Red List habitat classification > RLF - Heathland and scrub > RLF6.8 Mediterranean halo-nitrophilous scrub

Mediterranean halo-nitrophilous scrub

Quick facts

Red List habitat type	code RLF6.8
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

In this type we have included not only the halo-nitrophilous but also the nitrophilous (with a lower content of salt) communities dominated by perennial plants, often ligneous or hemicriptophytes with large size, frequent in ruderal environments (nearby human dwellings, borders of tracks and ways, etc.) in dry to arid regions in the Mediterranean, Irano-Turanian and North Saharo-Arabian regions. Some botanical groups are highly represented in its flora such as Chenopodiaceae, Artemisia, Santolina and in many areas the grass Lygeum spartum is also abundant. Soluble nitrates and phosphates resulting from organic matter decomposition remain on the soil for long time, due to the scarcity of rainfall. This permits the life of long-living nitrophilous plants, such as shrubs, and thus, the development of a nitrophilous scrub. Such conditions of aridity also favor accumulation of salt in the soils, and many of these formations are adapted to a certain salt tolerance (halo-nitrophilous).

Characteristic species

Characteristic species are often archeophytes and neophytes native to other Mediterranean areas or even from tropical countries. The habitat type is present in the center and south of the Iberian Peninsula, in S- Italy, Sicily, Sardinia and the Aegean islets (Greece), as well as on the Canaries and Madeira archipelagos. Its diversity is highest in the arid and semi-arid thermo and infra Mediterranean areas of the Iberian Peninsula. In agrarian landscapes of the Mediterranean region submitted to a long historic human pressure, this habitat contributes substantially to the local biodiversity and landscape quality, being often also grazed by the local sheep and goat races.

Indicators of good quality:

In nitrophilous habitat good quality entails the degree of disturbance and of human influence necessary to maintain populations of the ruderal and nitrates depending species.

Characteristic species:

Flora, Vascular plants:

Continental Europe: Artemisia arborescens, Artemisia barrelieri, Artemisia campestris subsp. glutinosa, Artemisia herba-alba subsp. herba-alba, Artemisia herba-alba subsp. valentina, Artemisia lucentica, Atriplex glauca, Atriplex halimus, Ballota hirsuta, Camphorosma monspeliaca, Capparis spinosa var. canescens, Carthamus arborescens, Commicarpus africanus, Euphorbia matritensis, Fagonia cretica, Frankenia thymifolia, Hammada articulata, Haplophyllum linifolium, Hohenackeria polyodon, Ipomoea indica, Ipomoea purpurea, Krascheninnikovia ceratoides, Launaea arborescens, Lycium barbarum, Lycium europaeum, Lycium intricatum, Marrubium alysson, Mercurialis tomentosa, Nicotiana glauca, Peganum harmala, Plumbago europaea, Ricinus communis, Ruta angustifolia, Salsola genistoides, Salsola oppositifolia, Salsola vermiculata, Santolina canescens, Santolina chamaecyparissus subsp. squarrosa, Santolina impressa, Santolina oblongifolia subsp. obtusifolia, Santolina pectinata, Santolina rosmarinifolia subsp. ceratophylla, Santolina rosmarinifolia subsp. rosmarinifolia, Santolina rosmarinifolia subsp. semidentata, Senecio malacitanus, Sideritis hirsuta subsp. danielii, Solanum linneanum, Suaeda mollis, Withania frutescens, Withania somnífera, Zygophyllum fabago.

Canaries and Madeira: Argyranthemum broussonetii, Argyranthemum frutescens subsp. frutescens, Argyranthemum frutescens subsp. succulentum, Artemisia ramosa, Artemisia thuscula, Atriplex glauca subsp. ifniensis, Bosea yerbamora, Ceballosia fruticosa, Calendula maderensis, Chenolenoides tomentosa, Cheirolophus canariensis, Convolvulus caput-medusae, Descurainia millefolia, Forsskaolea angustifolia, Frankenia capitata, Gonospermum fruticosum, Herniaria canariensis, Lavandula canariensis, Lavandula pinnata, Lavatera acerifolia, Lobularia canariensis subsp. marginata, Lotus glaucus, Lotus sessilifolius var. pentaphyllus, Nicotiana paniculata, Plantago arborescens, Rumex lunaria, Salsola brevifolia, Salsola portilloi, Salsolab vermiculata subsp. frankenioides, Salsola tetrandra, Salvia canariensis, Schizogyne glaberrima, Schizogyne sericea, Suaeda ifniensis, Withania aristata.

For full habitat description, please download the habitat factsheet.

Threat status

Synthesis of Red List assessment

There is no concern about this habitat as it is a ruderal one, strongly linked to human activity. Only some areas in which the endorhoeic basins are being drained for several purposed (transformation into arable land, housing, etc.) report a certain decrease of the subhalophilic variant of the habitat, however with rates of extent and severity that don't meet any threat category.

EU
Red List Category	Red List Criteria
Least Concern	-

Europe
Red List Category	Red List Criteria
Least Concern	-

Confidence in the assessment

medium

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

Cultivation

Urbanisation, residential and commercial development

Urbanised areas, human habitation
Structures, buildings in the landscape

Natural System modifications

Modification of hydrographic functioning, general

Habitat restoration potential

As a ruderal one, this habitat has a high resiliency, recovering quickly after severe damage.

Trends in extent
Average current trend in quantity
Stable	Stable
EU28	EU28+

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

Conservation and management needs

Preventing from draining the inland wet saline areas (endorheic basins).

List of conservation and management needs

Measures related to wetland, freshwater and coastal habitats

Restoring/Improving the hydrological regime

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)
Cyprus	Present	0.07	Stable	Stable
Greece (mainland and other islands)	Present	0.12	Stable	Stable
Crete	Present	0.12	Stable	Stable
East Aegean	Present	0.12	Stable	Stable
Spain mainland	Present	1612	Stable	Stable
Balearic Islands	Present	1612	Stable	Stable
Canary Islands	Present	1612	Stable	Stable
Sardinia	Present	11	Decreasing	Decreasing
Sicily	Present	11	Decreasing	Decreasing
France mainland	Present		-	-
Portugal mainland	Present		-	-
Madeira	Present		-	-

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	3802150	1101	1624	Widespread in arid and semi-arid Mediterranean area
EU28+	1101		1624	Widespread in arid and semi-arid Mediterranean area

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	Halo-nitrophilous scrubs (Pegano-Salsoletea)	1430	Same	http://ec.europa.eu/environm...rective/index_en.htm
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)	Xero-halophile scrubs	F6.8	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]

Write to us

Call us

Sections

Mediterranean halo-nitrophilous scrub

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