02B1
Black Sea embryonic dunes
Relationships with habitat classifications. EUNIS: B1.313 Pontic embryonic dunes; PAL. CLASS.: 16.2113 Pontic embryonic dunes; HD 92/43: 2110 Embryonic shifting dunes; Bondev (1991): 147 Psammophytous grass communities with a prevalence of mostly Leymeta racemosi, Ammophylleta arenariae, Galileeta mucronatae, Centaureeta arenariae, Trachomitum venetum and shrub communities with a prevalence of Cionureta erectae and others mostly on coastal sands.
Conservation status. BDA, BC, HD.
Category. Endangered [EN – A1, 2 C3 D2 E2 F2 G2 H2 I J L3].
General characteristics. The embryonic dunes develop in the transitional zone between the typical sand beaches and the pontic mobile (white) dunes or the pontic fixed (grey) dune complexes. Most often they are made up of a several-meter wide stripe at the dune front, about 1–1,5 m above the drift zone that faces the sea with up to 5–10º slope. Initial consolidating of sand by the roots and rhizomes of perennial plants take place. Among these species are grasses such as Ammophila arenaria, Elymus farctus, Leymus racemosus subsp. sabulosus,but also many other psammophytes such as Centaurea arenaria, Crambe maritima, Eryngium maritimum, Lactuca tatarica, Xanthium italicum. The coenoses of the embryonic dunes along the Black Sea coast are represented by the association Xanthio italici-Leymetum sabulosi, which can be regarded as a successional derivative of the association Ammophilo-Elymetum gigantei,described from Bulgaria in 1971. The number of some typical psammophytes such as Euphorbia paralias, Medicago marina, and Stachys maritima have decreased. Some ruderal neophytes – Xanthium italicum (anthropophyte of American origin), Chondrila juncea, etc. have appeared secondarily in the composition of the aforementioned association with the advancement of the degradation processes due to the anthropogenic activities. Typical for these embryonic dunes is their well-expressed mobility and dynamics that depend on the wind intensity and the impact of the sea storms.
Characteristic taxa.
- Vascular plants: Ammophila arenaria, Argusia sibirica, Centaurea arenaria, Crambe maritima susbp. pontica, Elymus farctus, Eryngium maritimum, Euphorbia paralias, Lactuca tatarica, Leymus racemosus subsp. sabulosus, Polygonum maritimum, Salsola ruthenica, Silene thymifolia, Xanthium italicum.
Distribution in Bulgaria. The whole Black Sea coast, where there are complexes of white and gray dunes – Durankulak village, Shabla Cape, Krapets and Shkorpilovtsi villages, Obzor town, Irakli locality, Gradina and Zlatna Ribka camping sites, Arkutino and Stamopolu swamps, Kiten village, etc.
Conservation importance. Some rare and protected psammophytic species with progressively decreasing populations occur on the coastal beaches such as Centaurea arenaria, Eryngium maritimum, Euphorbia paralias, Lactuca tatarica, etc.
Threats. Intensive tourism and urbanization, pollution of the coastline and dunes in Bulgaria, degradation of habitats and entering of ruderal species in the composition of the natural coenoses; illegal sand-pits in the dunes, natural dynamics of the coastal sand line.
Conservation measures taken. The habitat is in Annex №1 of the national Biodiversity Act. Some of the localities are within the borders of already existing protected areas – Durankulashko Ezero Protected Site, Shablensko Ezero Protected Site, Kamchiyski Pyasatsi Protected Site, Ropotamo Strict Nature Reserve, Strandzha Nature Park. Part of the habitat area is within the European Ecological Network NATURA 2000.
Conservation measures needed. Discontinuation of the construction activities, urbanization and degradation of preserved beaches and dunes along the Black Sea coast, limitation of the tourist pressure, proclamation of management of the protected zones so as to protect the psammophytic coenoses.
References. Tzonev et al. 2005; Vicherek 1971.
Author: Rossen Tzonev
