Ilex aquifolium woodland
Quick facts
| Red List habitat type | code RLG2.6 |
|---|---|
| Threat status | |
| Europe | Least Concern |
| EU | Least Concern |
| Relation to |
|
| Source | European Red List habitat factsheet |
| European Red List of habitats reports | |
| European Red List of habitats (Excel table) |
Summary
This is a woodland habitat defined on the sole (and ecologically questionable) basis of dominance by arborescent individuals of Ilex aquifolium without other co-dominant trees. Originally recognised as occurring in the supra-Mediterranean belt where stands occur in Sardinia and Corsica and in Atlantic mountains of northwestern Spain, it was there considered as mostly a facies of relict G3.9 Taxus baccata woodland. Other scattered occurrences exist in the nemoral zone of western Europe, in the UK for example, where they are probably facies of G1.6 Fagus woodland or G1.8 acidophilous Quercus woodland. Ilex was long exploited as a winter fodder for stock and this may account for its local abundance in landscapes where pasturing was combined with silviculture. Global warming contributes to its current successful colonization of a variety of forest types, more northern and eastern (suboceanic) in distribution than before.
Indicators of good quality:
â— The dominance of Ilex aquifolium (whatever its origin) remains the key indicator of quality here
â— Survival of the associated flora is inherited from the original woodland from which this habitat was derived
Threat status
Synthesis of Red List assessment
| EU | |
| Red List Category | Red List Criteria |
| Least Concern | - |
| Europe | |
| Red List Category | Red List Criteria |
| Least Concern | - |
Confidence in the assessment
Pressures and threats
- No threats or pressures
- No threats or pressures
Habitat restoration potential
Trends in extent |
|
Average current trend in quantity |
|
Increasing  |
Increasing |
| EU28 | EU28+ |
Trends in quality |
|
Average current trend in quality |
|
Stable  |
Stable |
| EU28 | EU28+ |
Conservation and management needs
List of conservation and management needs
- No measures
- No measures needed for the conservation of the habitat/species
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France mainland | Present | 17 | Stable | Stable |
| Corsica | Present | 17 | Stable | Stable |
| Ireland | Present | 1 | Unknown | Unknown |
| Italy mainland | Present | 19 | Decreasing | Stable |
| Sicily | Present | 19 | Decreasing | Stable |
| Netherlands | Present | 1 | Stable | Increasing |
| Portugal mainland | Present | 7 | Unknown | Increasing |
| Spain mainland | Present | 31 | Stable | Stable |
| United Kingdom | Present | 25 | Increasing | Stable |
| Northern Island | Present | 25 | Increasing | Stable |
| 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 | Stable | Stable |
Extent of Occurrence, Area of Occupancy and habitat area
| Extent of Occurrence (EOO) (Km2) | Area of Occupancy (AOO) | Current estimated Total Area | Comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EU28 | 3326400 | 369 | 101 | |
| EU28+ | 371 | 101 |
EOO = the area (km2) of the envelope around all occurrences of a habitat (calculated by a minimum convex polygon).
