Red List habitat classification > RLD - Mires and bogs > RLD2.2c Intermediate fen and soft-water spring mire

Intermediate fen and soft-water spring mire

Quick facts

Red List habitat type	code RLD2.2c
Threat status
Europe	Near Threatened
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

These are weakly acidic (pH 5-6) minerotrophic mires with a plant species composition intermediate between D2.2a Poor fens and D4.1a Short-sedge rich fens and calcareous spring fens. Intermediate fens occur on sodden peats fed from upper catchments by diffuse seepage of non-calcareous ground water discharged via springs with an influence typically confined to soaks or small brooks. They have unidirectional slope and lateral water flow but the kind of hummock-string patterning typical to D3.2 Aapa mires is missing or very limited. Intermediate fen vegetation can represent the general character of the main mire surfaces or be confined to more or less distinct patterns. True rich fen indicator species (e.g. Campylium stellatum, Philonotis calcarea, Scorpidium cossoni, Tomentypnum nitens) are missing or very scarce, one distinction from calcareous types. Since the transition between poor and rich fen characters differs across the extensive range through temperate Europe, variations in species composition in different regions can be seen.

Intermediate fens are characterized by abundance of mainly short-sedges like Carex canescens, C. echinata, C. nigra, C. panicea, Eriophorum scheuchzeri, Trichophorum alpinum, while also poor fen species like T. cespitosum and C. lasiocarpa are found. Other vascular plants include Cardamine pratensis, Dactylorhiza maculata, Molinia caerulea, Parnassia palustris, Potentilla erecta, Selaginella selaginoides, Tofieldia pusilla and Viola palustris. Common mire species like Andromeda polifolia, Eriophorum vaginatum and Vaccinium oxycoccos are also abundant. The ground layer may have Sphagnum contortum, S. subfulvum, S. subnitens, S. subsecundum, S. obtusum, S. teres or S. warnstorfii, also poor fen Sphagnum species can be found, and species composition varies between regions. Characteristically, brown mosses are abundant, but calciphilous species are absent.

Characteristic species

Characteristic species include Loeskypnum badium and Warnstorfia sarmentosa. Also Paludella squarrosa and Scorpidium revolvens are sometimes found. Especially in soft-water springs, Brachythecium rivulare, Bryum weigelii, Calliergon giganteum, Philonotis fontana, Plagiomnium spp., Rhizomnium spp. and Warnstorfia exannulata are characteristic mosses and Cardamine amara and Montia fontana may characterize the spring influence among vascular plants. Hummocks with, for example, Sphagnum fuscum, Polytrichum strictum, Calluna vulgaris and Empetrum nigrum are sometimes found, with Salix spp., Rhamnus frangula, Betula pubescens or individual cranked Pinus sylvestris.

Indicators of good quality:

Under natural conditions, the water table is close to the peat surface (5-20 cm)
carpets of mosses prevail with abundant short-sedges
Species diversity of vegetation is high reflecting transition between poor fens and rich fens
There are no ditches that drain or disconnect seepage or spring flow from the upper drainage area to the mire
Tree growth is limited to scattered individuals on hummocks or margins
Overgrowth by acidophilic Sphagnum spp. or by generalist tall sedges.

Characteristic species:

Vascular plants: Agrostis canina, A. capillaris, Allium sibiricum, Andromeda polifolia, Betula nana, Calamagrostis stricta, Cardamine pratensis, Carex canescens, C. diandra, C. dioica, C. lasiocarpa, C. magellanica ssp. irrigua, Crepis paludosa, Dactylorhiza incarnata, D. maculata, D. traunsteinerii, Drosera rotundifolia, D. longifolia, Epilobium alsinifolium, E. palustre, Eriophorum angustifolium, E. scheuchzeri, Equisetum palustre, Hammarbya paludosa, Huperzia selago, Juncus filiformis, Parnassia palustris, Pedicularis palustris, Potentilla erecta, Rhynchospora fusca, Salix herbacea, Selaginella selaginoides, Trichophorum alpinum, T. cespitosum, Vaccinium oxycoccos, Viola palustris

Mosses: Aulacomnium palustre, Brachythecium rivulare, Bryum pseudotriquetrum, B. weigelii, Calliergon cordifolium, C. giganteum, Calliergonella cuspidata, Chiloskyphus polyanthos, Hamatocaulis vernicosus, Helodium blandowii, Hypnum pratense, Loeskypnum badium, Marchantia polyanthos, Mniobryum wahlenbergii, Paludella squarrosa, Plagiomnium medium, P. ellipticum, P. undulatum, Philonotis fontana, P. seriata, Pseudobryum cinclioides, Rhizomnium magnifolium, R. pseudopunctatum, Scapania paludicola, Scorpidium revolvens, Sphagnum aongstroemii, S. flexuosum, S. magellanicum, S. obtusum, S. papillosum, S. subnitens, S. subsecundum, S. teres, S. warnstorfii, Straminergon stramineum, Trichocolea tomentella, Warnstorfia fluitans, W. exannulata, W. sarmentosa

For full habitat description, please download the habitat factsheet.

