Table of Contents
Annex VIII-c: AGRICULTURAL HABITATS AND GRASSLANDS
Introduction
'Agri-habitats and grasslands' coverage in the EU
Conservation status and trends
Pressures
Condition of habitats
Carbon stock and sequestration
Annex VIII-c: AGRICULTURAL HABITATS AND GRASSLANDS
Introduction
This paper provides information derived from the Member States' reports and assessments under Article 17 of the Habitats Directive. It is a background information to help identify possible restoration targets for the 'legal binding instrument' under the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2030.
The 'agricultural habitats and grasslands' group include, 35 Annex I habitat types (see Table 1): all grasslands (except alluvial meadows), and a selection of habitats dependent on agricultural management (particularly grazing) from different types.
Table 1 – Agricultural and grassland Annex I habitat types selected
|
Costal and dune habitats (2 types)
|
Grasslands
|
|
1630
|
Boreal Baltic coastal meadows
|
6220
|
Pseudo-steppe with grasses and annuals of the Thero-Brachypodietea
|
|
21A0
|
Machairs
|
6230
|
Species-rich Nardus grasslands, on silicious substrates in mountain areas (and submountain areas in Continental Europe)
|
|
Heath and scrub habitats (5 types)
|
6240
|
Sub-Pannonic steppic grasslands
|
|
4030
|
European dry heaths
|
6250
|
Pannonic loess steppic grasslands
|
|
4040
|
Dry Atlantic coastal heaths with Erica vagans
|
6260
|
Pannonic sand steppes
|
|
4090
|
Endemic oro-Mediterranean heaths with gorse
|
6270
|
Fennoscandian lowland species-rich dry to mesic grasslands
|
|
5130
|
Juniperus communis formations on heaths or calcareous grasslands
|
6280
|
Nordic alvar and precambrian calcareous flatrocks
|
|
8240
|
Limestone pavements
|
62A0
|
Eastern sub-Mediterranean dry grasslands (Scorzoneratalia villosae)
|
|
Grasslands (25 types)
|
62B0
|
Serpentinophilous grassland of Cyprus
|
|
6110
|
Rupicolous calcareous or basophilic grasslands of the Alysso-Sedion albi
|
62C0
|
Ponto-Sarmatic steppes
|
|
6120
|
Xeric sand calcareous grasslands
|
62D0
|
Oro-Moesian acidophilous grasslands
|
|
6130
|
Calaminarian grasslands of the Violetalia calaminariae
|
6410
|
Molinia meadows on calcareous, peaty or clayey-silt-laden soils (Molinion caeruleae)
|
|
6140
|
Siliceous Pyrenean Festuca eskia grasslands
|
6420
|
Mediterranean tall humid grasslands of the Molinio-Holoschoenion
|
|
6150
|
Siliceous alpine and boreal grasslands
|
6510
|
Lowland hay meadows (Alopecurus pratensis, Sanguisorba officinalis)
|
|
6160
|
Oro-Iberian Festuca indigesta grasslands
|
6520
|
Mountain hay meadows
|
|
6170
|
Alpine and subalpine calcareous grasslands
|
Dehesas and wooded meadows (3 types)
|
|
6180
|
Macaronesian mesophile grasslands
|
6310
|
Dehesas with evergreen Quercus spp.
|
|
6190
|
Rupicolous pannonic grasslands (Stipo-Festucetalia pallentis)
|
6530
|
Fennoscandian wooded meadows
|
|
6210
|
Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (Festuco-Brometalia)
|
9070
|
Fennoscandian wooded pastures
|
'Agri-habitats and grasslands' coverage in the EU
The 35 habitat types selected cover close to 177 442 km2 (4.5 % of the EU terrestrial area
); this excludes areas reported by Romania, which are known to be largely overestimated
.
The data available from Corine Land Cover
and from the Ecosystems Map of Europe
do not allow a straightforward comparison between the total area of agricultural habitats and grasslands in the EU and the area covered by these Annex I habitats. This is mainly due to the nomenclatures used and the spatial resolution of the datasets. A comparison between these data sources is given in Table 2 below.
