Salix fen scrub
Quick facts
Red List habitat type | code RLF9.2 |
---|---|
Threat status | |
Europe | Near threatened |
EU | Near threatened |
Relation to |
|
Source | European Red List habitat factsheet |
European Red List of habitats reports | |
European Red List of habitats (Excel table) |
Summary
Low to middle-high non-riverine Salix dominated scrub on permanent water-logged sites on organic or peaty soils in plains and low mountain valleys and plateaus. Dominant shrubs are Salix cinerea, Salix aurita, Salix pentandra, Salix atrocinerea (= Salix cinerea ssp. atrocinerea), Salix rosmarinifolia as well as hybrids of these willow species (like Salix x multinervis), sometimes together with other Salix species, Myrica gale, and/or Frangula alnus. The scrub is on average between 2 and 4 meters high, except for scrub dominated solely by Myrica gale or by Salix rosmarinifolia, which are on average lower. Trees like Alnus glutinosa, Fraxinus excelsior and Betula pubescens may be present, indicating the first stages of succession towards forest. The understorey of this habitat depends on the nutrient-status and acidity of the soil. In relatively nutrient-rich sites, the optimum for Salix cinerea, it is composed of common helophytes and tall-herbs, like Filipendula ulmaria, Phragmites australis, Iris pseudacorus, Geranium sylvaticum, Solanum dulcamara, Lythrum salicaria, Galium palustre, Scutellaria galericulata, Lycopus europaeus, Thelypteris palustris, Carex elata, Carex riparia, Carex gracilis and Carex remota. Under acidic, nutrient-poor conditions, which is the optimum for Salix aurita and Myrica gale, Sphagnum species may dominate the moss layer, while in the herb layer Carex diandra, Carex echinata, Carex limosa, Carex nigra, Carex rostrata, Agrostis canina, Comarum palustre, Eriophorum angustifolium, Menyanthes trifoliata and Calamagrostis canescens are found. The (sub)boreal distributed Salix rosmarinifolia often grows together with Betula humilis, but in pre-Alpine relict communities with Salix myrtilloides and Pedicularis sceptrum-carolinum. In very wet situations, floating and submerging aquatic plants may be present. In the Carpathians and Rodopi mountains, several rare relict species are found in this habitat, like Spiraea salicifolia, Evonymus nanus and Polemonium caeruleum. In Scandinavia, Salix myrsinifolia may accompany Salix pentandra, Salix aurita, Salix cinerea and Myrica gale and in northern Scandinavia Salix lapponum, Salix lanata and Salix glauca are dominating the habitat together with among others Salix myrsinifolia and Salix phyllicifolia.
The habitat type is widespread in Atlantic, Boreal and Continental Europe, both in lowlands and mountains. It is found more sporadically in the Mediterranean, where it occurs mainly in mountains. It is absent from the Arctic and most northern Boreal regions. It is an azonal habitat, related to permanent wet soils, found in fens, mires, marshy floodplains, along brooks and on fringes of lakes, ponds and wet forest. It often forms relatively small stands and mosaics with other marsh habitats. It may develop in wet meadows when hay making ceases, indicating abandonment of traditional land-use. It also develops in drained mires and bogs. It is mainly a non-riverine type, as spring-fed and temporarily flooded Salix scrubs on the shores of brooks or rivers are included in habitat F9.1 Riverine scrub. In those situations other Salix species (S. triandra, S. fragilis) dominate in most cases, but, for example, Salix cinerea may also be present. It also excludes Salix scrub from well-drained sites in high mountains and subarctic regions (alliance Salicion pentandrae), which are considered under F2.3 Subalpine and subarctic deciduous scrub. Myrica gale dominated vegetation is included in this habitat, but in bogs and mires it may be considered part of the broader defined habitats of the main group D. In wet dune slacks similar Salix cinerea communities are found, but those are considered part of B1.6a.
Indicators of quality:
- Dominance of Salix species or Myrica gale.
- Forming landscape mosaics with more open reedbeds, mires and grasslands.
- Presence of relict species.
