Red List habitat classification > RLB - Coastal habitats > RLB1.6b Mediterranean and Black Sea coastal dune scrub

Mediterranean and Black Sea coastal dune scrub

Quick facts

Red List habitat type	code RLB1.6b
Threat status
Europe	Vulnerable
EU	Vulnerable
Relation to	Annex I habitat types (EU Habitats Directive) Resolution 4 habitat type (Bern Convention)
Source	European Red List habitat factsheet
	European Red List of habitats reports
	European Red List of habitats (Excel table)

Summary

Scrub and thicket on stabilized or semi-stabilized dune systems of the Mediterranean, thermo-Atlantic (southern Portugal) and Black Sea coasts. The dominant shrubs and herbaceous species are diverse and may vary from site to site. These scrub and thickets often constitute the transition between grey dunes and coastal woodlands. In the Mediterranean region the most widespread coastal scrub and thickets are dominated by Juniper species: Juniperus phoenicea and Juniperus oxycedrus (subsp. macrocarpa, subsp. transtagana). In the warmest areas of the thermo-Mediterranean climate, various sclerophyllous, lauriphyllous or drought-deciduous scrub and thickets are found, from the classes Ononido-Rosmarinetea, Quercetea ilicis, Cisto-Lavanduletea, Retametea raetami, Cisto-Micromerietea. These communities dominated by shrubs and thickets and vegetation cover could be very close but in some cases it could be also relatively open. On open spots, many herbaceous species from the surrounding dune grasslands are common between the shrubs. Along the Black Sea coast several deciduous shrubs may dominate, such as Paliurus spina-christii, Osyris alba and Carpinus orientalis, but also some small evergreen species, such as Ruscus aculeatus and Jasminum fruticans may participate in the scrub or form very large stands on the dunes. Dunes with communities of Hippophae rhamnoides, which are typical for north-western Europe, are restricted to northern Italy in the Mediterranean and to the Danube Delta in the Black Sea region. Some anciently cultivated plants, like Ziziphus jujuba, represent semi-natural shrub plantations in the dunes of the Southern Black Sea coast. Invasive species, like Eucalyptus sp., Amorpha fruticosa, Eleagnos angustifolia may expand with important impacts on native vegetation.

Indicators of good quality:

In good conditions these scrubs and thickets are dominated by native species. They could be subjected to the natural succession (expanding of forest vegetation), often related to stabilization of the dune systems.

The following characteristics may be considered as indicators of good quality:

High species richness and prevalence of native shrubs and herbaceous species
Absence of communities dominated by invasive species
Absence of forest plantations and forest expansion
Long-term stability of the relative proportions of scrub and grasslands in the mosaics of the dune landscape

Characteristic species

For full habitat description, please download the habitat factsheet.

Threat status

Synthesis of Red List assessment

The habitat type is assessed as Vulnerable under Criterion A3 both at the EU28 and the EU28+ levels, as the habitat has experienced a substantial historic reduction (since ca. 1750) of 55%.

EU
Red List Category	Red List Criteria
Vulnerable	A3

Europe
Red List Category	Red List Criteria
Vulnerable	A3

Confidence in the assessment

medium

Red List of habitat categories and criteria descriptions

European Red List of Habitats categories

Based on Scientific Foundations for an IUCN Red List of Ecosystems

European Red List of Habitats criteria

Reduction in quantity (area of distribution)	A	A1 Present decline (over last 50 years) A2a Future decline (over the next 50 years) A2b Future/present decline (over a 50-year period inclunding present and future) A3 Historic decline
Restricted geographic distribution	B	B1 Restricted Extent of Occurrence (EOO) B2 Restricted Area of Occupancy (AOO) B3 Present at few locations
Reduction in abiotic quality	C	C/D1 Reduction in quality over the last 50 years C/D2 Reduction in quality in the future or in a period including present and future C/D3 Historic reduction in quality
Reduction in biotic quality	D
Quantitative analysis of probability of collapse	E

From Scientific Foundations for an IUCN Red List of Ecosystems

Pressures and threats

Agriculture

Cultivation

Sylviculture, forestry

Forest and Plantation management & use

Urbanisation, residential and commercial development

Urbanised areas, human habitation

Invasive, other problematic species and genes

Invasive non-native species

Natural System modifications

Burning down

Habitat restoration potential

As the habitat is dominated by woody species such as Juniperus spp., special conservation measures are suggested. In particular, in heavily degraded areas planting Juniperus spp. using regionally collected plant material could be mentioned.