Table 2 – Agricultural habitats and grassland areas (km2) from different sources (EU27)
Corine Land Cover 2018 (level 3)
|
Pastures and grasslands
|
417 957
|
|
231 – Pastures
|
326 224
|
|
321 – Natural grasslands
|
91 733
|
|
Heterogenous agricultural areas
|
377 584
|
|
241 – Annual crops associated with permanent crops
|
5 517
|
|
242 – Complex cultivation patterns
|
174 253
|
|
243 – Agricultural mosaics with significant natural vegetation
|
164 751
|
|
244 – Agro-forestry areas
|
33 062
|
Ecosystems map (level 3)
|
E – Grasslands and land dominated by forbs, mosses or lichens
|
624 605
|
|
E1 – Dry grasslands
|
88 042
|
|
E2 – Mesic grasslands
|
443 643
|
|
E3 – Seasonally wet and wet grasslands
|
48 060
|
|
E4 – Alpine and sub-alpine grasslands
|
24 875
|
|
E6 – Inland salt steppes
|
4 893
|
|
E7 – Sparsely wooded grasslands
|
15 092
|
The areas of agricultural habitats and grasslands have a good representation in most EU countries (see Map 1), but better in southern and mountainous regions. The Member States with the highest proportion of those habitats are Spain (16 %), Croatia (12 %), Greece (9 %), Austria (7 %), Italy (6 %) and Luxembourg (6 %); ten Member States have less than 2 % of their territory covered by Annex I agricultural habitats and grasslands.
Table 3 gives the areas and proportion of agri-habitats and grasslands for each Member State, including coverage by Natura 2000. Maps illustrating the distribution of different wetland habitats in the EU are available in Annex A.
From the 177 442 km2 of agricultural habitats and grasslands (excluding Romania), over 43 % is estimated to be inside the Natura 2000 network (about 77 025 km2); this may be an underestimation since reports from Member States were not comprehensive on this regard. The coverage by Natura 2000 varies according to the sub-group, from 67 % for 'coastal and dune habitats' to 35 % for 'dehesas and wooded meadows'. The proportion of habitats per sub-group of 'agricultural habitats and grasslands' and their coverage is detailed in Table 4.
Coverage by Natura 2000 also greatly varies according to the Member State: from over 90 % (Bulgaria) to less than 25 % (Austria, France, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia) (Table 3).
However, several Member States reported over 75 % of these habitats' area inside Natura 2000 (Estonia, Finland, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal and Slovenia).
Map 1 – Distribution of the 35 Annex I agricultural habitats and grasslands in the EU
Source: Distribution maps (10 km x 10 km) delivered by Member States under Article 17 reporting (period 2013-2018)
Note: the shades of brown indicate the number of habitat types per 10 km x 10 km grid cell.
Table 3 – Area and proportion of agricultural habitats and grasslands
per Member State
|
|
Member State area (km2)
|
In the Member State
|
Proportion of the Agri-habitats & grassland area (%)
|
Inside Natura 2000
|
|
|
|
Agri-habitats & grassland area (km2)
|
Agri-habitats & grassland area (%)
|
|
Agri-habitats & grassland area
|
% Agri-habitats & grassland area
|
|
Austria
|
83 944
|
6240.0
|
7.4
|
3.4
|
1329.5
|
21.3
|
|
Belgium
|
30 683
|
218.2
|
0.7
|
0.1
|
106.0
|
48.6
|
|
