Red List habitat classification > RLH - Sparsely vegetated habitats > RLH3.2d Mediterranean base-rich inland cliff

Mediterranean base-rich inland cliff

Quick facts

Red List habitat type code RLH3.2d
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 habitat is composed of cliffs of limestone, calcareous conglomerates and other base-rich rocks in the Mediterranean, except if they are halophytic as a result of being under sea spray influence, with calcicole vascular plants, growing in fissures and crevices (chasmophytes), bryophytes, lichens and epi- and endolithic micro-organisms. The chasmophytic flora is diverse in composition and growth form; it consists mainly of perennial herbs, small ferns, dwarf shrubs, shrubs, tussock grasses, and sometimes woody climbers and small trees. Rosulate, prostrate, succulent and cushion are characteristic growth forms. Genera such as Asplenium, Campanula, Centaurea, Hieracium, Saxifraga, Silene and Teucrium are particularly species-rich and well represented in many Mediterranean regions. Cliff habitats are known to promote speciation and relict endemism through geographical isolation and long-term habitat continuity. Although not particularly rich in species per site (alpha diversity), relicts, as well as neo-endemisms, lead to an extraordinary regional and supra-regional diversity. The large number of floristically well-defined plant communities and alliances reflects these geographical and altitudinal patterns. Apart from the striking biogeographical variation, local-scale differences in species composition occur due to exposure, cliff topography, rock texture, mineral composition and humidity.

Mediterranean base-rich inland cliffs occur in most of the Iberian Peninsula (except the northern part), the Balearic islands, southern France, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, the Tyrrhenian coastal region with the islands, the Apennines, the Adriatic and Ionian coastal regions and islands, the southern Balkans (as far as Mediterranean climate is prevailing), the Aegean, Cyprus, further to Mediterranean Turkey (Anatolia) and the Mediterranean parts of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel, as well as to northern Africa (i.e. Cyrenaica in Lybia, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco). Non-halophytic cliffs are present from sea-level up to the high mountains, exposed or sheltered, in ravines, gorges, precipices and summit areas. Ultramafic cliffs are included under habitat H3.2g, while halophytic coastal cliffs are included under habitat B3.1-3b.

Indicators of quality:

Mediterranean limestone cliffs are mostly natural habitats with only little or marginal human influence. Mediterranean cliffs support a characteristic chasmophytic flora rich in local and regional endemics. There are several examples of neo-endemics (Quaternary speciation) as well as paleo-endemics (Tertiary relics). The occurrence of rare and phytogeographically significant endemics indicates high quality. Since the chasmophytic flora varies much between areas, the quality of particular sites should be judged by the chasmophytes occurring in the site proportional to those in the wider area.

Cliff habitats are mostly inaccessible and as such to some extent they are naturally protected. Human impacts such as quarrying and rock control structures are tantamount to the destruction of the habitat. The following characteristics may be used as indicators of good quality:

  • Occurrence of a representative set of rare species, in particular narrow or regional endemics
  • Presence of different aspects of rock walls, different exposure to insolation, moisture and rock structures such as vertical rock faces, overhangs, cavities, rock shelters and ledges
  • Contact with natural habitats such as extensive screes, rock shrubs and dry grasslands
  • Absence of limestone mining and quarrying
  • Absence of rock control structures
  • Absence of garbage dumping and nutrient input from above the cliff
  • Absence of rock climbing facilities

Characteristic species
For full habitat description, please download the habitat factsheet.

Threat status

Synthesis of Red List assessment

The habitat type is assessed as Least Concern status (LC) in view of its stable trend, since a reduction of only 0.4% has occurred over the last 50 years. Reductions in quality cannot be estimated due to lack of information. Future trends for this habitat are rather unpredictable, but most of the Mediterranean cliffs fall within natural reserves or protected areas and thus are presumed to be stable.
EU
Red List Category Red List Criteria
Least Concern -
Europe
Red List Category Red List Criteria
Least Concern -

Confidence in the assessment

low
Red List of habitat categories and criteria descriptions

Pressures and threats

  • Mining, extraction of materials and energy production
    • Mining and quarrying
  • Transportation and service corridors
    • Roads, paths and railroads
    • Roads, motorways
    • Tunnel
  • Human intrusions and disturbances
    • Outdoor sports and leisure activities, recreational activities
    • Mountaineering, rock climbing, speleology
    • Mountaineering & rock climbing
    • Recreational cave visits
    • Fences, fencing
  • Invasive, other problematic species and genes
    • Invasive non-native species

Habitat restoration potential

Unless completely destroyed, cliff recovery is possible provided that it is potentially connected with similar environments and that natural geo-morphological processes are not hampered. As many specialised plants of this habitat type are poor dispersers, the species composition is expected to remain impoverished even after initial habitat recovery.

Trends in extent

Average current trend in quantity
Stable Stable
EU28 EU28+

Trends in quality

Average current trend in quality
Unknown Unknown
EU28 EU28+

Conservation and management needs

The best management practice for this highly natural habitat is to leave it simply untouched, thus avoiding any human interference with its natural processes. Luckily, cliffs are mostly present in protected areas.
Information about the biological value of this habitat to the potential users, such as climbers, should be extensively provided. In addition, public awareness about the biological relevance of such apparently inhospitable environments should be increased.

List of conservation and management needs

  • Measures related to spatial planning
    • Establish protected areas/sites
    • 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)
Croatia Present 25 Stable Stable
Cyprus Present unknown Unknown Unknown
France mainland Present 175 Decreasing Decreasing
Corsica Present 175 Decreasing Decreasing
Greece (mainland and other islands) Present 150 Unknown Unknown
Crete Present 150 Unknown Unknown
East Aegean Present 150 Unknown Unknown
Italy mainland Present 137 Decreasing Stable
Sardinia Present 137 Decreasing Stable
Sicily Present 137 Decreasing Stable
Portugal mainland Present 15 Unknown Increasing
Slovenia Present 1 Stable Stable
Spain mainland Present 261 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)
Albania Present unknown Unknown Unknown
Bosnia and Herzegovina Present 5 - 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 >50.000 >50 764
EU28+ >50 769 These figures are calculated without considering data from Cyprus and Albania, as it was not available.
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

Vegetation types

Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)

Not available

Other classifications

Not available
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