Dry steppic, submediterranean pasture of South-Eastern Europe
Quick facts
Red List habitat type | code RLE1.1j |
---|---|
Threat status | |
Europe | Near Threatened |
EU | Vulnerable |
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
This habitat type is composed of dry steppic, submediterranean pastures, found along the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea and the southeastern coastal districts of the Italian Peninsula. These semi-natural grasslands appear in the meso/supra-Mediterranean and Mediterranean-montane vegetation belts, where the zonal vegetation is represented by thermophilous deciduous forest, dominated by Quercus pubescens s.l., Ostrya carpinifolia and Carpinus orientalis, or locally (especially in Italy) by evergreen forests dominated by Quercus ilex. As the mountain chains extend parallel to the coastline, the climatic influence does not penetrate deeply into the inland regions of the Balkan Peninsula. The climate shows two peaks of precipitation during the year, with the main peak appearing in autumn (November) and a second peak in spring (May). The amount of precipitation can be very fluctuating and vary up to 3000 mm on mountain barriers. However, even when precipitation is relatively high, the water flows mainly underground due to the nature of the bedrock, which is mainly composed of carbonate. Due to the lack of precipitation and the high temperature reached during the summer, the vegetation suffers from drought during these months. Winters are mild, with temperatures that do not drop much below freezing.
Since the bedrock generally lies close to the surface, these habitats are characterized by many chamaephytes and can be used only as pastures. Sometimes the carbonate bedrock is substituted by “flysch” marls (terra rossa) and sandstones. The morphology of this habitat is characterized by valleys, dolinas and sink-holes with depositional soils and clay from decalcification at the bottom.
Two habitat subtypes may be distinguished based on their biogeographic distribution, which correspond to two alliances: Chrysopogono-Saturejion subspicatae for the Balkan Peninsula, and Hippocrepido glaucae-Stipion austroitalicae, which is endemic to southeastern Italy. The latter refers to steppe grasslands with the endemic species Stipa austroitalica.
This habitat type is the result of a long time of human influence. After the Second World War, abandonment of this habitat begun. Firstly, only the less productive pastures were abandoned, but later also other examples of this grasslands were not managed anymore. Nowadays, a mosaic with various stages of scrub encroachment is found. Succession towards forests begins with high stalk plants (e.g. Umbelliferaea) and scrub species (e.g. Cotinus coggygria). In order to maintain these habitats, traditional management (grazing, mowing) should be continued. In early successional stages, restoration is relatively easy by introduction of livestock. However, livestock intensification leads to the destruction of the habitat, so animal numbers should not be too high. In certain sites, this habitat is affected by urbanization.
Indicators of good quality:
- Species richness of the grasslands and presence of character species
- Absence of invasive species
- Absence of high tall herbs, shrubs and trees
- Regular grazing/mowing
- Absence of intensive grazing
Threat status
Synthesis of Red List assessment
EU | |
Red List Category | Red List Criteria |
Vulnerable | C/D1 |
Europe | |
Red List Category | Red List Criteria |
Near Threatened | A1, C/D1 |
Confidence in the assessment
Pressures and threats
- Agriculture
- Agricultural intensification
- Intensive grazing
- Abandonment of pastoral systems, lack of grazing
- Urbanisation, residential and commercial development
- Urbanised areas, human habitation
- Natural biotic and abiotic processes (without catastrophes)
- Biocenotic evolution, succession
- Species composition change (succession)
- Climate change
- Droughts and less precipitations
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 agriculture and open habitats
- Maintaining grasslands and other open habitats
- Measures related to spatial planning
- Establish protected areas/sites
- Legal protection of habitats and species
- Manage landscape features
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) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Croatia | Present | 2,518 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Greece (mainland and other islands) | Present | 505 | Stable | Stable |
Crete | Uncertain | 505 | Stable | Stable |
East Aegean | Uncertain | 505 | Stable | Stable |
Italy mainland | Present | 989 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Slovenia | Present | 150 | 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) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Present | 60 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Albania | Present | 90 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Kosovo | Uncertain | Unknown | Unknown | |
Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) | Uncertain | Unknown | Unknown | |
Montenegro | Uncertain | Unknown | Unknown | |
Serbia | Uncertain | 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 | 158550 | 252 | 4165 | |
EU28+ | 326 | 4315 |
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 |
---|---|---|
Anacamptis pyramidalis | Flowering Plants | |
Asperula cynanchica | Flowering Plants | |
Aster linosyris | Flowering Plants | |
Betonica officinalis | Flowering Plants | |
Bromus erectus | Flowering Plants | |
Carex humilis | Flowering Plants | |
Carpinus orientalis | Flowering Plants | |
Centaurea triumfetti | Flowering Plants | |
Chrysopogon gryllus | Flowering Plants | |
Cirsium pannonicum | Flowering Plants | |
Cotinus coggygria | Flowering Plants | |
Crepis chondrilloides | Flowering Plants | |
Danthonia alpina | Flowering Plants | |
Eryngium amethystinum | Flowering Plants | |
Euphrasia illyrica | Flowering Plants | |
Festuca rupicola | Flowering Plants | |
Fumana procumbens | Flowering Plants | |
Galium purpureum | Flowering Plants | |
Genista sericea | Flowering Plants | |
Gentiana tergestina | Flowering Plants | |
Globularia cordifolia | Flowering Plants | |
Helianthemum ovatum | Flowering Plants | |
Hippocrepis glauca | Flowering Plants | |
Inula ensifolia | Flowering Plants | |
Iris pseudopumila | Flowering Plants | |
Knautia illyrica | Flowering Plants | |
Koeleria splendens | Flowering Plants | |
Lathyrus latifolius | Flowering Plants | |
Lathyrus pannonicus | Flowering Plants | |
Leontodon crispus | Flowering Plants | |
Linum tenuifolium | Flowering Plants | |
Medicago falcata | Flowering Plants | |
Onobrychis arenaria | Flowering Plants | |
Ostrya carpinifolia | Flowering Plants | |
Plantago holosteum | Flowering Plants | |
Potentilla australis | Flowering Plants | |
Quercus ilex | Flowering Plants | |
Quercus pubescens | Flowering Plants | |
Ranunculus bulbosus | Flowering Plants | |
Rhinanthus freynii | Flowering Plants | |
Satureja montana | Flowering Plants | |
Scabiosa gramuntia | Flowering Plants | |
Scorzonera villosa | Flowering Plants | |
Sesleria tenuifolia | Flowering Plants | |
Stipa austroitalica | Flowering Plants | |
Teucrium montanum | Flowering Plants | |
Thapsia garganica | Flowering Plants | |
Thesium divaricatum | Flowering Plants | |
Thymus longicaulis | Flowering Plants | |
Thymus spinulosus | Flowering Plants | |
Trinia glauca | Flowering Plants |
Legal status
Relation to other habitat types mentioned in legal instruments
Vegetation types
Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)
Not availableOther classifications
Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type |
---|---|---|---|
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200711 | E1.1 | Inland sand and rock with open vegetation | narrower |