Red List habitat classification > RL - Marine habitats > RLBLS - Black Sea > BLSA1.42 Pontic mediolittoral rock pools

Pontic mediolittoral rock pools

Quick facts

Red List habitat type code BLSA1.42
Threat status
Europe Data Deficient
EU Near Threatened
Relation to
Source European Red List habitat factsheet
European Red List of habitats reports
European Red List of habitats (Excel table)

Summary

Rockpools occur where the topography of the shore allows seawater to be retained within depressions in the bedrock producing 'pools' on the retreat of overwashing waves. Alternatively seawater might be circulated by the surge through channels in the rock. As rockpool communities are permanently submerged they are not directly affected by height on the shore and normal rocky shore zonation patterns do not apply. For this reason rockpools have been dealt with as a separate habitat type, apart from the scheme of wave exposure and shore height. Four main rockpool habitat subtypes have been described:

A1.422  Pontic Upper mediolittoral shallow rockpools with green algae (Ulva spp. and Cladophora spp.)

A1.415 Pontic Upper mediolittoral deep rockpools with juveniles of Mytilus galloprovincialis and Pachygrapsus marmoratus

A1.41A Pontic Mediolittoral rockpools with anemones (Actinia equina and Diadumene lineata)

A1.41B Pontic Mediolittoral rockpools with articulated corallines and Ceramiales.

Indicators of quality:

Suitable biotic indicators of quality include: Gobiesocidae,  Diadumene lineata  and crabs Pachygrapsus marmoratus, Eriphia verrucosa . Suitable abiotic indictors of quality include: water clarity and nutrient levels. There is insufficient information to set indicator thresholds required for monitoring purposes.

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

Threat status

Synthesis of Red List assessment

Because of its restricted distribution and extent of decline in the recent past (between 25 and 30% since 1965) expert opinion is that this habitat should be assessed as Near Threatened under Criterion A1.
In the EU 28+ this habitat has a large EOO and AOO, and therefore qualifies as Least Concern under criterion B. However the habitat is assessed as Data Deficient because of a lack of information on its trends in quantity and quality and the fact that its overall distribution is unknown.
EU
Red List Category Red List Criteria
Near Threatened A1
Europe
Red List Category Red List Criteria
Data Deficient -

Confidence in the assessment

medium
Red List of habitat categories and criteria descriptions

Pressures and threats

  • Urbanisation, residential and commercial development
    • Other urbanisation, industrial and similar activities
  • Pollution
    • Nutrient enrichment (N, P, organic matter)
    • Oil spills in the sea
    • Input of litter (solid waste matter)
  • Geological events, natural catastrophes
    • Storm, cyclone

Habitat restoration potential

This habitat cannot recover from loss of extent and/or distribution. However, it can recover from reduction in quality. Recovery can occur relatively quickly (within 10 years) if the decline is caused by pollution. This can be achieved by either controlling pollution inputs or from water recharge after storms.

Trends in extent

Average current trend in quantity
Decreasing Stable
EU28 EU28+

Trends in quality

Average current trend in quality
Stable Stable
EU28 EU28+

Conservation and management needs

Protection from the direct and indirect effect of coastal development will benefit this habitat as well as controls of land-based pollutants which discharge out to sea. This habitat is only protected in Bulgaria at the present time.

List of conservation and management needs

  • Measures related to wetland, freshwater and coastal habitats
    • Restoring/Improving water quality
  • Measures related to spatial planning
    • Other marine-related measures
    • Establish protected areas/sites
    • Legal protection of habitats and species
  • Measures related to urban areas, industry, energy and transport
    • Urban and industrial waste management

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)
Black Sea Present Unknown Decreasing Decreasing

Extent of Occurrence, Area of Occupancy and habitat area

Extent of Occurrence (EOO) (Km2) Area of Occupancy (AOO) Current estimated Total Area Comment
EU28 10,743 25 Unknown Area estimates are available at some localities. However, these are only a small proportion of occurrences. Most locality data is available as points only and cannot be used to calculate area.
EU28+ 161 Unknown Area estimates are available at some localities. However, these are only a small proportion of occurrences. Most locality data is available as points only and cannot be used to calculate area.
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

The full list of characteristic species and genus are available above from the Summary. The species available in the EUNIS database are shown here.
Invertebrates Actinia equina
Invertebrates Eriphia verrucosa
Invertebrates Mytilus galloprovincialis
Invertebrates Pachygrapsus marmoratus
Species scientific name English common name Species group
Actinia equina Invertebrates
Eriphia verrucosa Invertebrates
Mytilus galloprovincialis Invertebrates
Pachygrapsus marmoratus Invertebrates

Vegetation types

Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)

Not available

Other classifications

Not available
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