N131 Atlantic and Baltic embryonic dunes
Description
Patchy communities of perennial, mostly graminoid plants (narrow-leaved and thus able to cope with the drought caused by salt and by the rapid water drainage through sand) pioneeringly colonising areas of the sandy beach located inland enough to have remained undisturbed by storms for several years.
Protection
Protected under the code 2110 ("Embryonic shifting dunes") by the EU Habitat Directive.Floristic Composition
Frequent species
Elytrigia juncea
100%,
Eryngium maritimum
59%,
Calystegia soldanella
52%,
Euphorbia paralias
40%,
Honckenya peploides
19%,
Ammophila arenaria
13%,
Carex arenaria
12%,
Cakile maritima
12%,
Cynodon dactylon
10%,
Polygonum maritimum
10%,
Salsola kali
9%,
Thrincia saxatilis aggr.
8%,
Festuca juncifolia
7%
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Indicator species
Elytrigia juncea 0.95,
Eryngium maritimum 0.35,
Calystegia soldanella 0.27,
Honckenya peploides 0.09,
Carex arenaria 0.07,
Cynodon dactylon 0.06,
Polygonum maritimum 0.05,
Euphorbia polygonifolia 0.02,
Elytrigia campestris 0.01,
Convolvulus arvensis 0.01,
Calystegia sepium 0.01,
Sporobolus pungens 0.01,
Phragmites australis 0,
Equisetum ramosissimum 0,
Parapholis strigosa 0,
Xanthium strumarium 0,
Tetragonia tetragonioides 0,
Arundo donax 0,
Panicum repens 0,
Melilotus indicus 0,
Suaeda maritima 0,
Echium rosulatum 0,
Cladanthus mixtus 0,
Zea mays 0,
Scirpoides holoschoenus 0
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Phytosociology
- Euphorbio paraliae-Elytrigietum boreoatlanticae
Relations with other habitat types
The leaves of Elytrigia juncea, by far the most abundant structural species, detain wind-borne sand grains and contribute to the buildup of a first belt of dunes, the long rhizomes and attached root systems contributing to stabilize the incipient sand deposits and facilitating the succession towards N133.
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Regional distribution
Known occurrences and potential area of occupancy of the habitat type in the study region.