Threat status

Synthesis of Red List assessment

The habitat type is assessed as Vulnerable (VU) in EU28 and Near Threatened in EU28+ based on declines in area over the last 50 years (criterion A1). In the case of EU28+, the assessment is corrected for a considered and likely underestimation of the calculated 28% decline of area during past 50 years. The criterion C/D1 indicated Near Threatened (NT) but it is also quite close to the Vulnerable threshold. The data provide quite good cover over Europe but many entries lacked details. The Swedish data were especially influencial and these were combined with literature sources, since this habitat is not separated in Swedish national inventories.

EU
Red List Category	Red List Criteria
Vulnerable	A1

Europe
Red List Category	Red List Criteria
Near Threatened	A1

Confidence in the assessment

low

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

Intensive grazing
Abandonment of pastoral systems, lack of grazing
Fertilisation

Sylviculture, forestry

Forestry activities not referred to above

Mining, extraction of materials and energy production

Peat extraction

Transportation and service corridors

Roads, paths and railroads

Urbanisation, residential and commercial development

Urbanised areas, human habitation

Human intrusions and disturbances

Outdoor sports and leisure activities, recreational activities
Skiing, off-piste

Pollution

Pollution to groundwater (point sources and diffuse sources)
Air pollution, air-borne pollutants
Nitrogen-input

Natural System modifications

Human induced changes in hydraulic conditions
Canalisation & water deviation
Modification of hydrographic functioning, general
Water abstractions from groundwater
Other human induced changes in hydraulic conditions

Natural biotic and abiotic processes (without catastrophes)

Abiotic (slow) natural processes
Biocenotic evolution, succession

Habitat restoration potential

When severely damaged in terms of hydrological disturbance, restoration by blocking and damming ditches can be effective in habitat recovery. Problems may arise if the hydrological connection to ground water supply from the catchment is not regained or if nutrient mineralisation causes eutrophication. If loss of key species like characteristic mosses has taken place, reintroduction by transplantatiing should be considered, as well as active measures to suppress overgrowing by unwanted plant cover.

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

Establishing protected areas and restoration by improving hydrological regime of disturbed sites are the main approaches.

List of conservation and management needs

Measures related to forests and wooded habitats

Other forestry-related measures

Measures related to wetland, freshwater and coastal habitats

Other wetland related measures
Restoring/Improving water quality
Restoring/Improving the hydrological regime
Managing water abstraction

Measures related to spatial planning

Establish protected areas/sites
Legal protection of habitats and species

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)
Austria	Present	21	Decreasing	Decreasing
Belgium	Present	unknown	Decreasing	Decreasing
Bulgaria	Present	0.9	Decreasing	Decreasing
Czech Republic	Present	12	Decreasing	Decreasing
Denmark	Present	unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Estonia	Present	80-100	Decreasing	Decreasing
Finland mainland	Present	1670	Decreasing	Decreasing
Aland Islands	Uncertain	1670	Decreasing	Decreasing
France mainland	Present	55-150	Decreasing	Decreasing
Germany	Present	<100	Decreasing	Decreasing
Ireland	Present	unknown	Unknown	Decreasing
Italy mainland	Present	36-62	Decreasing	Decreasing
Latvia	Present	unknown	Decreasing	Decreasing
Lithuania	Present	40-45	Decreasing	Decreasing
Netherlands	Present	4	Decreasing	Decreasing
Poland	Present	0.2	Decreasing	Decreasing
Portugal mainland	Present	0.7	Decreasing	Decreasing
Portugal Azores	Uncertain	0.7	Decreasing	Decreasing
Slovakia	Present	1	Decreasing	Decreasing
Slovenia	Present	2.6	Stable	Stable
Spain mainland	Present	unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Sweden	Present	4800	Decreasing	Decreasing
United Kingdom	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)
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Present	1.3	Decreasing	Decreasing
Iceland	Uncertain		-	-
Norway Mainland	Present	4500	Decreasing	Decreasing
Switzerland	Present	65	Decreasing	Decreasing

Extent of Occurrence, Area of Occupancy and habitat area

	Extent of Occurrence (EOO) (Km²)	Area of Occupancy (AOO)	Current estimated Total Area	Comment
EU28	10053250	14480		AOO and EOO incl. potential distribution
EU28+	14518			AOO and EOO incl. potential distribution

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

Not available

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	Transition mires and quaking bogs	7140	Overlap	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	Depressions on peat substrates of the Rhynchosporion	7150	Overlap
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)	Poor fens and soft-water spring mires	D2.2	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]

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Intermediate fen and soft-water spring mire

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