2. Data & tools
  3. Search habitat
  4. R1-B - Prairies sèches continentales (vraies steppes)
  5. Description
R1-B - Prairies sèches continentales (vraies steppes)

Continental dry grassland (true steppe)
R1-A - Pelouses calcicoles vivaces semi-sèches (steppes prairiales)
R1-D - Pelouses sèches méditerranéennes fortement pâturées

Classification des habitats EUNIS 2022

Descriptif de l'habitat

Steppe and steppe-like grassland on mostly base-rich soils over limestones, of varying depth and stoniness, occurring through the lowland to submontane belts of continental Europe. Dominated by plants adapted to long periods of summer drought, mostly tall tussock grasses and perennial forbs, it shows wide variation in species composition and particular topographic location across the substantial range. In more extreme situations, the grasslands are natural, but they often sustain extensive grazing.
Remark: This habitat also includes many dry grasslands that are not “true steppe”. Therefore the name should be changed, e.g. Continental steppic grassland (including the true steppe). For the steppe zone, this habitat is probably too broad. It includes specific types on rock outcrops (petrophytic steppe) and on solonetz soil (solonetz steppe), each of them with a distinct group of specialist species. These types need to be considered as a potential addition to the EUNIS classification system in the future.

Espèces diagnostiques

Festuca valesiaca aggr., Stipa capillata, Bothriochloa ischaemum, Medicago falcata, Salvia nemorosa, Artemisia austriaca, Eryngium campestre, Verbascum phoeniceum, Galatella villosa, Centaurea stoebe, Potentilla argentea, Falcaria vulgaris, Nonea pulla, Taraxacum serotinum

Espèces constantes

Festuca valesiaca aggr., Eryngium campestre, Medicago falcata, Stipa capillata, Bothriochloa ischaemum, Galium verum, Artemisia austriaca, Teucrium chamaedrys, Poa pratensis aggr., Plantago lanceolata, Potentilla argentea, Poa bulbosa, Euphorbia cyparissias, Centaurea stoebe, Thymus pulegioides, Achillea millefolium aggr., Asperula cynanchica, Koeleria pyramidata, Koeleria macrantha, Falcaria vulgaris

Espèces dominantes

Festuca valesiaca aggr., Bothriochloa ischaemum, Stipa capillata

Bibliography

 European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity, 2021. EUNIS terrestrial habitat classification 2021 including crosswalks. ETC/BD-EEA. Table Excel transmise par S. Hennekens (Alterra) le 14/02/2022. (Source)