Iberian summer pasture (vallicar)
Quick facts
Red List habitat type | code RLE2.4 |
---|---|
Threat status | |
Europe | Near Threatened |
EU | Near Threatened |
Relation to |
|
Source | European Red List habitat factsheet |
European Red List of habitats reports | |
European Red List of habitats (Excel table) |
Summary
This habitat comprises dense medium to tall grasslands growing in the lowlands and at moderate elevations up to 1500m on siliceous rocks with sandy to clayey oligotrophic soils in the Mediterranean and sub-mediterranean western Iberian Peninsula. The drainage conditions are good to poor and there can be temporary flooding with rapid desiccation afterwards. This is largely a semi-natural habitat type, linked to traditional cattle husbandry management.
The grasslands are dense and dominated by tall perennial grasses (vallicos) and annual species such as clovers, which have been traditionally grazed and sometimes mown. Waterlogging in the soil causes dominance of Agrostis pourretii and Agrostis castellana (alliance Agrostion castellanae), while free drainage favours dominance of Festuca elegans subsp. elegans, Festuca elegans subsp. merinoi (alliance Festucion merinoi) or Stipa gigantea (alliance Agrostio-Stipion giganteae), depending on the region and environmental conditions.
Indicators of quality:
Dominance of grasses in a dense, carpet-like sward
High plant species diversity
Few or no open spots due to overgrazing or the use of machinery
Absence of shrubs, particularly brooms, indicating initial stages of succession towards shrubland
Absence of nitrophilous plants indicating overgrazing and over-fertilizing
Threat status
Synthesis of Red List assessment
EU | |
Red List Category | Red List Criteria |
Near Threatened | A1 |
Europe | |
Red List Category | Red List Criteria |
Near Threatened | A1 |
Confidence in the assessment
Pressures and threats
- Agriculture
- Modification of cultivation practices
- Crop change
- Grazing
- Abandonment of pastoral systems, lack of grazing
- Urbanisation, residential and commercial development
- Urbanised areas, human habitation
- Pollution
- Air pollution, air-borne pollutants
- Nitrogen-input
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
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) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Portugal mainland | Present | 66 | Unknown | Decreasing |
Spain mainland | Present | 2739 | 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) |
---|
Extent of Occurrence, Area of Occupancy and habitat area
Extent of Occurrence (EOO) (Km2) | Area of Occupancy (AOO) | Current estimated Total Area | Comment | |
---|---|---|---|---|
EU28 | 346750 | 1301 | 2805 | 98% of this habitat is in Spain |
EU28+ | 1301 | 2805 |
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 |
---|---|---|
Agrostis castellana | Flowering Plants | |
Agrostis pourretii | Flowering Plants | |
Agrostis salmantica | Flowering Plants | |
Anthoxanthum aristatum | Flowering Plants | |
Anthoxanthum ovatum | Flowering Plants | |
Carex chaetophylla | Flowering Plants | |
Dactylis hispanica | Flowering Plants | |
Festuca ampla | Flowering Plants | |
Festuca summilusitana | Flowering Plants | |
Gaudinia fragilis | Flowering Plants | |
Holcus setiglumis | Flowering Plants | |
Juncus capitatus | Flowering Plants | |
Malva tournefortiana | Flowering Plants | |
Molineriella minuta | Flowering Plants | |
Periballia involucrata | Flowering Plants | |
Rumex angiocarpus | Flowering Plants | |
Sedum forsterianum | Flowering Plants | |
Stipa gigantea | Flowering Plants | |
Trifolium campestre | Flowering Plants | |
Trifolium cernuum | Flowering Plants | |
Trifolium retusum | Flowering Plants | |
Vulpia bromoides | Flowering Plants | |
Vulpia ciliata | Flowering Plants | |
Vulpia myuros | 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 | E2.4 | Iberian summer pastures (vallicares) | same |