Moist or wet mesotrophic to eutrophic pasture

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

Synthesis of Red List assessment

Confidence in the assessment

Pressures and threats