Bulgaria
|
110 995
|
3344.0
|
3.0
|
1.8
|
3018.4
|
90.3
|
|
Croatia
|
55 590
|
6793.9
|
12.2
|
3.7
|
3277.4
|
48.2
|
|
Cyprus
|
9 249
|
15.0
|
1.1
|
0.1
|
4.6
|
54.6
|
|
Czechia
|
78 874
|
1876.3
|
2.4
|
1.0
|
481.3
|
25.7
|
|
Denmark
|
44 162
|
507.0
|
1.1
|
0.3
|
193.1
|
38.1
|
|
Estonia
|
45 382
|
460.1
|
1.0
|
0.2
|
373.9
|
81.3
|
|
Finland
|
338 004
|
400.4
|
0.1
|
0.2
|
328.6
|
82.1
|
|
France
|
551 881
|
24400.8
|
4.4
|
13.2
|
5090.7
|
20.9
|
|
Germany
|
362 177
|
3110.6
|
0.9
|
1.7
|
1931.4
|
62.1
|
|
Greece
|
132 014
|
4615.2
|
9.3
|
6.6
|
2139.0
|
34.6
|
|
Hungary
|
93 012
|
1274.8
|
1.4
|
0.7
|
938.2
|
73.6
|
|
Ireland
|
70 699
|
1626.4
|
2.3
|
0.9
|
945.9
|
58.2
|
|
Italy
|
301 321
|
17222.0
|
5.7
|
9.3
|
7562.9
|
44.0
|
|
Latvia
|
64 590
|
346.7
|
0.5
|
0.2
|
173.6
|
50.1
|
|
Lithuania
|
65 289
|
606.3
|
0.9
|
0.3
|
118.7
|
19.6
|
|
Luxembourg
|
2 595
|
149.5
|
5.8
|
0.1
|
63.0
|
42.2
|
|
Malta
|
316
|
9.6
|
3.0
|
0.0
|
7.4
|
77.1
|
|
Netherlands
|
39 898
|
254.8
|
0.6
|
0.1
|
191.3
|
75.1
|
|
Poland
|
312 683
|
8170.5
|
2.6
|
4.4
|
1803.5
|
22.1
|
|
Portugal
|
92 378
|
3987.0
|
4.3
|
2.2
|
3949.5
|
99.1
|
|
Romania (*)
|
238 404
|
54123.4
|
22.7
|
|
6166.8
|
11.4
|
|
Slovakia
|
49 026
|
2217.8
|
4.5
|
1.2
|
429.8
|
19.4
|
|
Slovenia
|
20 274
|
1452.9
|
7.2
|
0.8
|
1106.2
|
76.1
|
|
Spain
|
506 222
|
79158.1
|
15.6
|
42.7
|
37939.7
|
47.9
|
|
Sweden
|
450 110
|
8983.9
|
2.0
|
4.9
|
3521.0
|
39.2
|
|
Total
|
4 149 772
|
231 565.2
|
5.6
|
|
83 191.5
|
35.9
|
|
Total
(without Romania)
|
3 911 772
|
177 441.8
|
4.5
|
|
77 024.7
|
43.4
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notes: Member States with more than 4.5 % (the EU average) of their terrestrial area covered by 'agricultural habitats and grasslands' are highlighted; (*) areas reported by Romania are overestimated.
Table 4 – Area and proportion of agricultural habitats and grasslands per sub-group
|
|
|
Inside Natura 2000
|
|
EU27
excluding Romania
|
Area (km2)
|
Agri/grassland area (km2)
|
% Agri/grassland area
|
|
Coastal and dune habitats
|
365
|
243
|
67
|
|
1630
|
334
|
216
|
65
|
|
21A0
|
31
|
27
|
86
|
|
Heath and scrub habitats
|
29 493
|
16 498
|
56
|
|
4030
|
15 156
|
8 514
|
56
|
|
4040
|
17
|
13
|
77
|
|
4090
|
12 033
|
6 575
|
55
|
|
5130
|
941
|
580
|
62
|
|
5430
|
270
|
258
|
96
|
|
8240
|
1 076
|
558
|
52
|
|
Grasslands
|
115 616
|
49 041
|
42
|
|
6110
|
987
|
479
|
49
|
|
6120
|
124
|
88
|
71
|
|
6130
|
17
|
11
|
65
|
|
6140
|
1 106
|
598
|
54
|
|
6150
|
10 776
|
3 637
|
34
|
|
6160
|
413
|
373
|
90
|
|
6170
|
9 009
|
5 580
|
62
|
|
6180
|
180
|
144
|
80
|
|
6190
|
41
|
36
|
89
|
|
6210
|
11 255
|
6 490
|
58
|
|
6220
|
30 441
|
17 189
|
56
|
|
6230
|
3 728
|
2 303
|
62
|
|
6240
|
394
|
335
|
85
|
|
6250
|
346
|
298
|
86
|
|
6260
|
413
|
270
|
66
|
|
6270
|
1 947
|
163
|
8
|
|
6280
|
436
|
262
|
60
|
|
62A0
|
6 295
|
3 208
|
51
|
|
62B0 (*)
|
0
|
0
|
100
|
|
62C0
|
77
|
59
|
77
|
|
62D0
|
345
|
208
|
60
|
|
6410
|
2 806
|
874
|
31
|
|
6420
|
556
|
198
|
36
|
|
6510
|
21 978
|
5 318
|
24
|
|
6520
|
11 945
|
919
|
8
|
|
Dehesas and wooded meadows
|
31 968
|
11 243
|
35
|
|
6310
|
31 079
|
10 932
|
35
|
|
6530
|
70
|
35
|
49
|
|
9070
|
818
|
276
|
34
|
|
TOTAL
|
177 442
|
