EUNIS habitat classification 2012 amended 2019 > A - Marine habitats > A2 - Littoral sediment > A2.5 - Coastal saltmarshes and saline reedbeds > A2.53 - Mid-upper saltmarshes and saline and brackish reed, rush and sedge beds > A2.531 - Atlantic upper shore communities

Atlantic upper shore communities

English name: Atlantic upper shore communities

Description (English)

Often relatively species-rich, grassy, flowery formations characteristic of the upper levels of the salt meadows of the Atlantic and its connected seas, with Armeria maritima, Glaux maritima, Plantago maritima, Frankenia laevis, Artemisia maritima, Festuca rubra, Agrostis stolonifera, Juncus gerardi, Carex extensa, Blysmus rufus, Eleocharis spp. Similar communities occupying the lower levels of brackish meadows, in particular of the Baltic, are included, while formations restricted to brackish conditions are listed under unit A2.521. The dominance of various species induces distinctive facies, the most important of which are individualised in subunits.

Source: EUNIS habitat classification

Quick facts

EUNIS habitat type	code A2.531
Bern Convention	Included in a Resolution 4 habitat type at a higher level (A2.5)
Relation to	Annex I habitat types (EU Habitats Directive)

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	Atlantic salt meadows (Glauco-Puccinellietalia maritimae)	1330	Narrower	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	Boreal Baltic coastal meadows	1630	Overlap

Vegetation types

Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)

Not available

Species mentioned in habitat description

Flowering Plants Agrostis stolonifera

Flowering Plants Artemisia maritima

Flowering Plants Blysmus rufus

Flowering Plants Carex extensa

Flowering Plants Festuca rubra

Flowering Plants Frankenia laevis

Flowering Plants Glaux maritima

Flowering Plants Juncus gerardi

Flowering Plants Plantago maritima

Species scientific name	English common name	Species group
Agrostis stolonifera		Flowering Plants
Artemisia maritima		Flowering Plants
Blysmus rufus		Flowering Plants
Carex extensa		Flowering Plants
Festuca rubra		Flowering Plants
Frankenia laevis		Flowering Plants
Glaux maritima		Flowering Plants
Juncus gerardi		Flowering Plants
Plantago maritima		Flowering Plants

Other classifications

Classification	Code	Habitat type name	Relationship type
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 200112	15.33	Atlantic upper schorre communities	source
CORINE Land Cover	4.2.1.	Salt marshes	n/a
Nordic Vegetation Classification 1994	4.2.2.4	Blysmus rufus-Sedge type	n/a
Nordic Vegetation Classification 1994	4.2.2.2	Sea Wormwood type	n/a
Nordic Vegetation Classification 1994	4.2.2.1a	Red Fescue-Sea Plantain variant	n/a
Nordic Vegetation Classification 1994	4.2.1.3	Common Couch type	n/a
Nordic Vegetation Classification 1994	4.2.4.1	Slender Spike Rush-Creeping Bent type	n/a
Nordic Vegetation Classification 1994	4.2.4.2	Sea Rush type	n/a
Nordic Vegetation Classification 1994	4.2.1.4	Orache-Knotgrass type	n/a
Nordic Vegetation Classification 1994	4.2.2	Upper geolittoral vegetation	n/a
Nordic Vegetation Classification 1994	4.2.2.5	Brown/Black Bog Rush type	n/a
Nordic Vegetation Classification 1994	4.2.2.6	Shore-swamp fen type	n/a
Nordic Vegetation Classification 1994	4.2.2.1	Saltmarsh Rush - Red fescue type	n/a
Nordic Vegetation Classification 1994	4.2.2.5a	Dragon's teeth variant	n/a
Nordic Vegetation Classification 1994	4.2.2.4a	Slender Spikerush-Carex salina type	n/a
National Vegetation Classification (UK)	SM20	Eleocharis uniglumis salt-marsh community	narrower
National Vegetation Classification (UK)	SM21	Suaeda vera-Limonium binervosum salt-marsh community	overlap
National Vegetation Classification (UK)	SM22	Halimione portulacoides-Frankenia laevis salt-marsh community	narrower
National Vegetation Classification (UK)	SM19	Blysmus rufus salt-marsh community	narrower
National Vegetation Classification (UK)	SM15	Juncus maritimus-Triglochin maritima salt-marsh community	narrower
National Vegetation Classification (UK)	SM16	Festuca rubra salt-marsh community	narrower
National Vegetation Classification (UK)	SM17	Artemisia maritima salt-marsh community	narrower
National Vegetation Classification (UK)	SM18	Juncus maritimus salt-marsh community	narrower

For relation to plant communities (syntaxa), see Vegetation types

History

Classification	Code	Habitat type name	Relationship type
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410	A2.531	Atlantic upper shore communities	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A2.631	Atlantic upper shore communities	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	A2.631	Atlantic upper shore communities	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910	A2.631	Atlantic upper shore communities	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811	A2.631	Atlantic upper schorre communities	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199712	B3.33	Atlantic upper schorre communities	same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 199905	15.33	Atlantic upper schorre communities	same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1997	15.33	Atlantic upper schorre communities	same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1996	15.33		same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1993	15.33		same
CORINE Biotopes Classification 1991	15.33		same
CORINE Biotopes Classification 1989	15.133		same

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