Machair
Quick facts
| EUNIS habitat type | code B1.9 |
|---|---|
| Bern Convention | Resolution 4 habitat type (used for designation of Emerald sites) |
| Relation to | Annex I habitat types (EU Habitats Directive) |
Description (English)
Short-turf grasslands formed on dry and seasonally waterlogged, relatively flat and low-lying sand plains, where windblown calcareous sand overlies peat or impermeable bedrock. Machair grasslands are machair in the strict sense, and form part of the machair complex (X27), characteristic of the Outer Hebrides and western Ireland, with dunes (B1.3, B1.4), shallow lochs (C1) and land cultivated on a strip rotation (I1). They support a flower-rich, and correspondingly insect-rich, dune grassland studded with shallow lochs and cultivated on a strip rotation. The grassland is dominated by Poa pratensis and Festuca rubra, accompanied by Thalictrum minus ssp. arenarium, Thymus praecox ssp. arcticus (Thymus drucei), Bellis perennis, Prunella vulgaris, Erodium cicutarium, Trifolium spp., Euphrasia spp. and many orchids, among which Dactylorhiza fuchsii ssp. hebridensis, Dactylorhiza purpurella, Gymnadenia conopsea, Coeloglossum viride, Platanthera chlorantha and Orchis mascula are the most prominent. This grassland harbours a plant community of very restricted distribution comprising vulnerable species; Cochlearia scotica, Euphrasia marshallii and Dactylorhiza fuchsii ssp. hebridensis are endemic. As a whole, machair is an essential habitat for breeding waders such as Haematopus ostralegus, Vanellus vanellus, Charadrius hiaticula, Calidris alpina, Tringa totanus and Gallinago gallinago; it supports the healthiest western European population of the threatened corncrake Crex crex.
Source:
EUNIS habitat classification
Interpretation Manual of the habitats targeted by Resolution No. 4
Legal status
Mentioned in the following international legal instruments and agreements
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 | Machairs (in Ireland) | 21A0 | Same | http://ec.europa.eu/environm...rective/index_en.htm |
Vegetation types
Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)
| Name | Definition | Other names | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Armerion elongatae Pötsch 1962 | Closed meso-xerophytic swards on slightly acidic to slightly alkaline sandy soils in lowlands of subcontinental Europe | Plantagini-Festucion trachyphyllae Passarge 1964 nom. corr. propos.; Armerion elongatae Krausch 1959; Armerion elongatae Krausch 1962; Plantagini lanceolatae-Festucion brevipilae Passarge 1964 corr. Kratzert et Dengler 1999; Plantagini lanceolatae-Festucion ovinae Passarge 1964; Vicio lathyroidis-Potentillion argenteae Brzeg in Brzeg et Wojterska 1996 | Schaminee et al, 2012 |
| Violion caninae Schwickerath 1944 | Meso-subxerophilous oligotrophic pastures in planare to submontane belts of Western and Central Europe | Galio saxatilis-Festucion filiformis de Foucault 1994; Agrostion curtisii de Foucault 1986; Violo caninae-Nardion (Schwickerath 1944) Ellenberg 1978; Nardo-Galion saxatilis Preising 1949; Nardo-Galion saxatilis Preising 1950; Potentillo erectae-Holcion mollis Passarge 1979; Violo-Nardion Oberd. 1949; Avenulo marginatae sulcatae-Nardion Stieperaere in de Foucault 1994; Nardo-Agrostion caninae Cortini Pedrotti et al. 1973; Avenulo marginatae sulcatae-Nardion Stieperaere in de Foucault 2012; Galio saxatilis-Festucion vivipareae de Foucault 1994; Avenulo marginatae sulcatae-Nardion Stieperaere 1990; Danthonio decumbentis-Serapiadion linguae de Foucault 1994 | Schaminee et al, 2012 |
| Koelerion arenariae Tx. 1937 corr. Gutermann et Mucina 1993 | Sandy grasslands on base-rich stabilised grey dunes of North Sea coasts from northern France to Germany | Koelerion arenariae Tx. 1937 corr. Rivas-Mart. et al. 2002; Galio-Koelerion (Tx. 1937) Westhoff et Den Held 1969; Koelerion albescentis Tx. 1937; Phleo arenarii-Cerastion diffusi de Foucault 1999; Phleo arenarii-Cerastion diffusi de Foucault 2001; Phleo-Koelerion Doing 1974; Tortulo-Koelerion (Tx. 1937) Weeda, Doing et Schaminée in Schaminée et al. 1996 | Schaminee et al, 2012 |
