Scientific name	Festuca rubra – Juncus gerardii saltmarsh
Common name	Red Fescue – Saltmarsh Rush saltmarsh
Community code	SM4B

 

    

Download full pdf synopsis: SM4B

 

Vegetation

This community is dominated by a mixture of Festuca rubra and Juncus gerardii, alongside which occur Glaux maritima, Plantago maritima and Triglochin maritimum as constants. Agrostis stolonifera is frequent and can on occasion be abundant. Also frequently found here are Armeria maritima and Aster tripolium, while Cochlearia officinalis and Leontodon autumnalis are occasional.

 

Ecology

This is an upper marsh community that is infrequently inundated. Conditions are base-rich.

 

Sub-communities

No sub-communities have been described for this community.

 

Similar communities

The abundance of Juncus gerardii serves to distinguish this community from the other Festuca rubra swards of group SM4. In SM6D, Juncus gerardii is also a key species, but in that community Agrostis stolonifera usually replaces Festuca rubra as the main grass species.

 

Conservation value

Almost all examples of this vegetation qualify as EU HD Annex I habitat 1330 Atlantic salt meadows. It is typically a species-poor community, but does contain some specialist species.

 

Management

The main threat to this saltmarsh community is probably grazing by livestock. Sea-level rises as a result of climate change could potentially have an impact, particularly in areas susceptible to coastal squeeze.