Red List habitat classification > RL - Marine habitats > RLBLS - Black Sea > BLSA5.22 Estuarine Pontic infralittoral sand

Estuarine Pontic infralittoral sand

Quick facts

Red List habitat type	code BLSA5.22
Threat status
Europe	Data Deficient
EU	Data Deficient
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

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.

Characteristic species

For full habitat description, please download the habitat factsheet.

Threat status

Synthesis of Red List assessment

Detailed information on the abundance and extent of this habitat is lacking. Information on the quantity and quality of this habitat including historical or recent trends is unknown. For the purposes of Red List assessment this habitat is considered to be Data Deficient.

EU
Red List Category	Red List Criteria
Data Deficient	-

Europe
Red List Category	Red List Criteria
Data Deficient	-

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

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

There is insufficient data and knowledge of this habitat to assess its capacity to recover

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

Conservation and management measures which would benefit this habitat include implementing measures to maintain physical and biological integrity, including control and regulation of discharges to the marine environment, improvement of water quality management outside EU member states, coastal development controls, contingency plans to be followed in the event of a major pollution incident, raised public awareness of ecological value and vulnerability of the habitat.

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

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	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.

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 Bittium reticulatum

Invertebrates Cerastoderma glaucum

Invertebrates Dikerogammarus haemobaphes

Invertebrates Gammarus marinus

Invertebrates Palaemon adspersus

Species scientific name	English common name	Species group
Bittium reticulatum		Invertebrates
Cerastoderma glaucum		Invertebrates
Dikerogammarus haemobaphes		Invertebrates
Gammarus marinus		Invertebrates
Palaemon adspersus		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	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	Estuaries	1130	Narrower

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Sections

Estuarine Pontic 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