Temperate high-mountain siliceous inland cliff
Quick facts
Red List habitat type | code RLH3.1b |
---|---|
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
Siliceous (rich in quartz and silicate minerals such as mica, feldspar, biotite and hornblende) cliffs and walls of acid rock in the high mountains of the nemoral biogeographical zone. The most common kinds of siliceous rock are granite, gneiss and crystal schist, mostly of Palaeozoic age. Younger igneous-volcanic acid rocks such as quartz-porphyry also occur, for instance in the western central Alps. As gneiss and granitic rocks weather more slowly than calcareous rock, the vegetation of vascular plants in crevices and on ledges in the high mountains is less species-rich. Siliceous rock-faces, on the other hand, are richer in epilithic lichens. Lichens of crustose (Acarospora, Haematomma, Lecanora, Lecidea s.l., Rhizocarpon, Sarcogyna, Schaereria, Sporastatia) and foliose (Parmelia s.l., Physcia, Umbilicaria) growth form prevail. Endolithic lichens and micro-algae are other important components of siliceous rock biota. Siliceous rock-dwelling bryophytes of the temperate high mountains include chiefly acrocarpic mosses and hepatics, among others many species of Grimmia, Racomitrium, Schistidium, Andreaea and Marsupella. Bryophyte diversity and abundance is highest in fissures of wet rocks and on ledges with a thin humus layer. Among the vascular plants tufted or matted perennial herbs prevail; plants of rosulate or succulent growth form may be prominent. Species-rich genera of silicolous chasmophytes are Saxifraga, Sempervivum, Primula, Phyteuma and Artemisia. Alpine siliceous cliffs are generally less species-rich than calcareous cliffs of the high mountains. Nevertheless, several range-restricted taxa are confined to siliceous inland cliffs.
The habitat type occurs in the high mountains of nemoral Europe, chiefly in the Pyrenees, the Alps, the Carpathians and the Balkanic mountain ranges of Stara Planina (Balkan range), Rila and Rhodopes, and further east in the Caucasus.
Indicators of good quality:
High-mountain siliceous cliffs of the temperate zone are particularly rich in lichens and bryophytes, less so in vascular plants. It is therefore advisable to take cryptogram diversity into consideration when assessing the habitat quality of siliceous cliffs. Relict arcto-alpine and range-restricted taxa among both phanerogams and cryptogams are the most significant biological quality indicators.
The following characteristics may be used as indicators of favourable quality:
- Occurrence of rare species of lichens, bryophytes and phytogeographically significant vascular plant taxa,
- Presence of sizable cliffs and large boulders with species-rich lichen crusts and bryophyte assemblages, with different aspects of rock-faces, different exposure, moisture and rock structures such as vertical rock faces, overhangs, cavities, rock shelters, and ledges
- Contact with natural habitats such as screes, boulder fields and alpine grasslands
- Absence of rock climbing facilities
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
- Mining, extraction of materials and energy production
- Mining and quarrying
- Human intrusions and disturbances
- Outdoor sports and leisure activities, recreational activities
- Mountaineering, rock climbing, speleology
- Natural biotic and abiotic processes (without catastrophes)
- Biocenotic evolution, succession
- Climate change
- Changes in abiotic conditions
Habitat restoration potential
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
List of conservation and management needs
- Measures related to spatial planning
- Other marine-related measures
- Establish protected areas/sites
- Legal protection of habitats and 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) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Austria | Present | 55 | Stable | Stable |
Bulgaria | Present | 125 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Czech Republic | Present | 1 | Decreasing | Stable |
France mainland | Present | 200 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Germany | Present | 2 | Decreasing | Stable |
Italy mainland | Present | 1474 | Decreasing | Stable |
Sardinia | Present | 1474 | Decreasing | Stable |
Romania | Present | 0.5 | Stable | Stable |
Slovakia | Present | 28 | Unknown | Decreasing |
Spain mainland | Present | 76 | Decreasing | Stable |
Greece (mainland and other islands) | Present | 20 | Decreasing | Unknown |
Slovenia | Present | 3 | Stable | Stable |
Poland | Present | 0.6 | Decreasing | 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) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) | Present | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
Switzerland | Present | 800 | Decreasing | Decreasing |
Albania | Uncertain | - | - | |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Present | 2 | Decreasing | Stable |
Kosovo | Present | Unknown | Stable | Stable |
Montenegro | Uncertain | - | - | |
Serbia | Uncertain | - | - |
Extent of Occurrence, Area of Occupancy and habitat area
Extent of Occurrence (EOO) (Km2) | Area of Occupancy (AOO) | Current estimated Total Area | Comment | |
---|---|---|---|---|
EU28 | 2208450 | 1114 | 1986 | |
EU28+ | 1117 | 2788 | no data from Albania, Montenegro, Serbia |
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 |
---|---|---|
Asplenium septentrionale | Ferns | |
Woodsia alpina | Ferns | |
Alyssum repens | Flowering Plants | |
Anthemis pindicola | Flowering Plants | |
Bupleurum stellatum | Flowering Plants | |
Centaurea deustiformis | Flowering Plants | |
Draba dubia | Flowering Plants | |
Erigeron schleicheri | Flowering Plants | |
Eritrichium nanum | Flowering Plants | |
Erysimum rhaeticum | Flowering Plants | |
Poa laxa | Flowering Plants | |
Veronica baumgartenii | Flowering Plants | |
Ditrichum zonatum | Mosses & Liverworts | |
Dryptodon patens | Mosses & Liverworts |