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The edaphic environments are those whose particular soil conditions inhibit growth of plant life. This are environments with particularly restrictive soils because their physical or chemical characteristics, such as the high salinity, extreme pH or special texture of the substrate. In this type of soils only a few specially adapted plants are able to thrive, plants that would otherwise form the basis for an extremely unique ecosystem, full of endemic species in all its forms.

Although the animal species are not as tied to the vagaries of soil as plants, we can find, however, a considerable number of endemic species among arthropods, mainly. The specificity of the fauna to the type of soil will be much higher in certain environments, such as sands, salt marshes or rupestrian habitats.

Other less widespread but no less interesting environments, are those associated with some kind of rocky outcrops, such as the calcareous formations, among which the serpentine rocks are remarkable for its high percentage of endemic plants, or the gypsophilous outcrops, in its various forms of gypsum minerals.

Edaphic ecosystems are, in short, a group of especially unique environments form the biological point of view. Their limited extend and high rates of endemics further enhance this uniqueness, and provide reason enough to include them as priority elements in our plans for biodiversity conservation. 

Habitat Types of Community Interest (Habitat Directive) included in this section

HALOPHILOUS VEGETATION

GYPSOPHILOUS VEGETATION

• 1520.- Iberian gypsum steppes (Gypsophiletalia) (152010, 152020, 152030, 152040, 152050).

VEGETATION DOMINATED BY SOIL TEXTURE (SALICICOLOUS)

• 2110.- Embryonic shifting dunes (161010).
• 2120.- Shifting dunes along the shoreline with Ammophila arenaria (white dunes) (162010).
• 2130.- Fixed coastal dunes with herbaceous vegetation (grey dunes) (163210, 163310, 163320, 163710).
• 2150.- Atlantic decalcified fixed dunes (Calluno-Ulicetea).
• 2190.- Humid dune slacks.
• 2210.- Crucianellion maritimae fixed beach dunes (171010).
• 2230.- Malcomietalia dune grasslands (173010, 173020, 173030).
• 2240.- Brachypodietalia dune grasslands with annuals.
• 2250.- Coastal dunes with Juniperus spp. (175010).
• 2260.- Cisto-Lavanduletalia dune sclerophyllous scrubs (176010, 176020, 176030, 176040, 176050, 176060, 176070).
• 2270.- Wooded dunes with Pinus pinea and/or Pinus pinaster (177010).

VEGETATION DOMINATED BY SOIL TEXTURE (RUPICOLOUS)

• 4040.- Dry Atlantic coastal heaths with Erica vagans (304010).
• 5410.- West Mediterranean clifftop phryganas (Astragalo-Plantaginetum subulatae) (441010).
• 5430.- Endemic phryganas of the Euphorbio-Verbascion (721110, 721120, 721130, 721140, 721150, 721160, 721170, 721180, 721190, 7211A0, 7211B0).
• 8130.- Western Mediterranean and thermophilous scree (713010, 713020, 713030, 713040, 713050, 713060, 713070, 713080, 713090, 7130A0, 7130B0, 7130C0, 7130D0, 7130E0, 7130F0, 7130G0).
• 8210.- Calcareous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation (721110, 721120, 721130, 721140, 721150, 721160, 721170, 721180, 721190, 7211A0, 7211B0, 721210, 721510, 723040).
• 8220.- Siliceous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation (722010, 722020, 722030, 722040, 722050, 722060, 722070, 722080, 722090, 7220A0, 7220B0).
• 8230.- Siliceous rock with pioneer vegetation of the Sedo-Scleranthion or of the Sedo albi-Veronicion dillenii (723010, 723020, 723030).

BOGS

• 7110.- Active raised bogs.
• 7130.- Blanket bogs (if active bogs).
• 7140.- Transition mires and quaking bogs7140.
• 7150.- Depresions on peat substrates of the del Rhynchosporion (615010).
• 7210.- Turberas calcáreas de Cladium mariscus y con especies del Caricion davallianae (621010).
• 7220.- Petrifying springs with tufa formation (Cratoneurion) (622010, 622020).
• 7230.- Alkaline fens (623010).).
• 7240.- Alpine pioneer formations of the Caricion bicoloris-atrofuscae.

Additional information about the edaphic environments of the Iberian Peninsula

• Edaphic environments of the Iberian Peninsula.