Calcareous quaking mire
Quick facts
Red List habitat type | code RLD4.1c |
---|---|
Threat status | |
Europe | Vulnerable |
EU | Vulnerable |
Relation to |
|
Source | European Red List habitat factsheet |
European Red List of habitats reports | |
European Red List of habitats (Excel table) |
Summary
Very wet mires with rich fen vegetation of topogenic basins fed by calcareous ground water from the catchment. Water pH is always high (pH 6.5-8.5) due to high alkalinity. Calcium concentrations are typically very high (>20 mg/l) but sometimes lower, especially in boreal regions. Peat layer is usually relatively thin (0.5-2 m) but also sites with thicker peat layer occur, as depending on basin and catchment topography. Calcium precipitation can take place on peat surface. Water table is always close to peat surface and open water surfaces are common. Regular surface patterning can be absent, while irregular patterns of flarks, pools and hollows are common. In boreal region, typical string-flark patterning is common. In such cases, calcareous quaking mires differ from D3.2 Aapa mires by the abundance of calciphilous species, especially among bryophytes. This also is the main distinction from D2.3a Quaking mires.
Vegetation is strongly minerotrophic and characterized by abundance of Amblystegiaceae mosses, especially Scorpidium scorpioides. Other characteristic mosses include Scorpidium revolvens, Scorpidium cossoni, Calliergon richardsonii and Pseudocalliergon trifarium. In the boreal region, weaker minerotrophy indicating species like Sphagnum contortum and Warnstorfia procera can also be frequent. Vascular plant cover is characteristically sparse. Typical species include Carex chordorrhiza, Carex diandra, Carex flava, Carex lasiocarpa, Carex limosa, Carex rostrata, Carex livida, Drosera longifolia, Equisetum fluviatile, Eriophorum gracile, Juncus stygius, Liparis loeselii, Menyanthes trifoliata, Pedicularis palustris, Potentilla palustris, Schoenus ferrugineus and Utricularia intermedia. Sometimes sparse stands of Phragmites australis are found.
Indicators of good quality:
Under natural conditions, water table is close to surface and it can always be readily observed. Open water surfaces are common. Calcite precipitation takes place in richly calcareous situations, but when calcium levels are not supersaturated, precipitation can be absent. Rich fen mosses are abundant, although not necessarily forming continuous carpets. Sphagnum mosses are mainly absent from main mire surfaces, while they may be found in hummock strings or other isolated microsites. Vascular plant cover is sparse, leaving space and light for mosses.
Drainage ditches can affect calcareous quaking mires by lowering water level or by interrupting the inflow of calcareous water from the catchment. In such cases, rich fen mosses are rapidly lost and replaced by generalist species. Eutrophication by nitrogen deposition also threatens these habitats. Over growth e.g. by Sphagnum subnitens and Calliergonella cuspidata have been observed in high N deposition areas. General increase of vascular plant biomass can also indicate weakening of habitat quality.
