Biodiversity Information System for Europe - Coastal<p> </p>
<p class="mainparagraph">The <strong>coastal zone</strong> is the environment which results from the coexistence of two margins: coastal land, defined as the terrestrial edge of continents; and coastal waters, defined as the littoral section of shelf areas (EEA, 2006). The terrestrial portion of the coastal zone is defined by an area extending 10 km landwards from the coastline. The marine part of the coastal zone is defined as a zone extending 10 km offshore (EEA, 2006).</p>
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<p>According to the CBD <strong>50% of the world’s population</strong> will live along coasts by 2015, putting unsustainable pressures on coastal resources. Compared with the other continents, Europe has a large continental shelf and a relatively long coastline in relation to its land area. Nearly half of the population of EU countries with a sea border is located in coastal regions (Eurostat, 2009).</p>
<p>Between 1990 and 2000, artificial surfaces in coastal zones increased in almost all European countries. The highest increase in artificial surfaces (20-35%) has been observed in the coastal zones of Portugal, Ireland and Spain. In 2000 the share of area covered by <strong>artificial surfaces</strong> was <strong>25% higher on the coast than inland</strong> (EEA, 2006).</p>
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<p class="mainparagraph"><strong>Coastal habitats</strong> are those above spring high tide limit (or above mean water level in non-tidal waters) occupying coastal features and characterised by their proximity to the sea, including coastal dunes and wooded coastal dunes, beaches and cliffs. (EUNIS habitats classification)</p>
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<p>With regard to the focus on biodiversity aspects of coastal ecosystems those habitats which always occur along the coast including marshes, sea cliffs, intertidal habitats and coastal dunes are of special interest. In addition some marine habitats which always occur adjacent to the coast, such as large bays, have to be included as well.</p>
<p>From the 231 target habitats types of the Habitats Directive, <strong>50 habitat types </strong>can be classified as coastal habitat types. Thereof <strong>only 8%</strong> are assessed as being in <strong>good conservation</strong> <strong>status</strong>, for 22% the conservation is even unknown and the <strong>majority</strong> (70%) is in <strong>unfavourable conservation status. </strong></p>
<p>Around <strong>130 species</strong> of European interest, namely those listed in the Annex of the EU Habitats Directive, are linked to coastal ecosystems. According to the current knowledge 16% of Reptiles and 20% of Mammals are <strong>threatened</strong> (IUCN European Red list). <strong>Only 11% of the coastal species have a</strong><strong> favourable conservation status </strong>assessment<strong>,</strong> for<strong> </strong>56% the conservation status is unfavourable.</p>
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<p>Figures from the Biodiversity Baseline report:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/ds_resolveuid/V2IDR0FKWC">Conservation status of coastal habitat types</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/ds_resolveuid/FB8S44K0TA">Conservation status of species typical of coastal ecosystems</a></li>
</ul>
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<p><em>Further reading:</em> </p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><a href="http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/eu-2010-biodiversity-baseline/">EU 2010 Biodiversity Baseline report</a></p>
</li>
<li>
<p lang="en-US"><a href="http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/10-messages-for-2010-coastal-ecosystems">EEAs message on coastal ecosystems</a></p>
</li>
<li>EU Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) Report: country profiles on target <a href="/bap/compare?country=Austria&objective=Objective3&target=A3_1&cmp_countries%3Alist=Belgium&cmp_countries%3Alist=Bulgaria&cmp_countries%3Alist=Cyprus&cmp_countries%3Alist=Czech+Republic&cmp_countries%3Alist=Denmark&cmp_countries%3Alist=Estonia&cmp_countries%3Alist=Finland&cmp_countries%3Alist=France&cmp_countries%3Alist=Germany&cmp_countries%3Alist=Greece&cmp_countries%3Alist=Hungary&cmp_countries%3Alist=Ireland&cmp_countries%3Alist=Italy&cmp_countries%3Alist=Latvia&cmp_countries%3Alist=Lithuania&cmp_countries%3Alist=Luxembourg&cmp_countries%3Alist=Malta&cmp_countries%3Alist=Netherlands&cmp_countries%3Alist=Poland&cmp_countries%3Alist=Portugal&cmp_countries%3Alist=Romania&cmp_countries%3Alist=Slovakia&cmp_countries%3Alist=Slovenia&cmp_countries%3Alist=Spain&cmp_countries%3Alist=Sweden&cmp_countries%3Alist=United+Kingdom&compare=Compare">3.1</a> - and <a href="/countries_and_networks/bap/community_report/">community level</a></li>
</ul>
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<p lang="en-US"><em>Selected links:</em></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://ec.europa.eu/environment/iczm/home.htm">Integrated Coastal Zone Management</a></span></p>
<p><a href="http://ec.europa.eu/environment/marine/index_en.htm">EC Marine and Coasts</a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></p>
<p><a href="http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/themes/seas/index.htm"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Life projects on c</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">oasts, seas and fisheries</span></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/themes/water/interactive/soe-tcm">WISE - water quality in transitional, marine and coastal waters</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/coast_sea">EEA coasts and seas homepage</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.eea.europa.eu//themes/coast_sea/dc">EEA coasts and seas data service</a></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></p>2012-03-27T15:40:15Ztag:biodiversity.europa.eu,2012-03-27:/topics/ecosystems-and-habitats/coastalhttp://biodiversity.europa.eu/misc_/CHM2/Site.gifBiodiversity Information System for Europe