| Ammophilion Br.-Bl. 1921 | Vegetation of warm-temperate mediterranean tall-grass swards on embryonic coastal sand dunes | Ammophilion australis Br.-Bl. 1921 corr. Géhu 1998; Euphorbio-Ammophilion arenariae Géhu et Géhu-Franck 1969; Agropyrion mediterraneum Géhu et Géhu-Franck 1969; Sporobolion arenarii (Géhu et Géhu-Franck ex Géhu et Biondi 1994) Rivas-Mart. et al. 2002; Agropyrion juncei Pignatti 1953; Ammophilion Br.-Bl. 1933; Ammophilion littori-arenariae Br.-Bl. 1921; Euphorbio-Festucion dumetori Géhu 1975; Sporobolion arenarii (Géhu et Géhu-Franck ex Géhu et Biondi 1994) Rivas-Mart. et al. 2001; Zygophyllion albi Géhu et al. 1990; Zygophyllion albi Géhu et al. 1991; Ammophilion arundinaceae Br.-Bl. 1921 corr. Géhu et al. in Rivas-Mart. et al. 1990 | Schaminee et al, 2012 |
| Thero-Airion Tx. ex Oberd. 1957 | Pioneer vegetation on acidic shallow soils of winter-mild atlantic and sub-boreal regions of Europe and Madeira | Tuberario guttatae-Airion praecocis de Foucault 1999; Airion caryophylleo-praecocis Rivas-Mart. 1978; Thero-Airion Tx. 1951; Thero-Trifolion Doing 1974; Tuberario guttatae-Airion praecocis de Foucault 2001 | Schaminee et al, 2012 |
Species mentioned in habitat description
Birds
Calidris alpina
Birds
Charadrius hiaticula
Birds
Crex crex
Birds
Gallinago gallinago
Birds
Haematopus ostralegus
Birds
Tringa totanus
Birds
Vanellus vanellus
Flowering Plants
Bellis perennis
Flowering Plants
Coeloglossum viride
Flowering Plants
Dactylorhiza purpurella
Flowering Plants
Erodium cicutarium
Flowering Plants
Festuca rubra
Flowering Plants
Gymnadenia conopsea
Flowering Plants
Orchis mascula
Flowering Plants
Platanthera chlorantha
Flowering Plants
Poa pratensis
Flowering Plants
Prunella vulgaris
| Species scientific name | English common name | Species group |
|---|---|---|
| Calidris alpina | Dunlin | Birds |
| Charadrius hiaticula | Ringed Plover | Birds |
| Crex crex | Corncrake | Birds |
| Gallinago gallinago | Snipe | Birds |
| Haematopus ostralegus | Oystercatcher | Birds |
| Tringa totanus | Redshank | Birds |
| Vanellus vanellus | Lapwing | Birds |
| Bellis perennis | Flowering Plants | |
| Coeloglossum viride | Flowering Plants | |
| Dactylorhiza purpurella | Flowering Plants | |
| Erodium cicutarium | Flowering Plants | |
| Festuca rubra | Flowering Plants | |
| Gymnadenia conopsea | Flowering Plants | |
| Orchis mascula | Flowering Plants | |
| Platanthera chlorantha | Flowering Plants | |
| Poa pratensis | Flowering Plants | |
| Prunella vulgaris | Flowering Plants |
Other classifications
| Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 200112 | 1A.1 | Machair | same |
| CORINE Land Cover | 2.3.1. | Pastures | n/a |
| Phase 1 habitat classification (UK) 1993 | H65 | Sand-dune: dune grassland | wider |
| Biodiversity Action Plan Priority Habitats (UK) | 29 | Machair | same |
History
| Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 | B1.9 | Machair | same |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | B1.9 | Machair | same |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | B1.9 | Machair | same |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 | B1.9 | Machair | same |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811 | B1.9 | Machair | same |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199712 | B5.5 | Machair | same |
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 199905 | 1A.1 | Machair | same |
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1997 | 1A.1 | Machair | same |
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1996 | 1A.1 | same | |
| Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1993 | 1A.1 | same | |
| CORINE Biotopes Classification 1991 | 1A | same | |
| CORINE Biotopes Classification 1989 | 1A | same |
