Research on the habitats protected by the European Union's Habitats Directive (HD) has increased rapidly since its adoption in 1992. However, the methods and tools used to assess their conservation ...status are varied. In this context, we reviewed and summarized the scientific literature related to the coastal Natura 2000 habitats to list and sort parameters used to assess and map their conservation status. We found 225 papers that specifically focused on the assessment of conservation status of coastal habitats. An analysis of the papers was conducted based on the four parameters (“Range”, “Area”, “structure and functions”, “Future prospects”) specified in the guidelines. Results highlight knowledge gaps regarding the availability of data and methods that measure the “Range”, “Area”, “Structure and functions” and “Future prospects”. Most of the papers focused on coastal dunes and were located in the Mediterranean biogeographic region. Therefore, the process of assessing the conservation status of coastal habitats remains complicated to implement because methodological approaches are mainly dominated by expert statements. Moreover, all the procedures of the HD are carried out within each member country and the final assessments are often the synthesis of these partial assessments. However, the multiscalar approach and the use of innovative technologies (databases, remote sensing) can be particularly relevant to develop replicable approaches and facilitate monitoring and the implementation of management measures.
•The implementation of HD remains complicated today to assess and monitor the conservation status.•Methodological disparities exist between coastal habitats, between countries and between biogeographic regions.•Currently, methodological approaches remain mainly based on expert judgements.•Recent and innovative methods for automatic and objective modelling can help to assess habitat range and area.•Concerted and multiscalar approaches can help to improve knowledge on structure, functions and future prospects.
Habitat conservation status : proposals of definitions and concepts for its assessment at a Natura 2000 site level.
Assessing the conservation status of habitats is now a key part in the management ...plan of protected areas. The transposal of the Habitats-Fauna-Flora directive (92/43/CEE) (Habitats directive) in French law provides a regulatory frame for assessing the conservation status of habitat at a Natura 2000 site level. French Museum of Natural History has been asked to develop methods for Natura 2000 managers in order to standardize evaluations. Focusing on the concept of habitat and its evaluation, we propose definitions in order to fill some identified gaps and precise the concept of conservation status assessment. The need for habitat classification system is mentioned, as well as the advantages and the limits of this tool. Considering the habitat as a complex system under the general systems theories, its conservation status means the status of its components, but also of their interactions among them and with the environment. Assessing the conservation status implies the assessment of the structure, composition and functions of a habitat, which are interdependent. With the need for evaluation comes the need of making choices, which implies to define the «optimal selected state» as a long-term aim, and the «chosen favourable status» as an operational target for managers. These choices are enlightened by scientific evidences in a socio-economic and cultural context bounded by the Habitats directive. We discuss the impact of the habitat’s dynamics and succession on the establishment of the different conservation status. Finally, some key methodological choices are discussed, especially the role of species in the assessment of habitat and the connections between evaluation and management.
Depuis une vingtaine d’années, l’évaluation de l’état de conservation des habitats est devenue un élément important des plans de gestion d’espaces naturels. La transposition de la Directive Habitats-Faune-Flore (92/43/CEE) (DHFF) dans le code de l’environnement fournit un cadre réglementaire pour l’évaluer à l’échelle d’un site Natura 2000. Le Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (MNHN) a été chargé de proposer des méthodes à l’intention des gestionnaires afin de standardiser les évaluations et produire un diagnostic utile à la gestion. En se centrant sur la notion d’habitat (terrestre et marin) et sur son évaluation, nous proposons dans cet article des définitions afin de combler certaines lacunes identifiées et de préciser le concept d’état de conservation. La nécessité de se situer dans le cadre d’une typologie est évoquée avec ses avantages et ses limites. En considérant l’habitat comme un système complexe selon les théories générales des systèmes, son état de conservation traduit l’état de ses composantes ainsi que de leurs interactions, entre elles et avec l’environnement. Évaluer l’état de conservation implique ainsi d’évaluer la structure, la composition et les fonctions d’un habitat, qui sont interdépendantes. La nécessité d’évaluer amène à faire des choix, il s’agit de définir «l’état optimal souhaité» comme objectif théorique à long terme, et «l’état favorable choisi» comme proposition de cible opérationnelle pour les gestionnaires. Ces choix de seuils doivent être éclairés par des éléments scientifiques, tout en s’insérant dans le contexte socio-économique et culturel pris en compte par la DHFF. Nous discutons également de l’influence de la dynamique des habitats sur la définition des états de conservation. Enfin, certains choix méthodologiques clés sont présentés, notamment la place des espèces dans l’évaluation des habitats et les liens possibles entre diagnostic et gestion.
Maciejewski Lise,Lepareur Fanny,Viry Déborah,Bensettiti Farid,Puissauve Renaud,Touroult Julien. État de conservation des habitats : propositions de définitions et de concepts pour l’évaluation à l’échelle d’un site Natura 2000. In: Revue d'Écologie (La Terre et La Vie), tome 71, n°1, 2016. pp. 3-20.
Within the framework of the prodromous of French vegetations, under the care of French Society of plant sociology, the authors present the Nerio oleandri – Tamaricetea africanae, with new order ...(Nerio oleandri – Viticetalia agni-casti) and alliance (Tamaricion nilotico – articulatae) : declination at the European level, then presentation of cards by known association at the French level.
Dans le cadre du prodrome des végétations de France, sous l’égide de la Société française de phytosociologie, les auteurs présentent ici les Nerio oleandri – Tamaricetea africanae, avec définition d’un ordre (Nerio oleandri – Viticetalia agnicasti) et d’une alliance (Tamaricion nilotico – articulatae) nouveaux : déclinaison au niveau européen, puis présentation de fiches par association connue au niveau français.
de Foucault Bruno,Bensettiti Farid,Noble Virgile,Paradis Guilhan. Contribution au prodrome des végétations de France : les Nerio oleandri – Tamaricetea africanae Braun-Blanq. et O. Bolòs 1958. In: Le Journal de botanique, n°58, 2012. Juin. pp. 41-54.
The Prodrome of French vegetation is presented from its beginning in 1996 to the publication in 2004 of the first version of the national synsystem detailed up to the level of suballiance (PVF1). ...Work began in 2006 to produce a second edition, called PVF2, which aims to describe 78 of the 80 classes recorded in mainland France and Corsica, up to the level of association and subassociation. So far, 19 classes have been published, five classes are ready for publication and 54 classes are under preparation. The most important classes of PVF2, especially forest classes, should be completed in 2015.
The Prodrome of French vegetation is presented from its beginning in 1996 to the publication in 2004 of the first version of the national synsystem detailed up to the level of suballiance (PVF1). ...Work began in 2006 to produce a second edition, called PVF2, which aims to describe 78 of the 80 classes recorded in mainland France and Corsica, up to the level of association and subassociation. So far, 19 classes have been published, five classes are ready for publication and 54 classes are under preparation. The most important classes of PVF2, especially forest classes, should be completed in 2015.
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