Communities of Mediterranean mediolittoral coarse sediment
Quick facts
Red List habitat type | code MEDA2.13 |
---|---|
Threat status | |
Europe | Data Deficient |
EU | Data Deficient |
Relation to |
|
Source | European Red List habitat factsheet |
European Red List of habitats reports | |
European Red List of habitats (Excel table) |
Summary
Littoral coarse sediments are found along relatively exposed open shores, where wave action prevents finer sediments from settling. This habitat include shores of mobile pebbles, cobbles and gravel, sometimes with varying amounts of coarse sand. The sediment is highly mobile and subject to high degrees of drying between tides, while sediment particle size structure may vary seasonally, with relatively finer sediments able to settle during calmer conditions in summer. As a result, few species are able to survive in this environment. It is occupied by scavengers species that feed on various plant debris and waste material retained between the pebbles and gravel. Beaches of mobile cobbles and pebbles tend to be devoid of macroinfauna, while gravelly shores may support limited numbers of crustaceans, polychaetes and holothurians. These communities are exposed to alternating water submersion and emersion because of variations in the water level.
One of associated biotopes consist mainly of detritus-feeding species which draw their nourishment from decaying vegetation and miscellaneous debris caught up in the shingle. It is characterised by two crustaceans, the amphipod Gammarus olivii and the isopod Sphaeroma serratum.
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 over time.
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.
Threat status
Synthesis of Red List assessment
This habitat has therefore been assessed as Data Deficient for both the EU 28 and EU 28+.
EU | |
Red List Category | Red List Criteria |
Data Deficient | - |
Europe | |
Red List Category | Red List Criteria |
Data Deficient | - |
Confidence in the assessment
Pressures and threats
- Mining, extraction of materials and energy production
- Sand and gravel extraction
- Sand and gravel quarries
- Removal of beach materials
- Urbanisation, residential and commercial development
- Urbanised areas, human habitation
- Industrial or commercial areas
- Discharges
- Pollution
- Pollution to surface waters (limnic, terrestrial, marine & brackish)
- Marine water pollution
- Soil pollution and solid waste (excluding discharges)
Habitat restoration potential
Trends in extent |
|
Average current trend in quantity |
|
Unknown ![]() |
Unknown ![]() |
EU28 | EU28+ |
Trends in quality |
|
Average current trend in quality |
|
Unknown ![]() |
Unknown ![]() |
EU28 | EU28+ |
Conservation and management needs
List of conservation and management needs
- Measures related to wetland, freshwater and coastal habitats
- Restoring/Improving water quality
- Measures related to spatial planning
- Establish protected areas/sites
- Legal protection of habitats and species
- Manage landscape features
- Measures related to urban areas, industry, energy and transport
- Urban and industrial waste management
- Measures related to special resouce use
- Regulating/Managing exploitation of natural resources on sea
Distribution
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) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Adriatic Sea | Present | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
Aegian-Levantine Sea | ||||
Ionian Sea and the Central Mediterranean Sea | ||||
Western Mediterranean Sea |
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 Mediterranean sub-basins. |
EU28+ | unknown | Unknown | This habitat is present in all the Mediterranean sub-basins. |
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 |
---|---|---|
Echinogammarus planicrurus | Invertebrates | |
Gammarus marinus | Invertebrates | |
Gammarus olivii | Invertebrates | |
Perinereis cultrifera | Invertebrates | |
Sphaeroma serratum | Invertebrates |
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 | Large shallow inlets and bays | 1160 | Overlap | http://ec.europa.eu/environm...rective/index_en.htm |