1. The revision of the EUNIS habitat classification
Eleni Tryfon (contributions Mette Lund / Doug Evans), EGR, 22/10/18
The revision of the EUNIS habitat classification
Photo: Marcelino del Arco
Photo: Bas van Gennip
Photo source: European Red List project

2. What is EUNIS habitat classification
Each habitat type is:
defined by the use of criteria and has a description
identified by a specific code and name
placed within a hierarchical structure
cross linked with habitats in other classifications including Annex I
Pan-European     
comprehensive
terrestrial 
freshwater
marine
natural
artificial
widely accepted

3. Use of EUNIS habitat classification
Examples of use:
INSPIRE Directive – Annex III for habitats and biotopes
Emerald network – Resolution 4 on endangered natural habitat types
MAES - European typology of ecosystems
European Red List of habitats
A common language for cross linking habitats from different systems

4. Why a EUNIS habitat classification review?
Developed in the 90’s with modest changes since then
Need to incorporate scientific developments
Need to support nature policy for achieving the targets for 2020 and beyond
An extensive review was initiated in 2012
Review concerns
levels 1-3 for terrestrial
levels 1-4 for marine habitats

5. Review of EUNIS terrestrial habitats
Photo: Jozef Šibík
Photo source: European Red List project

6. Review of EUNIS terrestrial habitats
European Vegetation Survey (EVS) published overviews of plant communities also based on vegetation plots (1997, 2002, 2016)
European Vegetation Archive (EVA) is an EVS project
- It brings together in a common format plot data from a variety of sources, including many national databases
In March 2018, EVA consisted of
74 databases and
1,496,368 vegetation plots

7. Review of EUNIS terrestrial habitats
A complex processing of large vegetation data sets
Cross linkages :
revised European vegetation units -
EUNIS level 3 habitats
Formal query routines to define habitats based on coverage of species
Allocation of plots to habitats
Identification of indicator species
A common language
Identifying / describing habitats
Facilitating the collection and organization of field data
Facilitating condition assessment
Facilitating change estimates
Result:
Revised EUNIS classification is underpinned with in situ vegetation data
Each habitat is characterized by indicator species

8. Review projects of EUNIS terrestrial habitats already published
Forests ( )
Heathland, scrub and tundra ( )
Grasslands ( )

9. Review of other terrestrial habitat groups
From 2017 onwards the Red List of habitats formed the basis for the review proposal of
Coastal habitats
Mires, bogs and fens
Inland unvegetated or sparsely vegetated habitats
Regularly or recently cultivated agricultural, horticultural and domestic habitats
Where possible, revised habitats will be linked with EVA vegetation plots and indicators species using similar methodology as forests, heaths and grasslands

10. European Red List of habitats
The European Red List reviews the current status of
terrestrial
freshwater
marine habitats
natural
semi-natural In EU
Adjacent regions
Red List is comprehensive
It provides an overview of the risk of collapse of habitats
Terrestrial European Red List of habitats were:
developed in alignment with the EUNIS revision based on European Vegetation units
based on the expert knowledge of the European Vegetation Survey.
Janssen et al., 2016

11. Review of EUNIS inland water habitats
Photo: Heikki Toivonen
Photo source: European Red List project

12. Review of EUNIS inland water habitats
Revision will not follow a floristic approach
Alignment with approaches of the Water Framework Directive (WFD)
EUNIS level 3 aligned with the broad types of rivers and lakes
Broad types are based on the physical factors (e.g. altitude, geology, catchment size, etc) most commonly used by the Member States for WFD (e.g. lowland, siliceous lakes)
European Red List of freshwater habitats does not follow this approach but it is largely recognized there is a need for improvement

13. Review of EUNIS marine habitats
Photo: D. Pousanidis
Photo source: European Red List project

14. Review of EUNIS marine habitats
Not based on floristic approach
A set of criteria was agreed in 2013
Marine European Red List of habitats is closely aligned with EUNIS revision
Different interpretation of agreed set of criteria at each regional sea group lead to inconsistencies - classification is still draft, to be finished in 2018
EUNIS level a combination of
depth zones
substrate type
EUNIS level 3 reflects sea regions

15. https://forum.eionet.europa.eu/nrc-biodiversity/library/consultations
Process - Consultations
Finalization of the classification is done through Eionet consultation :
Marine (2015)
Forests (2016)
Heathland, scrub and tundra (2016)
Grasslands (summer 2017)
Coastal, Mires, bogs and fens, Inland unvegetated or sparsely vegetated habitats, Regularly or recently cultivated agricultural, horticultural and domestic habitats (summer 2018)
A public consultation on inland water habitats is expected at the beginning of 2019

16. Next steps
Revision of each habitat group will be followed by an update of cross linkages with
EUNIS 2007
Annex I habitats
Red List habitats
Vegetation units
MAES typology
Cross linkages may be complex (e.g. >, <, #)
Where possible distribution maps of
vegetation plots will be produced
Based on distribution maps, it is possible to produce modelled maps
T17: Fagus forest on non acid soils

17. EUNIS web application
The revised parts of EUNIS habitat classification will be published
in the EEA website
in the EUNIS web application

18. Thank you for your attention !
Photo: Petr Šmarda
Photo: R. Haroun
Photo: L. Lysaght
Photo: Bas van Gennip
Photo source: European Red List project