Salix fen scrub

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.

Synthesis of Red List assessment

Confidence in the assessment

Pressures and threats