Black Sea broad-leaved coastal dune woodland

Natural or semi-natural tree and tree-shrub communities distributed along the Black Sea coast. The habitat has a very limited distribution in Bulgaria, where it is restricted mainly to two sites with the biggest dune systems: the Kamchia Reserve and the mouth of the Ropotamo River. Besides it is known from the Baltata Reserve. In Romania dunes with alluvial forest vegetation and many lianas are found in the maritime part of Danube’s Delta. The habitat was completely destroyed in the places of today’s Sunny Beach resort in Bulgaria. In the South-Western Black Sea coast (Ropotamo River) these woodlands occupy mostly the eastern, steep slopes on the biggest dune in Bulgaria, which is about 50 m high. The woods on the dunes have typical xerothermic features, the trees being small and strongly branched. These coenoses are dominated by Carpinus orientalis, Fraxinus ornus, Quercus cerris, Q. frainetto and Q. pubescens. The shrub layer is well developed and dominated mostly by Ruscus aculeatus, but also Cotinus coggygria, Cornus mas and the liana species Asparagus acutifolius participate in the floristic structure. The species composition of the herbaceous layer is diverse. In other areas covered by wooded dunes in Bulgaria and Romania the dunes are low (1.5-2 m) and partly covered by alluvial forest vegetation. Tree species typical for such forests are Acer campestre, Fraxinus oxycarpa, Quercus robur. Climbing species are common, like Hedera helix, Periploca graeca and Smilax excelsa. In good conditions these woodlands are dominated by native species. They are threatened by erosion and degradation. Other threats are fires, urban development, tourist pressure, and forestation with plantations of coniferous species (mostly Pinus pinaster). A main threat is the invasion of alien species, like Amorpha fruticosa, Robinia pseudacacia and Eleagnus angustifolia.

Indicators of quality:

• High species richness

• Prevalence of native forest, shrub and herbaceous species
• Absence of invasive species
• Natural structure (absence of forest plantations and forest regeneration)
• Long-term existence of mosaics of woodland, shrubland and psammophytic grasslands on the dune systems

Synthesis of Red List assessment

Confidence in the assessment

Pressures and threats