Threat status
Synthesis of Red List assessment
EU | |
Red List Category | Red List Criteria |
Vulnerable | A1 |
Europe | |
Red List Category | Red List Criteria |
Vulnerable | A1 |
Confidence in the assessment
Pressures and threats
- Agriculture
- Cultivation
- 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
- Mechanical removal of peat
- Pollution
- Pollution to surface waters (limnic, terrestrial, marine & brackish)
- Diffuse pollution to surface waters due to agricultural and forestry activities
- Nutrient enrichment (N, P, organic matter)
- Natural System modifications
- Human induced changes in hydraulic conditions
- Infilling of ditches, dykes, ponds, pools, marshes or pits
- 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)
- Biocenotic evolution, succession
- Species composition change (succession)
- Eutrophication (natural)
- Acidification (natural)
Habitat restoration potential
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
List of conservation and management needs
- 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
- Measures related to hunting, taking and fishing and species management
- Regulation/Management of hunting and taking
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) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Austria | Present | 2 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Belgium | Present | unknown | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Bulgaria | Present | 7 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Czech Republic | Present | 0.1 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Denmark | Present | 3 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Estonia | Present | 13 | Stable | Stable |
Finland mainland | Present | 320 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Aland Islands | Present | 320 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
France mainland | Present | 01-May | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Ireland | Present | unknown | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Latvia | Present | unknown | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Lithuania | Present | <1 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Netherlands | Present | 2 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Poland | Present | 10 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Slovakia | Present | 0.1 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Spain mainland | Present | unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
Sweden | Present | 500 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
United Kingdom | Uncertain | - | - | |
Germany | Present | <1 | Decreasing | 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) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Norway Mainland | Present | 10 | 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 | 4778200 | 1318 | 860 | Minor areas missing due to lack of data from some countries |
EU28+ | 1438 | 870 | Minor areas missing due to lack of data from some countries |
EOO = the area (km2) of the envelope around all occurrences of a habitat (calculated by a minimum convex polygon).
Characteristic species
Species scientific name | English common name | Species group |
---|---|---|
Equisetum fluviatile | Ferns | |
Equisetum palustre | Ferns | |
Carex buxbaumii | Flowering Plants | |
Carex chordorrhiza | Flowering Plants | |
Carex diandra | Flowering Plants | |
Carex flava | Flowering Plants | |
Carex heleonastes | Flowering Plants | |
Carex jemtlandica | Flowering Plants | |
Carex lasiocarpa | Flowering Plants | |
Carex limosa | Flowering Plants | |
Carex livida | Flowering Plants | |
Carex rostrata | Flowering Plants | |
Drosera intermedia | Flowering Plants | |
Drosera longifolia | Flowering Plants | |
Eriophorum angustifolium | Flowering Plants | |
Eriophorum gracile | Flowering Plants | |
Eriophorum latifolium | Flowering Plants | |
Juncus biglumis | Flowering Plants | |
Juncus stygius | Flowering Plants | |
Juncus subnodulosus | Flowering Plants | |
Juncus triglumis | Flowering Plants | |
Liparis loeselii | Flowering Plants | |
Menyanthes trifoliata | Flowering Plants | |
Pedicularis palustris | Flowering Plants | |
Phragmites australis | Flowering Plants | |
Potentilla palustris | Flowering Plants | |
Schoenus ferrugineus | Flowering Plants | |
Trichophorum alpinum | Flowering Plants | |
Utricularia intermedia | Flowering Plants | |
Utricularia minor | Flowering Plants | |
Bryum pseudotriquetrum | Mosses & Liverworts | |
Calliergon richardsonii | Mosses & Liverworts | |
Calliergonella cuspidata | Mosses & Liverworts | |
Campylium stellatum | Mosses & Liverworts | |
Catoscopium nigritum | Mosses & Liverworts | |
Cinclidium stygium | Mosses & Liverworts | |
Fissidens adianthoides | Mosses & Liverworts | |
Hamatocaulis lapponicus | Mosses & Liverworts | |
Hamatocaulis vernicosus | Mosses & Liverworts | |
Leiocolea rutheana | Mosses & Liverworts | |
Loeskypnum badium | Mosses & Liverworts | |
Meesia longiseta | Mosses & Liverworts | |
Meesia triquetra | Mosses & Liverworts | |
Meesia uliginosa | Mosses & Liverworts | |
Paludella squarrosa | Mosses & Liverworts | |
Rhizomnium pseudopunctatum | Mosses & Liverworts | |
Scorpidium cossoni | Mosses & Liverworts | |
Scorpidium revolvens | Mosses & Liverworts | |
Scorpidium scorpioides | Mosses & Liverworts | |
Sphagnum contortum | Mosses & Liverworts | |
Sphagnum subnitens | Mosses & Liverworts | |
Warnstorfia procera | Mosses & Liverworts |