Atlantic and Baltic shifting coastal dune
Quick facts
Red List habitat type | code RLB1.3a |
---|---|
Threat status | |
Europe | Near Threatened |
EU | Near Threatened |
Relation to |
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Source | European Red List habitat factsheet |
European Red List of habitats reports | |
European Red List of habitats (Excel table) |
Summary
Primary dunes and white dunes along the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean, including the North Sea, and the Baltic Sea. Primary dunes are found on sandy beaches along sedimentary coasts, where plenty of sand is available. They are formed by Elytrigia farctus, which is able to catch blowing sand and built up small dunes, in some cases mixed with drift line species (Cakile maritima, Salsola kali). In the northern Baltic Sea embryonic dunes are formed by Leymus arenarius and occasionally also by Honckenya peploides or Agrostis stolonifera. Such embryonic dunes often last only a year and disappear after severe storms. In sheltered conditions, for examples along expanding coasts, they may however grow higher, outside the influence of salt ground water, until a level where Ammophila arenaria is able to establish and to provide more stability to the dunes. Marram grass can develop a very deep root system with which the plant grows higher and higher when overblown by sand. In this way dunes grow up to high ridges, forming the so-called white dunes (named after the soil color which is related to the absence of organic, “grey” material). White dunes have a very open vegetation cover, an alternating relief and form (still) a very dynamic environment (due to wind and salt spray) where few species can survive. In good conditions there is a clear zonation of primary and white dunes, while on very broad, expanding shores even large areas with a mixture of embryonic dunes, drift-line communities and white dunes may develop.
Leymus arenarius and x Calamagrostis baltica can have a similar role as Ammophila in relatively cold regions, although the white dunes (in fact “black” on volcanic Iceland) don’t grow that high in cold regions. A constant species in all Atlantic and Baltic white dunes is Festuca arenaria. Other associated species are Sonchus arvensis var. maritimus, Oenanthe oakesiana, Honckenya peploides, in boreal regions Lathyrus japonicus and in relatively warm regions Calystegia soldanella, Eryngium maritimum, Euphorbia paralias, Polygonum maritimum, and several species more typical for Mediterranean white dunes (see habitat B1.3b). Amongst the more restricted species are Linaria loeselii (Baltics), Pancratium maritimum, Linaria thymifolia and Hieracium eriophorum (Southwestern France) and Galium arenarium and Galium neglectum (Bay of Biscaye and Channel islands).
Besides the relatively low diversity of vascular plants some remarkable fungi grow here, several of them being restricted to coastal dunes. Examples are Agaricus devoniensis, Cyathus stercoreus, Hohenbuehelia culmicola, Melanoleuca cinereifolia, Peziza ammophila, Phallus hadriani, Psathyrella ammophila and Stropharia halophila.
The fauna of this extreme habitat contains several specialized species of beetle.
Indicators of good quality:
· Natural zonation from embryonic dunes to white dunes, or mosaic of embryonic and white dunes
· Irregular vegetation structure, with open sand
· Irregular, alternating relief (with high ridges and depressions)
· Presence of characteristic fungi
· No disturbance by man
· Absence of erosion patterns
Threat status
Synthesis of Red List assessment
EU | |
Red List Category | Red List Criteria |
Near Threatened | A3, C/D1 |
Europe | |
Red List Category | Red List Criteria |
Near Threatened | A3, C/D1 |
Confidence in the assessment
Pressures and threats
- Urbanisation, residential and commercial development
- Urbanised areas, human habitation
- Human intrusions and disturbances
- Trampling, overuse
- Invasive, other problematic species and genes
- Invasive non-native species
- Natural biotic and abiotic processes (without catastrophes)
- Erosion
- Climate change
- Sea-level changes
Habitat restoration potential
Trends in extent |
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Average current trend in quantity |
|
Decreasing | Decreasing |
EU28 | EU28+ |
Trends in quality |
|
Average current trend in quality |
|
Decreasing | Decreasing |
EU28 | EU28+ |
Conservation and management needs
List of conservation and management needs
- Measures related to wetland, freshwater and coastal habitats
- Restoring coastal areas
- Measures related to urban areas, industry, energy and transport
- Urban and industrial waste management
Distribution
Geographic occurrence and trends
EU28 | Present or presence uncertain | Current area of habitat (Km2) | Recent trend in quantity (last 50 years) | Recent trend in quality (last 50 years) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Belgium | Present | 5.6 | Stable | Decreasing |
Ireland | Present | 5.3 | Stable | Stable |
Portugal Azores | Present | 7 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Spain mainland | Present | 2.4 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Denmark | Present | 21 | Unknown | Unknown |
Estonia | Present | 4 | Decreasing | Stable |
Finland mainland | Present | 1.7 | Stable | Stable |
Lithuania | Present | 8 | Decreasing | Stable |
Netherlands | Present | 26 | Stable | Stable |
Poland | Present | 25 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Sweden | Present | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
United Kingdom | Present | 25 | Unknown | Decreasing |
Northern Island | Present | 25 | Unknown | Decreasing |
Aland Islands | Present | 1.7 | Stable | Stable |
Portugal mainland | Present | 7 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
France mainland | Present | 190 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Latvia | Present | 7.7 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Germany | Present | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
EU28 + | Present or presence uncertain | Current area of habitat (Km2) | Recent trend in quantity (last 50 years) | Recent trend in quality (last 50 years) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Iceland | Present | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
Kaliningrad | Present | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
Norway Mainland | Present | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
Isle of Man | Present | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
Faroe Islands | Present | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
Guernsey | Present | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
Jersey | Present | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
Extent of Occurrence, Area of Occupancy and habitat area
Extent of Occurrence (EOO) (Km2) | Area of Occupancy (AOO) | Current estimated Total Area | Comment | |
---|---|---|---|---|
EU28 | 4314750 | 2472 | 339 | |
EU28+ | 2493 | 339 |
EOO = the area (km2) of the envelope around all occurrences of a habitat (calculated by a minimum convex polygon).