77 025
|
43
|
Note: (*) restricted to Cyprus (0.42 km2)
Conservation status and trends
The vast majority (84 %) of the assessments of the 35 agricultural habitats and grasslands at the EU level have an unfavourable conservation status (36 % poor and 48 % bad). Only 10 % have a good conservation status. There are some differences between the different habitat groups (Figure 1): 'grasslands' has the highest proportion of good status (11 %) and the 'dehesas and wooded meadows' the worst status (100 % unfavourable, but only three habitats in this group).
Among the habitat assessments that do not have a good status, almost half have a deteriorating trend (45 %) while only 8 % have an improving trend. An additional 25 % maintain their unfavourable status; the conservation status trend is unknow for 22 % of the assessments. The group with the worst conservation status trends is 'grasslands' (52 % deteriorating); however, 'costal and dune' habitats have the higher proportion of improving trends (33 %) (Figure 2).
Details on conservation status and conservation status trends for each Member State are given in Table 5.
Figure 1 – Conservation status of agricultural habitats and grasslands at the EU level
per sub-goup (in percentage)
Note: Number of assessments per group shown in brackets.
Figure 2 – Conservation status trends of agricultural habitats and grasslands at the EU level per sub-group (in percentage)
Note: Number of assessments per group shown in brackets.
Table 5 – Conservation status and trends of agricultural habitats and grasslands in the Member States (in percentage)
|
Member States
|
FV
|
U1-
|
U1+
|
U1=
|
U1x
|
U2-
|
U2+
|
U2=
|
U2x
|
XX
|
|
AT (27)
|
7
|
4
|
|
|
30
|
19
|
|
4
|
33
|
4
|
|
BE (18)
|
|
|
|
|
6
|
28
|
28
|
6
|
33
|
|
|
BG (41)
|
10
|
|
|
17
|
66
|
|
|
|
5
|
2
|
|
CY (3)
|
33
|
|
|
33
|
|
|
|
33
|
|
|
|
CZ (21)
|
14
|
14
|
|
33
|
14
|
14
|
|
10
|
|
|
|
DE (29)
|
14
|
28
|
|
10
|
|
48
|
|
|
|
|
|
DK (11)
|
|
9
|
|
|
|
45
|
|
27
|
18
|
|
|
EE (11)
|
36
|
|
18
|
36
|
|
|
|
|
9
|
|
|
ES (40)
|
13
|
10
|
5
|
25
|
23
|
5
|
|
|
8
|
13
|
|
FI (12)
|
17
|
|
8
|
|
|
8
|
|
67
|
|
|
|
FR (53)
|
28
|
6
|
2
|
11
|
2
|
40
|
|
|
9
|
2
|
|
GR (11)
|
55
|
|
9
|
18
|
|
|
|
|
|
18
|
|
HR (29)
|
31
|
|
|
14
|
7
|
7
|
|
7
|
21
|
14
|
|
HU (12)
|
|
17
|
|
17
|
|
58
|
|
8
|
|
|
|
IE (9)
|
11
|
11
|
|
22
|
|
33
|
|
22
|
|
|
|
IT (47)
|
6
|
6
|
13
|
28
|
|
34
|
|
11
|
|
2
|
|
LT (10)
|
|
|
|
10
|
20
|
10
|
|
10
|
50
|
|
|
LU (7)
|
14
|
|
|
|
|
71
|
|
14
|
|
|
|
LV (12)
|
|
|
|
|
8
|
58
|
|
|
25
|
8
|
|
MT (1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
100
|
|
|
|
NL (9)
|
|
|
|
11
|
|
22
|
22
|
33
|
11
|
|
|
PL (20)
|
10
|
15
|
|
30
|
10
|
30
|
|
5
|
|
|
|
PT (18)
|
39
|
28
|
|
17
|
|
17
|
|
|
|
|
|
RO (28)
|
93
|
7
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SE (38)
|
11
|
5
|
|
|
|
66
|
3
|
11
|
5
|
|
|
SI (19)
|
37
|
16
|
|
|
5
|
37
|
|
|
5
|
|
|
SK (23)
|
30
|
9
|
|
30
|
30
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notes: FV = good, U1 = poor, U2 = bad, XX = unknown conservation status
'-' = deteriorating, '+' = improving, '=' = stable, 'x' = unknown conservation status trend; number of assessments per Member State shown in brackets.
