Scientific name	Festuca rubra – Armeria maritima saltmarsh
Common name	Red Fescue – Thrift saltmarsh
Community code	SM4C

 

    

Download full pdf synopsis: SM4C

 

Vegetation

In this saltmarsh community, the vegetation is typically dominated by Festuca rubra, with Plantago maritima and Armeria maritima also fairly plentiful. Glaux maritima is the only other constant species. Aster tripolium and Triglochin maritimum are frequent plants in this assemblage, while Cochlearia officinalis and Plantago coronopus are occasional.

 

Ecology

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

 

Sub-communities

No sub-communities have been described for this community.

 

Similar communities

Plantago maritima and Armeria maritima are both far more abundant here than in the other communities of group SM4, but tend to not quite reach the levels of cover that are found in the communities of group SM3, within which Festuca rubra is less frequent.

 

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.