Red List habitat classification > RL - Marine habitats > RLBAL - Baltic > BAL33 Sparse or no macrofauna communities on Baltic infralittoral sand

Sparse or no macrofauna communities on Baltic infralittoral sand

Quick facts

Red List habitat type	code BAL33
Threat status
Europe	Least Concern
EU	Least Concern
Relation to	Annex I habitat types (EU Habitats Directive)
Source	European Red List habitat factsheet
	European Red List of habitats reports
	European Red List of habitats (Excel table)

Summary

This Baltic Sea benthic habitat occurs in the photic zone with at least 90% coverage of sand according to the HELCOM HUB classification. The substrate may be mobile and any macro or microvegetation, if present, is sparse. Macrofauna, eipfauna and infauna in this habitat are also sparse and it supports a low species diversity.

Indicators of quality:

Both biotic and abiotic indicators have been used to describe marine habitat quality. These include: the presence of characteristic species as well as those which are sensitive to the pressures the habitat may face; water quality parameters; levels of exposure to particular pressure, and more integrated indices which describe habitat structure and function, such as trophic index, or successional stages of development in habitats that have a natural cycle of change overtime. There are no commonly agreed indicators of quality for this habitat, although particular parameters may have been set in certain situations e.g. protected features within Natura 2000 sites, where reference values have been determined and applied on a location-specific basis.

Characteristic species

For full habitat description, please download the habitat factsheet.

Threat status

Synthesis of Red List assessment

The presence of this habitat type in the Baltic Sea is well known and it occurs in all the sub-basins. The quantity and quality of this habitat is considered to have been stable over the last 50 years and no change is expected in the near future. The overall assessment for this EUNIS level 4 habitat has been based on the HELCOM (2013) assessments for the associated HELCOM HUB biotopes. Draft assessments were derived using a weighted approach whereby the HELCOM assessment outcomes were assigned a score. This was averaged across the relevant biotopes. The outcomes were reviewed by Baltic experts to reach a final conclusion. HELCOM (2013) assessed this habitat as Least Concern (A1). No additional information is available, therefore the current expert opinion is an assessment of Least Concern for both the EU 28 and EU 28+.

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

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

Pollution

Pollution to surface waters (limnic, terrestrial, marine & brackish)
Nutrient enrichment (N, P, organic matter)

Natural System modifications

Human induced changes in hydraulic conditions
Siltation rate changes, dumping, depositing of dredged deposits
Other siltation rate changes

Climate change

Changes in abiotic conditions
Sea-level changes
Changes in biotic conditions
Habitat shifting and alteration

Habitat restoration potential

Unknown

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

No conservation and management measures have been identified specifically for this habitat.

List of conservation and management needs

No measures

No measures needed for the conservation of the habitat/species

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

Seas	Present or presence uncertain	Current area of habitat (Km²)	Recent trend in quantity (last 50 years)	Recent trend in quality (last 50 years)
Baltic Proper	Present	Unknown	Stable	Stable
Belt Sea
Gulf of Bothnia
Gulf of Finland
Gulf of Riga
The Sound

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	Unknown	Unknown	This habitat is present in all the Baltic sub-basins.
EU28+	Unknown		Unknown	This habitat is present in all the Baltic sub-basins

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	Sandbanks which are slightly covered by sea water all the time	1110	Overlap	http://ec.europa.eu/environm...rective/index_en.htm
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	Large shallow inlets and bays	1160	Overlap
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	Boreal Baltic narrow inlets	1650	Overlap

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Sections

Sparse or no macrofauna communities on Baltic infralittoral sand

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