Pressures
Agricultural habitats and grasslands are subject to a wide diversity of pressures resulting in their degradation and extirpation. According to Member States reports under Article 17 of the Habitats Directive, the top three groups of pressures (in percentage of the total) are:
-Habitat management with over 42 % of all pressures; these include inadequate agricultural practices like intensive grazing (18 %), under grazing (12 %), forestry like logging and removal of dead and old trees (44 %); however, over half of these pressures result from abandonment of grassland management (49 %)
-Conversion and land use change amounts to 24 %; from these, over one-third (35 %) is originated from agriculture intensification, conversion to forest (23 %), and construction of urban, industrial and leisure sites (28 %)
-Natural processes, with over 15 %; this is mainly due to natural succession (83 %), which is often due to abandonment of agricultural activities
Equally important is pollution with over to 10 %, mainly originating from agriculture (73 %) or from mixed sources (25 %).
Figure 3 – Pressures reported for agricultural habitats and grasslands (in percentage)
Note: based on pressures reported as 'high-ranking'.
Condition of habitats
Member States reported on the condition of habitat types under Article 17 of the Habitats Directive. This data can be used to estimate the area of agricultural habitats and grasslands assessed as degraded (condition not-good) therefore, requiring restoration.
The area of agricultural habitats and grasslands that would need to be restored, i.e., improved condition, is at least 31 180 km2, representing 18 % of the total area reported for this group of habitats (the values exclude Romania). However, the condition of habitats reported as 'unknown' (or not reported) is over 62 100 km2 (35 % of the total area). This means that the area requiring restoration is bigger than 31 180 km2; for example, assuming that half of the 'unknown' area is in a not-good condition, the area to be restored would be over 61 000 km2 or 93 000 km2 if all the 'unknown' is assumed to be in a 'not-good' condition (18 % of the total area). Table 6 gives information for each of the 35 agricultural habitats and grasslands (excluding Romania) and Table 7 the condition areas and percentage for each of the Member States.
In addition to the habitat condition, Member States also reported on the 'favourable reference areas'
. Comparing this area with the actual habitat area allows to estimate how much area of the habitat would need to be re-created to achieve a good distribution and area of the habitat. Based on this data, it is estimated that a strict minimum of 2 400 km2 would need to be re-created to achieve a ‘favourable area’:
-5 km2 for coastal and dune habitats
-204 km2 for heath and scrub habitats
-2 145 km2 for grasslands, dehesas and wooded meadows
However, these values are much higher since several Member States did not provide enough information in their reports to allow a more realistic estimation.
