Red List habitat classification > RLE - Grasslands > RLE3.1a Mediterranean tall humid inland grassland

Mediterranean tall humid inland grassland

Quick facts

Red List habitat type	code RLE3.1a
Threat status
Europe	Least Concern
EU	Least Concern
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

Mediterranean humid herb communities dominated by rushes (Scirpus holoschoenus) and tall grasses, common in depressions with wet soils, on both siliceous and calcareous terrain. The water table remains permanently near to the surface but is subject to strong seasonal fluctuations, experiencing a lower level during summer and a higher in the rainy season, although the habitat is never or very rarely flooded. It is more frequent in areas under a predominantly stock-rearing system, being thus more abundant in siliceous regions. It is widespread in the entire Mediterranean basin, extending as far as the coasts of the Black Sea and the Balkans, north to Romania. This habitat has been traditionally grazed in the areas where summer pastures dry out and cattle and sheep have to graze humid pastures in the dry season. However, it is not dependent on grazing and its sustainability can be assured without this intervention.

Indicators of good quality:

Domination by a complete and dense cover of reeds (Scirpus holoschoenus) and grasses
High plant species diversity
Absence of shrubs, particularly willows, ashes or poplars, indicating initial stages of succession towards forest
No signs of heavy grazing.

Characteristic species

For full habitat description, please download the habitat factsheet.

Threat status

Synthesis of Red List assessment

The small amount of available quantitative data supports an evaluation of Least Concern (LC), despite a continuing decline in quantity and quality and of several threats the habitat faces.

EU
Red List Category	Red List Criteria
Least Concern	-

Europe
Red List Category	Red List Criteria
Least Concern	-

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

Modification of cultivation practices
Grassland removal for arable land
Grazing
Abandonment of pastoral systems, lack of grazing

Urbanisation, residential and commercial development

Urbanised areas, human habitation

Pollution

Pollution to surface waters (limnic, terrestrial, marine & brackish)

Natural System modifications

Human induced changes in hydraulic conditions

Habitat restoration potential

Recovery depends greatly on the feasibility of restoring the distinctive hydrological conditions.

Trends in extent
Average current trend in quantity
Decreasing	Unknown
EU28	EU28+

Trends in quality
Average current trend in quality
Decreasing	Decreasing
EU28	EU28+

Conservation and management needs

No detailed information is available.

List of conservation and management needs

Measures related to agriculture and open habitats

Maintaining grasslands and other open habitats

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)
Bulgaria	Present	0.5	Decreasing	Decreasing
Cyprus	Present	0.01	Decreasing	Stable
France mainland	Present	45	Decreasing	Decreasing
Greece (mainland and other islands)	Present	68	Unknown	Stable
Italy mainland	Present	114	Decreasing	Decreasing
Portugal mainland	Present	51	Unknown	Decreasing
Romania	Present	5	Decreasing	Decreasing
Spain mainland	Present	909	Stable	Stable

EU28 +	Present or presence uncertain	Current area of habitat (Km²)	Recent trend in quantity (last 50 years)	Recent trend in quality (last 50 years)
Montenegro	Uncertain	unknown	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	5304250	3655	1125	Most of this habitat is in Italy and Spain
EU28+	5304250	3662	1125

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	Mediterranean tall humid grasslands of the Molinio-Holoschoenion	6420	Wider	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	Peat grasslands of Troodos	6460	Wider
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)	Mediterranean tall humid grassland	E3.1	Same	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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Sections

Mediterranean tall humid inland grassland

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