Red List habitat classification > RLH - Sparsely vegetated habitats > RLH2.4 Temperate high-mountain base-rich scree

Temperate high-mountain base-rich scree

Quick facts

Red List habitat type	code RLH2.4
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

Calcareous and calcschist screes of high altitudes (mainly over 1000 m alt.) and cool sites in mountain ranges of the nemoral zone of Europe, including the Alps, Pyrenees, Carpathians, central and eastern parts of Balkan Peninsula, Apennines, etc. Scree habitat consists of rock fragments with different forms and sizes covering the frost-shattered summits of mountains or accumulating on slopes below calcareous cliffs. Calcareous and calcschist screes consist of base-rich rocks including limestone, dolomites, calcareous-schists, and marbles.

The screes are colonised by a set of mostly perennial species. The vegetation consists of assemblages of calcicole and basiphilous species, the composition of which depends on altitude and geographical ranges. Geographical isolation and limited size of high-altitudinal screes are explanations for the high level of specification found in the flora of calcareous screes, resulting in many relic and local endemic species. Also many vegetation alliances have limited ranges on the slopes of European mountains, for example in the Carpathians (Papverion tatrtici and Papavero-Thymion pulcherrimi), the Dinarides (Bunion alpini and Saxifragion prenjae), the Pirin Mountain in Bulgaria (Veronico-Papaverion degenii), the Pyrenees (Iberidion spathulatae, Iberido apertae-Linarion propinquae, Saxifragion praetemirsae Androsacion ciliatae), and the Apennines (Linario-Festucion dimorphae, Thlaspion stylosi). Some vegetation alliances, like the Thlaspion rotundifolii and Drabion hoppeanae (on slates), are more widespread in the Alps and Carpathians. The vegetation of high-mountain and subalpine, relatively humid, fine limestone and marl screes belongs to the alliance Petasition paradoxi. Here many fern species (Polystichum lonchitis, Dryopteris submontana, D. villarii, Asplenium fissum) are found as well as large number of calcicolous mosses.

Indicators of quality:

Occurrence of natural erosion processes.
High species richness of the cliffs.
Presence of rare, relict or endemic species.
Absence of human activities, including grazing.
Absence of alien species.

Characteristic species

Characteristic species:

Vascular plants: Achillea atrata, A. clusiana, A. oxyloba, Adenostlyles alpina, Adonis distorta, Alchemilla decumbens, Alhtamanta cretensis, Alyssum cuneifolium, A. ovirense, A. repens, Anthemis carpaica, Aquilegia pyrenaica, Arabis alpina, A. caerulea, A. ferdinandi-coburgii, Arenaria bertolonii, A. ciliata, Aplenium fissum, Borderea pyrenaica, Bunium alpinum, Campanula cochlearifolia, C. pulla, C. velebitica, Cardaminopsis neglecta, Centaurea parlatoris, C. rupestris, Cerastiusm carinthiacum, C. tomentosum, C. transsilvanicum, Clorocrepis staticifolia, Cochlearia tatrae, Crepis pygmea, Cystopteris montana, Degenia velebitica, Delphinium oxysepalum, Doronicum carpaticum, Draba fladnizensis, Dryopteris submontana, D. villarii, Hypocharis robertia, Iberis spathulata, Festuca dimorpha, F. glacialis, F. pyrenaica, F. pulchella, Galium baldense, G. megalospermum, G. noricum, G. pyrenaicum, G. stojanovii, Gypsophila repens, Leucanthemum atratum, Ligusticum ferulaceum, Linaria purpurea, Minuartia certastifolia, Moerrihngia ciliata, M. muscosa, Myosotis ambigens, Omalotheca hoppeana, O. pichleri, Papver alpinum, P. pyrenaicum, P. suaveloens, Petasites paradoxus, Phyllitis scolopendrium, Poa minor, P. pirinica, Rumex scutatus, Polystichum lonchitis, Pritzelago alpina, Ranunculus carinthiacus, R. oreophilus, R. parnassifolius, Reseda glauca, Rhodiola rosea, Salix retusa, Saxifraga aizoides, S. bryoides, S. carpatica, S. glabella, S. moschata, S. oppositifolia, S. pedemontana, S. sedoides, S. wahlenbergi, Sedum atratum, Seseli malyi, Thlaspi bellidifolium, T. kerneri, T. rodtundifolium, T. stylosum, Thymus pulcherrimus, Trisetum distichophyllum, T. spicatum, Valeriana bertiscea, V. elongata, Veronica aragonensis, V. baumgartenii, V. nummularia, V. satureoides, Viola grisebachiana, V. magelensis, Xatardia scabra

Mosses: Blepharostoma trichophyllum, Conocephalum conicum, Homalothecium lutescens, Pohlia cruda, Polytrichum alpinum, Sanionia uncinata

Reptiles: Podarcis muralis

Birds: Alectoris graeca, Tichodroma muraria, Prunella collaris, Monticola saxatilis Mammals: Chionomys nivalis

For full habitat description, please download the habitat factsheet.

Threat status

Synthesis of Red List assessment

Despite a variable level of data quality among countries and the lack of quantitative data, this habitat is assessed as Least Concern since it is widespread in Europe and the reductions in quantity (around 3%) and quality (slight decline, severity 33% affecting 6% of the extent of the habitat) over the past 50 years have been small and resulted in limited degradation.

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

Mining, extraction of materials and energy production

Mining and quarrying

Human intrusions and disturbances

Sport and leisure structures

Natural biotic and abiotic processes (without catastrophes)

Biocenotic evolution, succession

Climate change

Changes in abiotic conditions

Habitat restoration potential

The habitat has some capacity to recover naturally, but it is dependent on particular geomorphological processes which are very slow (erosion). As far as we know there is no experiment of restoration of screes.

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

Screes are important natural features of the mountain environment. Therefore this habitat type has no specific management requirement to remain except leaving it undisturbed and undestroyed. Conservation is then effective when free evolution is possible, like within protected areas. ‘Manage landscape features’ refers to the need to better protect this kind of habitats with a high degree of naturalness in land-use planning, especially when no specific regulation can be applied (no protected species or habitat, outside a protected area, outside a Natura 2000 site).

List of conservation and management needs

Measures related to spatial planning

Establish protected areas/sites
Legal protection of habitats and species
Manage landscape features

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)
Austria	Present	963	Stable	Stable
Bulgaria	Present	20	Stable	Decreasing
Croatia	Present	2	-	Stable
France mainland	Present	500	Stable	Stable
Germany	Present	100	Decreasing	Decreasing
Italy mainland	Present	1058	Decreasing	Stable
Sardinia	Present	1058	Decreasing	Stable
Sicily	Present	1058	Decreasing	Stable
Romania	Present	1.5	Unknown	Decreasing
Slovakia	Present	5	Unknown	Decreasing
Slovenia	Present	15	Stable	Stable
Spain mainland	Present	132	Stable	Stable
Poland	Present	0.5	-	-

EU28 +	Present or presence uncertain	Current area of habitat (Km²)	Recent trend in quantity (last 50 years)	Recent trend in quality (last 50 years)
Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)	Present	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Switzerland	Present	750	Decreasing	Stable
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Present	3	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	5646500	456	2800
EU28+	474		3551

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	Calcareous and calcshist screes of the montane to alpine levels (Thlaspietea rotundifolii)	8120	Narrower	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)	Temperate-montane calcareous and ultra-basic screes	H2.4	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]

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Sections

Temperate high-mountain base-rich scree

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