Table 6 – Condition of agricultural habitats and grasslands per Annex I habitat type
|
|
|
Condition (area in km2)
|
Condition (in percentage)
|
|
|
Habitat area
|
Good
|
Not-good
|
Unknown
|
Good
|
Not-good
|
Unknown
|
|
Total
|
177 441
|
84 154
|
31 183
|
62 104
|
47
|
18
|
35
|
|
Coastal and dune habitats
|
365
|
242
|
97
|
26
|
66
|
27
|
7
|
|
1630
|
334
|
218
|
90
|
26
|
65
|
27
|
8
|
|
21A0
|
31
|
24
|
7
|
|
77
|
23
|
|
|
Heath and scrub habitats
|
29 493
|
11 040
|
2 618
|
15 835
|
37
|
9
|
54
|
|
4030
|
15 156
|
5 373
|
1 789
|
7 994
|
35
|
12
|
53
|
|
4040
|
17
|
8
|
2
|
7
|
45
|
12
|
43
|
|
4090
|
12 033
|
3 995
|
606
|
7 432
|
33
|
5
|
62
|
|
5130
|
941
|
506
|
153
|
283
|
54
|
16
|
30
|
|
5430
|
270
|
241
|
1
|
28
|
89
|
|
10
|
|
8240
|
1 076
|
918
|
68
|
91
|
85
|
6
|
8
|
|
Grasslands
|
115 616
|
50 530
|
26 218
|
38 867
|
44
|
23
|
34
|
|
6110
|
987
|
425
|
84
|
478
|
43
|
9
|
48
|
|
6120
|
124
|
24
|
65
|
36
|
19
|
52
|
29
|
|
6130
|
17
|
11
|
1
|
5
|
64
|
7
|
29
|
|
6140
|
1 106
|
|
|
1 106
|
|
|
100
|
|
6150
|
10 776
|
8 360
|
73
|
2 343
|
78
|
1
|
22
|
|
6160
|
413
|
212
|
45
|
156
|
51
|
11
|
38
|
|
6170
|
9 009
|
3 747
|
322
|
4 940
|
42
|
4
|
55
|
|
6180
|
180
|
30
|
130
|
20
|
17
|
72
|
11
|
|
6190
|
41
|
13
|
3
|
24
|
33
|
8
|
59
|
|
6210
|
11 255
|
4 176
|
1 066
|
6 013
|
37
|
9
|
53
|
|
6220
|
30 441
|
9 350
|
3 403
|
17 688
|
31
|
11
|
58
|
|
6230
|
3 728
|
1 865
|
587
|
1 276
|
50
|
16
|
34
|
|
6240
|
394
|
97
|
116
|
181
|
25
|
29
|
46
|
|
6250
|
346
|
64
|
126
|
156
|
18
|
36
|
45
|
|
6260
|
413
|
124
|
241
|
48
|
30
|
58
|
12
|
|
6270
|
1 947
|
924
|
855
|
168
|
47
|
44
|
9
|
|
6280
|
436
|
276
|
129
|
30
|
63
|
30
|
7
|
|
62A0
|
6 295
|
1 040
|
131
|
5 124
|
17
|
2
|
81
|
|
62B0
|
|
|
|
|
100
|
|
|
|
62C0
|
77
|
|
|
77
|
|
|
100
|
|
62D0
|
345
|
|
|
345
|
|
|
100
|
|
6410
|
2 806
|
579
|
468
|
1 759
|
21
|
17
|
63
|
|
6420
|
556
|
159
|
91
|
307
|
29
|
16
|
55
|
|
6510
|
21 978
|
8 392
|
8 058
|
5 528
|
38
|
37
|
25
|
|
6520 (*)
|
11 945
|
10 663
|
10 224
|
-8 941
|
89
|
86
|
-75
|
|
Dehesas & wooded meadows
|
31 968
|
22 342
|
2 249
|
7 376
|
70
|
7
|
23
|
|
6310
|
31 079
|
21 923
|
1 831
|
7 325
|
71
|
6
|
24
|
|
6530
|
70
|
25
|
36
|
10
|
35
|
51
|
14
|
|
9070
|
818
|
394
|
383
|
41
|
48
|
47
|
5
|
Notes: Areas reported by Romania excluded from the table; (*) issue with data for habitat 6520 in the Mediterranean region of France (total area reported as both 'good' and 'not-good')
Table 7 – Condition of Annex I agricultural habitats and grasslands per Member State
|
|