Trends in extent
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

Legal protection of habitats and species is needed. In particular, a general legislation to prevent construction of new infrastructures and land clearing at expense of this habitat should be shared by all the EU countries. Moreover, establishing new protected areas/sites and restoring strongly degraded coastal areas are also important. In these cases, specific single species (Juniperus sp.) or species group (Juniperus spp.) management measures could be highlighted.

List of conservation and management needs

Measures related to forests and wooded habitats

Restoring/Improving forest habitats

Measures related to wetland, freshwater and coastal habitats

Restoring coastal areas

Measures related to spatial planning

Establish protected areas/sites
Legal protection of habitats and species

Measures related to hunting, taking and fishing and species management

Specific single species or species group management measures

Distribution

For each habitat a distribution map was produced from a wide variety of sources indicating known and potential occurrences of the habitat in 10x10 km grids within Europe. Occurrences in grid cells were given in two classes: actual distribution from relatively reliable sources (surveys, expert knowledge), and potential distribution based on models or less reliable indicators. Please download the fact sheet to see the map.

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)
Bulgaria	Present	Unknown	Decreasing	Decreasing
Croatia	Uncertain	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Cyprus	Present	0.3	Stable	Unknown
France mainland	Present	42	Unknown	Decreasing
Corsica	Present	42	Unknown	Decreasing
Greece (mainland and other islands)	Present	23	Decreasing	Increasing
Crete	Present	23	Decreasing	Increasing
East Aegean	Present	23	Decreasing	Increasing
Italy mainland	Present	205	Decreasing	Decreasing
Sardinia	Present	205	Decreasing	Decreasing
Sicily	Present	205	Decreasing	Decreasing
Portugal mainland	Present	14	Decreasing	Decreasing
Portugal Azores	Uncertain	14	Decreasing	Decreasing
Madeira	Uncertain	14	Decreasing	Decreasing
Savage Islands	Uncertain	14	Decreasing	Decreasing
Romania	Present	2	Decreasing	Increasing
Spain mainland	Present	33	Unknown	Decreasing
Balearic Islands	Present	33	Unknown	Decreasing
Canary Islands	Present	33	Unknown	Decreasing

EU28 +	Present or presence uncertain	Current area of habitat (Km²)	Recent trend in quantity (last 50 years)	Recent trend in quality (last 50 years)
Albania	Present	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Montenegro	Uncertain	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	3365550	963	320
EU28+	967		320

AOO = the area occupied by a habitat measured in number of 10x10 km grid cells.
EOO = the area (km2) of the envelope around all occurrences of a habitat (calculated by a minimum convex polygon).

Characteristic species

The full list of characteristic species and genus are available above from the Summary. The species available in the EUNIS database are shown here.