Threat status
Synthesis of Red List assessment
EU | |
Red List Category | Red List Criteria |
Near threatened | A1, C/D1 |
Europe | |
Red List Category | Red List Criteria |
Near threatened | A1, C/D1 |
Confidence in the assessment
Pressures and threats
- Agriculture
- Agricultural intensification
- Sylviculture, forestry
- Forest planting on open ground (native trees)
- Mining, extraction of materials and energy production
- Peat extraction
- Natural System modifications
- Infilling of ditches, dykes, ponds, pools, marshes or pits
- Canalisation
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 wetland, freshwater and coastal habitats
- Other wetland related measures
- 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 | 10 | Stable | Decreasing |
Belgium | Present | Decreasing | Decreasing | |
Bulgaria | Present | 0.05 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Czech Republic | Present | 62 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Ireland | Present | 6 | Unknown | Unknown |
Croatia | Present | Unknown | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Finland mainland | Present | 200-500 | Unknown | Unknown |
France mainland | Present | 1000-2500 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Hungary | Present | 170 | Stable | Decreasing |
Latvia | Present | Unknown | Unknown | Increasing |
Netherlands | Present | Unknown | Unknown | Stable |
Romania | Present | 2.1 | Unknown | Decreasing |
Slovakia | Present | 1 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Slovenia | Present | 0.5 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
United Kingdom | Present | 150 | Stable | Increasing |
Denmark | Present | 100-200 | Unknown | Increasing |
Italy mainland | Present | 174 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Poland | Present | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
Germany | Present | Unknown | Stable | Decreasing |
Lithuania | Present | <25 | Unknown | Decreasing |
Sweden | Present | 600 | Stable | Increasing |
EU28 + | Present or presence uncertain | Current area of habitat (Km2) | Recent trend in quantity (last 50 years) | Recent trend in quality (last 50 years) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Switzerland | Present | 110 | Stable | Decreasing |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Present | 10 | Stable | Increasing |
Norway Mainland | Present | 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 | 6649200 | 1287 | 3450 | Lacking data from some countries, but probably not from any important |
EU28+ | 1331 | 3570 | data lacking from Norway, which has a substantial area of the habitat |
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 |
---|---|---|
Thelypteris palustris | Ferns | |
Agrostis canina | Flowering Plants | |
Alnus glutinosa | Flowering Plants | |
Betula humilis | Flowering Plants | |
Betula pubescens | Flowering Plants | |
Calamagrostis canescens | Flowering Plants | |
Carex diandra | Flowering Plants | |
Carex echinata | Flowering Plants | |
Carex elata | Flowering Plants | |
Carex gracilis | Flowering Plants | |
Carex limosa | Flowering Plants | |
Carex nigra | Flowering Plants | |
Carex remota | Flowering Plants | |
Carex riparia | Flowering Plants | |
Carex rostrata | Flowering Plants | |
Comarum palustre | Flowering Plants | |
Eriophorum angustifolium | Flowering Plants | |
Filipendula ulmaria | Flowering Plants | |
Frangula alnus | Flowering Plants | |
Fraxinus excelsior | Flowering Plants | |
Galium palustre | Flowering Plants | |
Geranium sylvaticum | Flowering Plants | |
Iris pseudacorus | Flowering Plants | |
Lycopus europaeus | Flowering Plants | |
Lythrum salicaria | Flowering Plants | |
Menyanthes trifoliata | Flowering Plants | |
Myrica gale | Flowering Plants | |
Pedicularis sceptrum-carolinum | Flowering Plants | |
Phragmites australis | Flowering Plants | |
Polemonium caeruleum | Flowering Plants | |
Salix atrocinerea | Flowering Plants | |
Salix aurita | Flowering Plants | |
Salix cinerea | Flowering Plants | |
Salix glauca | Flowering Plants | |
Salix lanata | Flowering Plants | |
Salix lapponum | Flowering Plants | |
Salix myrsinifolia | Flowering Plants | |
Salix myrtilloides | Flowering Plants | |
Salix pentandra | Flowering Plants | |
Salix repens | Flowering Plants | |
Salix rosmarinifolia | Flowering Plants | |
Scutellaria galericulata | Flowering Plants | |
Solanum dulcamara | Flowering Plants | |
Spiraea salicifolia | Flowering Plants |