Eastern garrigue

Evergreen, open, low scrub communities of the meso-, thermo- and occasionally supra-Mediterranean zones of Greece, southern Albania, western and eastern coasts of the Adriatic Sea, Cyprus and southern Anatolia, Black Sea coasts in Crimea, southern Bulgaria, European part of Turkey and northern Anatolia, as well as in the Mediterranean-Steppic zone of southern Thrace. Here are included all the sclerophyllous communities with scanty and low physiognomy due to the increased summer aridity and human pressure. The scrub communities with: a) conspicuous spiny cushion structure (F7), b) abundant thermo-Mediterranean shrub species (F5.5) and c) Erica arborea and Arbutus spp. forming high macchia vegetation (F5.2) are excluded from this unit.

This habitat type includes:

a)    garrigues dominated by Quercus coccifera, the most widespread xerophyllous scrub communities in the eastern meso-Mediterranean,

b) xerophyllous low scrub communities with Cistus spp., Rosmarinus officinalis of the eastern Ionian, Aegean and eastern Mediterranean coastlands and more to the inland,

c) low scrub communities (garrigues) of the western and eastern coasts of the Adriatic Sea (Illyrian garrigues) dominated by, Erica manipuliflora, Erica multiflora, Rosmarinus officinalis, Spartium junceum and dwarf shrubs like Cistus spp. and Dorcynium hirsutum,

d) Mediterranean-type xerophyllous open low scrub communities (Black Sea garrigues) dominated mostly by Cistus incanus and Cistus salvifolius (distributed along the Black Sea coasts - in Crimea, southern Bulgaria, and European part of Turkey and northern Anatolia, as well as of the Mediterranean-Steppic zone of southern Thrace). The most typical Mediterranean species, including evergreen shrubs like Myrtus communis, Arbutus unedo and A. andrachne, occur at the Anatolian coast of the Black Sea. Specific communities (not typical garrigues, as the dominant species are perennial herbs and short semi-shrubs) are distributed on flysch slopes of the Crimean Peninsula.

All the types of garrigues assigned to the habitat F6.2, as geographically and floristically/ecologically differentiated above, are dominated by (or are rich in) Quercus coccifera, Rosmarinus officinalis, Erica manipuliflora, Cistus incanus, C. salvifolius and Dorcynium hirsutum, low shrubby Juniperus oxycedrus, or J. phoenicea, Lavandula stoechas or L. angustifolia, labiate shrubs or robust perennials like Teucrium fruticans, Phlomis spp., Salvia triloba, S. argentea, S. eichlerana, S. pomifera, Stachys spp., broom-like shrubs of the genera Genista, Chamaecytisus, Teline, Ebenus cretica (in Crete), dwarf, shrubby composites of the genera Helichrysum, Phagnalon, Scorzonera, shrubs dominated by Erica manipuliflora, low bushes of Arbutus andrachne, Globularia alypum, dwarf shrubs of the genera Helianthemum or Fumana, shrubs of the genus Thymelaea, Bupleurum fruticosum shrubs and, finally, the low, pre-desert formations with Ziziphus spp., Acacia albida, Capparis spinosa, Rhamnus palaestina, Rhus tripartita of the Levant and southern Anatolia.

Garrigues are the result of retrogressive succession after degradation of evergreen Mediterranean forest and macchia (maquis) vegetation and maintained by grazing and fire. The floristic composition of garrigues reflects the diverse geographical position, altitudinal zones and human impact. The garrigues at the Black Sea coasts represent one of the latest stages of degradation of the mixed xerothermic oak forests and pseudomaquis in areas with transitional-Mediterranean climate. They differ from the typical Mediterranean garrigues by the prevalence of deciduous species and the absence of typical Mediterranean species.

Indicators of quality:

· Low levels of soil compactness and absence of active secondary succession

· Communities rich in perennial and annual herb species, shrub and semi-shrub species

· Presence and abundance of a given set of typical (diagnostic) species or functional traits (i.e. morphological, physiological and life history characteristics)

· Dominance of low shrub and semi-shrub species

· Open habitat conditions

· Moderate grazing

· Absence of fire

· Absence of alien, invasive and/or ruderal species

· Occurrence of rare and/or threatened species mostly with Mediterranean origin

· Sporadic presence of maquis and forest species.

Synthesis of Red List assessment

Confidence in the assessment

Pressures and threats