Conifers Ephedra campylopoda

Conifers Ephedra distachya

Conifers Ephedra fragilis

Conifers Juniperus navicularis

Conifers Juniperus oxycedrus

Conifers Juniperus phoenicea

Flowering Plants Amorpha fruticosa

Flowering Plants Artemisia campestris

Flowering Plants Asparagus acutifolius

Flowering Plants Asparagus aphyllus

Flowering Plants Bupleurum semicompositum

Flowering Plants Calamagrostis epigejos

Flowering Plants Carpinus orientalis

Flowering Plants Catapodium rigidum

Flowering Plants Centaurea pumilio

Flowering Plants Cistus creticus

Flowering Plants Cistus laurifolius

Flowering Plants Clematis flammula

Flowering Plants Corema album

Flowering Plants Coridothymus capitatus

Flowering Plants Dactylis glomerata

Flowering Plants Daphne sericea

Flowering Plants Erica manipuliflora

Flowering Plants Erica multiflora

Flowering Plants Erodium laciniatum

Flowering Plants Halimium halimifolium

Flowering Plants Helichrysum italicum

Flowering Plants Helichrysum stoechas

Flowering Plants Hippophae rhamnoides

Flowering Plants Jasminum fruticans

Flowering Plants Lagurus ovatus

Flowering Plants Limonium echioides

Flowering Plants Limonium graecum

Flowering Plants Limonium hyssopifolium

Flowering Plants Limonium ocymifolium

Flowering Plants Lonicera implexa

Flowering Plants Lycium schweinfurthii

Flowering Plants Melica minuta

Flowering Plants Myrtus communis

Flowering Plants Osyris alba

Flowering Plants Paliurus spina-christi

Flowering Plants Periploca graeca

Flowering Plants Phagnalon graecum

Flowering Plants Phillyrea angustifolia

Flowering Plants Pistacia lentiscus

Flowering Plants Prasium majus

Flowering Plants Pseudorlaya pumila

Flowering Plants Quercus coccifera

Flowering Plants Reichardia picroides

Flowering Plants Rhamnus alaternus

Flowering Plants Rubia peregrina

Flowering Plants Rubia tenuifolia

Flowering Plants Ruscus aculeatus

Flowering Plants Silene colorata

Flowering Plants Smilax aspera

Flowering Plants Teucrium capitatum

Flowering Plants Teucrium fruticans

Flowering Plants Trachynia distachya

Flowering Plants Tuberaria guttata

Flowering Plants Valantia hispida

Flowering Plants Vulpia fasciculata

Flowering Plants Ziziphus jujuba

Species scientific name	English common name	Species group
Ephedra campylopoda		Conifers
Ephedra distachya		Conifers
Ephedra fragilis		Conifers
Juniperus navicularis		Conifers
Juniperus oxycedrus		Conifers
Juniperus phoenicea		Conifers
Amorpha fruticosa		Flowering Plants
Artemisia campestris		Flowering Plants
Asparagus acutifolius		Flowering Plants
Asparagus aphyllus		Flowering Plants
Bupleurum semicompositum		Flowering Plants
Calamagrostis epigejos		Flowering Plants
Carpinus orientalis		Flowering Plants
Catapodium rigidum		Flowering Plants
Centaurea pumilio		Flowering Plants
Cistus creticus		Flowering Plants
Cistus laurifolius		Flowering Plants
Clematis flammula		Flowering Plants
Corema album		Flowering Plants
Coridothymus capitatus		Flowering Plants
Dactylis glomerata		Flowering Plants
Daphne sericea		Flowering Plants
Erica manipuliflora		Flowering Plants
Erica multiflora		Flowering Plants
Erodium laciniatum		Flowering Plants
Halimium halimifolium		Flowering Plants
Helichrysum italicum		Flowering Plants
Helichrysum stoechas		Flowering Plants
Hippophae rhamnoides		Flowering Plants
Jasminum fruticans		Flowering Plants
Lagurus ovatus		Flowering Plants
Limonium echioides		Flowering Plants
Limonium graecum		Flowering Plants
Limonium hyssopifolium		Flowering Plants
Limonium ocymifolium		Flowering Plants
Lonicera implexa		Flowering Plants
Lycium schweinfurthii		Flowering Plants
Melica minuta		Flowering Plants
Myrtus communis		Flowering Plants
Osyris alba		Flowering Plants
Paliurus spina-christi		Flowering Plants
Periploca graeca		Flowering Plants
Phagnalon graecum		Flowering Plants
Phillyrea angustifolia		Flowering Plants
Pistacia lentiscus		Flowering Plants
Prasium majus		Flowering Plants
Pseudorlaya pumila		Flowering Plants
Quercus coccifera		Flowering Plants
Reichardia picroides		Flowering Plants
Rhamnus alaternus		Flowering Plants
Rubia peregrina		Flowering Plants
Rubia tenuifolia		Flowering Plants
Ruscus aculeatus		Flowering Plants
Silene colorata		Flowering Plants
Smilax aspera		Flowering Plants
Teucrium capitatum		Flowering Plants
Teucrium fruticans		Flowering Plants
Trachynia distachya		Flowering Plants
Tuberaria guttata		Flowering Plants
Valantia hispida		Flowering Plants
Vulpia fasciculata		Flowering Plants
Ziziphus jujuba		Flowering Plants

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
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 dunes with Juniperus spp	2250	Wider	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	Cisto-Lavenduletalia dune sclerophyllous scrubs	2260	Wider
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)	Coastal dune scrub	B1.6	Narrower	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]

Write to us

Call us

Sections

Mediterranean and Black Sea coastal dune scrub

Quick facts

Summary

Threat status

Synthesis of Red List assessment

Confidence in the assessment

European Red List of Habitats categories

European Red List of Habitats criteria

Pressures and threats

Habitat restoration potential

Trends in extent

Average current trend in quantity

Trends in quality

Average current trend in quality

Conservation and management needs

List of conservation and management needs

Distribution

Geographic occurrence and trends

Extent of Occurrence, Area of Occupancy and habitat area

Characteristic species

Legal status

Relation to other habitat types mentioned in legal instruments

Vegetation types

Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)

Other classifications