Conservation status of shore inhabiting species under the EU habitats directive
Summary
The conservation status of most coastal species (13 species) under the EU Habitats Directive in Finland is not at an adequate level. A little over one-third of the conservation status assessments were favorable during the most recent reporting period. Between the first and second reporting periods, the conservation status of two species improved from unfavorable to favorable, but no similar improvement has occurred since then. Due to this and the small number of species, the slight improving trend of the indicator is not statistically significant.
Status
The status of the indicator is very poor. This status is determined based on the most recent reporting, relative to the goal that all assessments of coastal species listed in the Habitats Directive should be at a favorable conservation status. Only five out of the 13 assessments included in the indicator (approximately 40 percent) were judged to have a favorable conservation status (see Information About the Site and Indicator Calculation). An equivalent number of cases were assessed as inadequate, and around 20 percent were assessed as poor.
Trend
There is no clear statistically significant trend in the proportion of favorable conservation status assessments between different reporting periods in the indicator. However, the proportion of conservation statuses assessed as poor has systematically decreased between reporting periods, and the assessments for two species, the large copper (Lycaena dispar) and Erebia medusa subsp. polaris, have shifted from unfavorable to favorable conservation status after the first reporting period. In the first reporting period, one less species was assessed compared to the others, as the conservation status of the narrow-mouthed whorl snail (Vertigo angustior) was only able to be evaluated starting from the second reporting period.
Significance
The indicator includes 13 species from different biological groups (mammals, butterflies, mollusks, and vascular plants). These species are primarily rare and/or have a limited distribution range. Many of the plants in this group, in particular, have specific habitat requirements.
The indicator reflects the trends in populations, distribution ranges, and habitat quality of species considered particularly significant for conservation. It provides insight into whether conservation efforts and the sustainable use of natural resources are sufficient to ensure the favorable conservation status of these species. A conservation status is considered favorable if the species is viable in its natural habitats and is expected to remain so in the long term. The goal of the EU Biodiversity Strategy is for at least 30 percent of species currently not in a favorable conservation status to achieve a favorable status by 2030.
References
The indicator is based on Finland’s national reports to the European Union’s Habitats Directive from three different reporting periods (2001-2006, 2007-2012, and 2013-2018). These reports assess the favorable conservation status of various species based on the extent of their distribution range, estimated population size, habitat availability, and future prospects. The conservation status of a species can be assessed for multiple biogeographical zones (Boreal, Alpine, and Baltic).
The species assessed in these reports are listed in Annexes II, IV, and V of the European Union’s Habitats Directive. Annex II lists animal and plant species, subspecies, or species groups considered of community interest, for which special conservation areas (Natura 2000 network) must be designated. Annex IV includes animal and plant species, subspecies, or species groups considered of community interest that require strict protection. Annex V lists animal and plant species, or species groups of community interest, whose removal from the wild and exploitation may require regulation to ensure that their conservation status is not threatened.
From the species listed in the Habitats Directive, only those whose primary habitat was assessed as a coastal environment in the most recent Red List assessment have been selected for this indicator.
The species from the EU Habitats Directive annexes that are included in the indicator (with conservation status by region in parentheses)
Daubenton’s bat – Myotis daubentonii (Boreal zone: Favorable)
Large copper – Lycaena dispar (Boreal zone: Favorable)
Erebia medusa subsp. polaris (Alpine zone: Favorable)
Narrow-mouthed whorl snail – Vertigo angustior (Boreal zone: Favorable)
Bluntleaf sandwort – Moehringia lateriflora (Boreal zone: Unfavorable, Inadequate)
Trisetum subalpestre (Alpine zone: Favorable)
Persicaria foliosa (Boreal zone: Unfavorable, Bad)
Fourleaf mare’s-tail – Hippuris tetraphylla (Boreal zone: Unfavorable, Inadequate)
Sleepy primrose – Primula nutans (Boreal zone: Unfavorable, Inadequate)
Arctic marsh grass – Arctophila fulva (Boreal zone: Unfavorable, Inadequate)
Artemisia campestris subsp. bottnica (Boreal zone: Unfavorable, Bad)
Least moonwort – Botrychium simplex (Boreal zone: Unfavorable, Inadequate)
Creeping alkaligrass – Puccinellia phryganodes (Boreal zone: Unfavorable, Bad)
Further information:
The proportions of different conservation statuses in the indicator are directly based on the results from the European Union’s Habitats Directive reporting periods. In the Habitats Directive reporting, the assessment is carried out separately for the Alpine, Boreal, and Baltic regions according to the EU’s biogeographical divisions. For most species in the coastal species indicator, the results from the Boreal region have been used, but for Trisetum subalpestre and Erebia medusa subsp. polaris, assessments are only available for the Alpine region, so the indicator uses the Alpine region assessments for these species.
From the species listed in Annexes II, IV, and V of the Habitats Directive, only coastal species have been selected for inclusion. The most recent Red List assessment, which identified primary habitats for over 20,000 species, was used as the source for the habitats used by these species.
For the indicator, the proportions of coastal species at different conservation statuses were calculated for each of the three reporting periods. Since the most recent assessment includes only one evaluation per species, the indicator directly reflects the proportion of coastal species under the Habitats Directive that are in favorable conservation status.
The proportion of assessments in favorable conservation status from the most recent reporting period (2013-2018) directly determines the indicator’s status relative to the scenario where all assessments would be at favorable conservation status. Thus, any deviation from the scenario where all assessments are at favorable status lowers the indicator’s status assessment (see Information About the Site).
The indicator’s trend, on the other hand, is calculated based on how the proportion of favorable conservation status assessments has changed across different reporting periods. The trend evaluation is conducted using a generalized linear model based on a binomial distribution.
Ask for further information
Ulla-Maija Liukko
Senior coordinator, group manager (Syke), Red List Assessment, EU directives reporting
Marko Hyvärinen
Director, Mycology and Botany unit (Luomus), plant adaptation and conservation