Moist or wet mesotrophic to eutrophic pasture
Quick facts
Red List habitat type | code RLE3.4b |
---|---|
Threat status | |
Europe | Endangered |
EU | Endangered |
Relation to |
|
Source | European Red List habitat factsheet |
European Red List of habitats reports | |
European Red List of habitats (Excel table) |
Summary
Pastures or trampled grasslands on mesotrophic to eutrophic, wet to moist sites in the temperate regions of Europe. Naturally such grasslands occur in floodplains and on shores of lowland lakes, in poorly drained places that are grazed by wild animals or cattle. More anthropogenic they are found along banks of ditches, and in wet grasslands in sites where cattle gathers or that are inundated a long time of the year. The soil may vary from clayey, sandy to peaty and sometimes is brackish. The sites are inundated during winter and spring, but fall dry in summer. The habitat is most common in riverine areas, and may occupy large areas under natural flooding regimes. Embanking of floodplains and regulating of water courses may result in a loss of area of the habitat. On the other hand, intensive grazing of grasslands may result in the species composition of this habitat on the lower and most trampled sites. The species combination consists of plants that endure long periods of inundation (and trampling) very well, like Potentilla anserina, Trifolium fragiferum, Trifolium repens, Plantago major, Agrostis stolonifera, Mentha pulegioides. They develop and flower in the dry periods. Some of them are able to quickly occupy empty sites by stolones or rhizomes. Other plants in the communities are especially resistant to grazing by being unpalatable, like Juncus inflexus and Rumex crispus. Most species of the habitat are common and widespread, but a few rare and more restricted species are characteristic, amongst which Apium repens, Blysmus compressus, Alopecurus bulbosus, Carex vulpina and Teucrium scordium. The habitat has some species in common with pioneer communities of river shores (type C3.5a), with which type transitions and mosaics occur, but in general type E3.4b is a more closed community, really a grassland type. On the higher site it may form mosaics with Cynosurion-pastures (habitat E2.1a) or moist or wet hay meadows (habitat E3.4a). Some other species are in common with tall-herb communities on moist sites, like Mentha longifolia. The habitat occurs widespread throughout the temperate European lowlands. In most of the Mediterranean region it is replaced by communities of habitat E3.2a Mediterranean short moist grassland of lowlands. In the continental parts of Europe the habitat is rare, and restricted to sites with long-term high water levels. Similar communities occur on the brackish, higher parts of Atlantic and Baltic saltmarshes, but in that case they are included under habitat A2.5b or A2.5c. Also inland salt pan communities of the Lolio-Potentillion are excluded, as they are considered under type E6.2 or E6.3.
Indicators of good quality:
• Natural flooding regime
• Long term inundation during winter and spring
• Maintenance of grazing pressure
• Absence of non-native plant species
Threat status
Synthesis of Red List assessment
EU | |
Red List Category | Red List Criteria |
Endangered | A1 |
Europe | |
Red List Category | Red List Criteria |
Endangered | A1 |
Confidence in the assessment
Pressures and threats
- Agriculture
- Agricultural intensification
- Fertilisation
- Urbanisation, residential and commercial development
- Urbanised areas, human habitation
- Natural System modifications
- Flooding modifications
- Water abstractions from groundwater
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 wetland, freshwater and coastal habitats
- Restoring/Improving the hydrological regime
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 | 75 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Belgium | Present | - | - | |
Bulgaria | Present | Decreasing | Decreasing | |
Croatia | Present | 35 | - | - |
Czech Republic | Present | 9 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Estonia | Present | 16 | Decreasing | Unknown |
France mainland | Present | 2100 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Germany | Present | Decreasing | Decreasing | |
Hungary | Present | 400 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Ireland | Present | 12354 | Unknown | Unknown |
Italy mainland | Present | 143 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Latvia | Present | 95 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Lithuania | Present | 90 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Poland | Present | 8 | Decreasing | Unknown |
Romania | Present | 200 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Slovakia | Present | 10 | Decreasing | Stable |
Spain mainland | Present | 81 | Unknown | Stable |
United Kingdom | Present | 30 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Finland mainland | Present | 40 | - | - |
Netherlands | Present | 25 | Decreasing | 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) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Present | 3 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Switzerland | Present | 350 | Decreasing | Stable |
Extent of Occurrence, Area of Occupancy and habitat area
Extent of Occurrence (EOO) (Km2) | Area of Occupancy (AOO) | Current estimated Total Area | Comment | |
---|---|---|---|---|
EU28 | 2363550 | 291 | 15700 | |
EU28+ | 296 | 16060 |
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 stolonifera | Flowering Plants | |
Alopecurus bulbosus | Flowering Plants | |
Alopecurus geniculatus | Flowering Plants | |
Apium repens | Flowering Plants | |
Blysmus compressus | Flowering Plants | |
Cardamine parviflora | Flowering Plants | |
Carex hirta | Flowering Plants | |
Carex otrubae | Flowering Plants | |
Carex vulpina | Flowering Plants | |
Eleocharis uniglumis | Flowering Plants | |
Festuca arundinacea | Flowering Plants | |
Glyceria fluitans | Flowering Plants | |
Gratiola officinalis | Flowering Plants | |
Juncus articulatus | Flowering Plants | |
Juncus compressus | Flowering Plants | |
Juncus effusus | Flowering Plants | |
Juncus inflexus | Flowering Plants | |
Lolium perenne | Flowering Plants | |
Mentha longifolia | Flowering Plants | |
Mentha pulegium | Flowering Plants | |
Mentha suaveolens | Flowering Plants | |
Oenanthe fistulosa | Flowering Plants | |
Plantago major | Flowering Plants | |
Poa trivialis | Flowering Plants | |
Potentilla anserina | Flowering Plants | |
Potentilla reptans | Flowering Plants | |
Pulicaria dysenterica | Flowering Plants | |
Pulicaria vulgaris | Flowering Plants | |
Ranunculus repens | Flowering Plants | |
Ranunculus sardous | Flowering Plants | |
Rorippa sylvestris | Flowering Plants | |
Rumex conglomeratus | Flowering Plants | |
Rumex crispus | Flowering Plants | |
Teucrium scordium | Flowering Plants | |
Trifolium fragiferum | Flowering Plants | |
Trifolium repens | Flowering Plants | |
Triglochin palustris | Flowering Plants |