Habitats area (km2)
|
|
Percentage
|
|
|
Member State
|
Total
|
Good
|
Not-good
|
Unknown
|
Good
|
Not-good
|
Unknown
|
|
AT
|
6 240
|
4 488
|
22
|
1 729
|
72
|
|
28
|
|
BE
|
218
|
48
|
99
|
72
|
22
|
45
|
33
|
|
BG
|
3 344
|
|
|
3 344
|
|
|
100
|
|
CY
|
15
|
8
|
4
|
3
|
54
|
24
|
21
|
|
CZ
|
1 876
|
1 127
|
227
|
522
|
60
|
12
|
28
|
|
DE
|
3 111
|
2 285
|
665
|
161
|
73
|
21
|
5
|
|
DK
|
507
|
173
|
334
|
|
34
|
66
|
|
|
EE
|
460
|
305
|
93
|
63
|
66
|
20
|
14
|
|
ES
|
79 158
|
36 396
|
6 536
|
36 226
|
46
|
8
|
46
|
|
FI
|
400
|
309
|
18
|
74
|
77
|
4
|
18
|
|
FR (#)
|
24 401
|
15 838
|
14 428
|
-5 864
|
65
|
59
|
-24
|
|
GR
|
4 615
|
3 914
|
52
|
650
|
85
|
1
|
14
|
|
HR
|
6 794
|
508
|
102
|
6 184
|
7
|
2
|
91
|
|
HU
|
1 275
|
467
|
607
|
201
|
37
|
48
|
16
|
|
IE
|
1 626
|
1 016
|
611
|
|
62
|
38
|
|
|
IT
|
17 222
|
4 913
|
590
|
11 719
|
29
|
3
|
68
|
|
LT
|
606
|
344
|
140
|
123
|
57
|
23
|
20
|
|
LU
|
149
|
28
|
122
|
|
18
|
81
|
|
|
LV
|
347
|
|
122
|
224
|
|
35
|
65
|
|
MT
|
10
|
5
|
5
|
|
49
|
51
|
|
|
NL
|
255
|
124
|
126
|
5
|
49
|
49
|
2
|
|
PL
|
8 170
|
3 774
|
4 218
|
179
|
46
|
52
|
2
|
|
PT
|
3 987
|
30
|
130
|
3 827
|
1
|
3
|
96
|
|
RO (*)
|
54 123
|
40 475
|
2 500
|
11 148
|
75
|
5
|
21
|
|
SE
|
8 984
|
6 836
|
1 585
|
563
|
76
|
18
|
6
|
|
SI
|
1 453
|
1 137
|
306
|
10
|
78
|
21
|
1
|
|
SK
|
2 217
|
83
|
43
|
2 091
|
4
|
2
|
94
|
Notes: (*) areas reported by Romania largely overestimated; (#) issue with data for habitat 6520 in the Mediterranean region of France (total area reported as both 'good' and 'not-good')
Carbon stock and sequestration
Generally carbon sequestration rates in agricultural and grassland habitats are estimated to be rather low (<1.5 Mg C ha-1 yr-1). Only coastal and halophytic habitats (1630) show relative high sequestration rates but as they cover less than 0,2% of the habitat area their contribution remains small. Despite the low carbon uptake rates, carbon stocks are relatively high as significant amounts of carbon are accumulated in soils and in some habitat types also in the vegetation. Covering almost 4.3% of the EU-27 territory agricultural and grassland habitats sequester around 13,7 Mio tons of carbon equivalent to 50 Mio tons of CO2 if habitats are in good condition. As such sequestration rates per km2 are similar to wetlands but storage capacity is significant lower. Carbon stocks are estimated to range between 0,6 and 2,8 Gt C equivalent to 2,2 – 10,3 Gt of CO2 which is only 60% of the storage capacity of wetlands despite these habitats cover 30% more land.
