03A2
Mediterranean halophytic communities of tall rushes, sedges and grasses
Relationships with habitat classifications. EUNIS: A2.52 Mediterranean [Juncus maritimus] and [Juncus acutus] saltmarshes; PAL. CLASS.: 15.51 Mediterranean tall rush salt marshes; HD 92/43: 1410 Mediterranean salt meadows (Juncetalia maritimi); Bondev (1991): 146 Halophytic grass communities with prevalence of Puccinelieta convolutae, Limonieta gmelinii, Aeluropeta littoralis, Salicornieta europaeae etc. partly of secondary origin (only for the Black Sea coast).
Conservation status. BDA, BC, HD.
Category. Critically endangered [CR – A1, 2 B1 C3 D3 E3 F3 G3 H3 J L2].
General characteristics. The habitat is a community of tall (0,9–1 m) rushes, grasses and sedges in the periphery of hyperhaline or brackish seaside lakes (lagoons or limans), along the Black Sea coast. This habitat very often include the dominant communities of Elymus elongatus, Juncus littoralis (= Juncus acutus subsp. tommasinii), Juncus maritimus, Phacelurus digitatus(= Rottboellia digitata). The total area of the representative communities of this habitat type does not exceed 5 ha. The water is shallow, not permanent throughout the vegetation season and often is salty to very salty. The soils are the Solonchaks type and throughout the major part of the year are over-wet. The projective cover of the coenoses varies between 80 and 100%. Its floristic composition is poor and apart from the dominants some typical halophytes such as Aster tripolium, Puccinellia convoluta, Salicornia europaea, Suaeda maritima and hydrophytes Bolboschoenus maritimus, Phragmites australis, Polypogon monspeliensis also occur.
Syntaxonomically these communities belong to class Juncetea maritimae, order Juncetalia maritimae and association Juncetum maritimae. The habitat is associated with other halophytic habitats like the continental saline meadows and the communities of Cladium mariscus.
Characteristic taxa.
- Vascular plants: Aster tripolium, Elymus elongatus, Juncus littoralis (= Juncus acutus subsp. tommasinii), Juncus maritimus, Limonium latifolium, Phacelurus digitatus(= Rottboellia digitata), Plantago cornutii, Polypogon monspeliensis, Puccinellia distans, Eleocharis palustris.
- Fungi: Micromycetes – Erysiphe limonii (on Limonium latifolium), Puccinia cancellata (on Juncus acutus), Uromyces junci (on Juncus littoralis), Ustilago hypodites (on Elymus elongatus).
- Animals: Recurvirostra avosetta,Himantopus himantopus, Tringa totanus.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Varna and Beloslav lakes, Durankulak Lake, Burgas lakes, Tchengene Skele locality, Kraimorie village, Ravadinovo village and the mouth of Ropotamo River.
Conservation importance. The habitat is very important for the conservation of the biodiversity in the wetlands along the Black Sea Coast. Some of these wetlands such as Atanasovsko lake, Durankulak lake, are of international importance according to the Ramsar Convention and CORINE Biotopes project.
Threats. Construction of tourism facilities, draining of areas, changes in the hydrological regime of the saline lakes.
Conservation measures taken. The habitat is included in Annex № 1 of the Bulgarian Biodiversity Act. Some of the localities are within protected areas – Ropotamo Strict Nature Reserve, Atanasovsko Lake Managed Nature Reserve, Kazashko Protected Site. Durankulashko Ezero Protected Site, Tchengene Skele Protected Site, Blatoto Protected Site, etc. and in sites of the European Ecological Network NATURA 2000.
Conservation measures needed. Monitoring of the habitat and elaboration of an Action plan for the conservation of the habitat.
References. Ganchev et al. 1971; Kochev & Jordanov 1981; Tzonev et al. 2008.
Author: Chavdar Gussev
