 1937; Caricion nigrae Koch 1926 nom. mut. propos.; Comaro palustris-Juncion effusi Passarge 1999; Drepanocladion exannulati Krajina 1933; Drepanocladion exannulati Krajina 1934; Eriophorion scheuchzeri Hadac 1939; Narthecion scardici Horvat 1936; Narthecion scardici Horvat 1960; Narthecion scardici Horvat ex Lakušic 1968; Narthecion scardici Horvat ex Lakušic 1970; Ranunculo-Caricion fuscae Passarge 1978; Rhynchosporion albae Koch 1926 nom. dubium propos.; Sphagnion teretis Succow 1974; Caricion canescenti-nigrae Nordhagen ex Tx. 1937 nom. mut. propos.; Anagallido tenellae-Juncion acutiflori Br.-Bl. 1967 nom. corr. propos.; Caricion curto-nigrae (Koch 1926) Westhoff et Den Held 1969; Parvocaricion canescentis-fuscae Duvigneaud et Vanden Berghen 1945; Caricion canescenti-nigrae Nordhagen 1936 nom. mut. propos. | Schaminee et al, 2012 |
| Sphagno-Tomentypnion Dahl 1956 | Calcium-rich fens of boreal zone and mountains of Central Europe | Betulo nanae-Tomentypnion nitentis Smagin 1999; Bistorto-Caricion diandrae Smagin 2007; Caricion demissae Rybnícek 1964; Caricion pulicaris Passarge 1964; Caricion tumidicarpae Rybnícek 1964 | Schaminee et al, 2012 |
| Caricion lasiocarpae Vanden Berghen in Lebrun et al. 1949 | Mesotrophic sedge fens of wet sites on peat and mineral soils of Europe | Acrocladio-Caricion Succow 1974; Caricion diandrae Palczynski 1975; Eriophorion gracilis Preising in Oberd. 1957; Junco acutiflori-Caricion lasiocarpae Julve 1993; Junco subnodulosi-Caricion lasiocarpae Julve 1993; Stygio-Caricion limosae Nordhagen 1943 p.p.; Caricion chordorrhizo-lasiocarpae (Vanden Berghen in Lebrun et al. 1949) Julve 1993; Meeseo-Caricion limosae (Preising in Oberd. 1957) Passarge 1978; Carici lasiocarpae-Eriophorion vaginati Voroiov et al. 1997 | Schaminee et al, 2012 |
| Caricion atrofusco-saxatilis Nordhagen 1943 | Small-sedge calcareous fens of Alps and European Arctic | Caricion atrofuscae Nordhagen 1935; Caricion bicoloris Nordhagen 1935; Caricion bicoloris-atrofuscae Nordhagen 1936 | Schaminee et al, 2012 |
Species mentioned in habitat description
Not available
Other classifications
| Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 200112 | 54.A | Polygon mires | same |
| CORINE Land Cover | 4.1.2. | Peatbogs | n/a |
| Ramsar Wetland Types | U | Non-forested peatlands | wider |
History
| Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 | D3.3 | Polygon mires | same |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | D3.3 | Polygon mires | same |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | D3.3 | Polygon mires | same |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 | D3.3 | Polygon mires | same |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811 | D3.3 | Polygon mires | same |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199712 | X05 | Polygon mires | same |
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 199905 | 54.A | Polygon mires | same |
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1997 | 54.A | Polygon mires | same |
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1996 | 54.A | same | |
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1993 | 54.A | same |
