Estuarine Pontic infralittoral sand
Quick facts
Red List habitat type | code BLSA5.22 |
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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
Estuarine infralittoral sands in front of the large rivers in the north-west Black Sea form an important habitat type. The largest river estuaries in the Black Sea are the Dniepro-Bugsky estuary in Ukraine and the estuarine waters of the Danube pro-Delta in Romania. Here numerous individual river mouths form a transition between the Danube Delta and the Black Sea. Underwater hydraulic dunes in the ‘Danube mouths’ are an important feature in this area. These are areas with reduced salinity, infauna abundance/diversity, feeding grounds for juvenile fish, birds, a naturally mobile habitat. Smaller locations are the coastal zone of Kinburnskaya spit (Tendrovsky Bay), Grigorievsky, Tiligulsky, Berezansky, Kiziltakskiy estuaries.
Indicators of quality:
Biomass of infauna is one possible parameter that could be used to indicate quality of this habitat. At the mouth of Dniepro-Bugsky estuary average density of macrozoobenthos on sands is 80 ind/m-2, biomass – 11,28 g/ m-2, in the semi open estuaries with significant influence of the fresh waters the level of biomass of macrozoobenthos on the sands are higher (255 – 439,9 g/ m-2) due to the distribution of bivalve mollusks.
Threat status
Synthesis of Red List assessment
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
- Pollution
- Nutrient enrichment (N, P, organic matter)
- Input of contaminants (synthetic substances, non-synthetic substances, radionuclides) - diffuse sources, point sources, acute events
- Natural System modifications
- Human induced changes in hydraulic conditions
- Removal of sediments (mud...)
- Extraction of sea-floor and subsoil minerals (e.g. sand, gravel, rock, oil, gas)
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 marine habitats
- Other marine-related measures
- Measures related to spatial planning
- Establish protected areas/sites
- Measures related to urban areas, industry, energy and transport
- Other measures
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) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Black Sea | Present | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
Extent of Occurrence, Area of Occupancy and habitat area
Extent of Occurrence (EOO) (Km2) | Area of Occupancy (AOO) | Current estimated Total Area | Comment | |
---|---|---|---|---|
EU28 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | The habitat is known to occur in the Black Sea but there is insufficient data to accurately calculate EOO and AOO. |
EU28+ | Unknown | Unknown | The habitat is known to occur in the Black Sea but there is insufficient data to accurately calculate EOO and AOO. |
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 |
---|---|---|
Bittium reticulatum | Invertebrates | |
Cerastoderma glaucum | Invertebrates | |
Dikerogammarus haemobaphes | Invertebrates | |
Gammarus marinus | Invertebrates | |
Palaemon adspersus | Invertebrates |