Table 8 – Carbon stock and sequestration of Annex I agricultural habitats
and grasslands
|
EU27
excluding Romania
|
Area (km2)
|
Total Carbon Stock (Mt)
|
Potential carbon sequestration rate (Mt y-1)
|
|
|
|
min
|
max
|
mean
|
|
Coastal and dune habitats
|
364.58
|
0.00
|
2.73
|
0.10
|
|
1630
|
333.70
|
0.00
|
2.50
|
0.10
|
|
21A0
|
30.88
|
0.00
|
0.23
|
0.00
|
|
Heath and scrub habitats
|
29 492.68
|
120.86
|
344.06
|
2.21
|
|
4030
|
15 155.66
|
113.67
|
227.33
|
1.14
|
|
4040
|
16.87
|
0.13
|
0.25
|
0.00
|
|
4090
|
12 032.57
|
0.00
|
90.24
|
0.90
|
|
5130
|
941.33
|
7.06
|
14.12
|
0.07
|
|
5430
|
269.96
|
0.00
|
4.05
|
0.02
|
|
8240
|
1 076.29
|
0.00
|
8.07
|
0.08
|
|
Grasslands
|
113 531.31
|
368.10
|
1 871.71
|
9.07
|
|
6110
|
987.26
|
0.00
|
7.40
|
0.07
|
|
6120
|
124.08
|
0.00
|
1.86
|
0.01
|
|
6130
|
17.41
|
0.00
|
0.13
|
0.00
|
|
6140
|
1 105.61
|
8.29
|
24.88
|
0.08
|
|
6150
|
10 776.08
|
0.00
|
161.64
|
0.81
|
|
6160
|
412.89
|
0.00
|
6.19
|
0.03
|
|
6170
|
9 009.50
|
0.00
|
67.57
|
0.68
|
|
6180
|
180.00
|
1.35
|
4.05
|
0.01
|
|
6190
|
40.52
|
0.00
|
0.30
|
0.00
|
|
6210
|
10 971.04
|
0.00
|
164.57
|
0.82
|
|
6220
|
28 678.38
|
0.00
|
430.18
|
2.15
|
|
6230
|
3 727.97
|
0.00
|
55.92
|
0.28
|
|
6240
|
393.78
|
2.95
|
5.91
|
0.03
|
|
6250
|
346.03
|
0.00
|
2.60
|
0.03
|
|
6260
|
412.66
|
0.00
|
3.09
|
0.03
|
|
6270
|
1 946.85
|
14.60
|
43.80
|
0.15
|
|
6280
|
435.50
|
3.27
|
6.53
|
0.03
|
|
62A0
|
6 295.29
|
0.00
|
94.43
|
0.47
|
|
62B0
|
0.42
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
|
62C0
|
76.83
|
0.00
|
0.58
|
0.01
|
|
62D0
|
344.95
|
2.59
|
5.17
|
0.03
|
|
6410
|
2 806.08
|
21.05
|
63.14
|
0.21
|
|
6420
|
556.22
|
4.17
|
12.52
|
0.04
|
|
6510
|
21 940.53
|
220.24
|
440.48
|
2.20
|
|
6520
|
11 945.43
|
89.59
|
268.77
|
0.90
|
|
Dehesas and wooded meadows
|
30 253.78
|
28.00
|
66.66
|
0.18
|
|
6310
|
29 365.22
|
21.33
|
53.33
|
0.11
|
|
6530
|
70.16
|
0.53
|
1.05
|
0.01
|
|
9070
|
818.40
|
6.14
|
12.28
|
0.06
|
|
TOTAL
|
173 642.35
|
516.96
|
2 285.16
|
11.56
|
Note: areas reported by Romania note included
Annex A
Map 2 – Distribution of Annex I coastal and dune habitats (agricultural habitats and grasslands) (1630, 21A0)
Map 3 – Distribution of Annex I heath and scrub habitats (agricultural habitats and grasslands) (4030, 4040, 4090, 5130, 5430, 8240)
Note: the shades of brown indicate the number of habitat types per 10 km x 10 km grid cell. Macaronesian islands not shown in the map.
Map 4 – Distribution of Annex I grasslands
(6110-6190, 6210-62D0, 6410, 6420, 6510, 6520)
Note: the shades of brown indicate the number of habitat types per 10 km x 10 km grid cell. Macaronesian islands not shown in the map.
Map 5 – Distribution of Annex I dehesas and wooded meadows (agricultural habitats and grasslands) (6310, 6530, 9070)
Note: the shades of brown indicate the number of habitat types per 10 km x 10 km grid cell.
Macaronesian islands not shown in the map.