Oddaflód-Lambhagavatn (490)
Iceland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2000
National site name: Oddaflóð-Lambhagavatn
Central coordinates: Latitude: 63.7667, Longitude: -20.4500
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 13 to 20
0KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A complex of freshwater rivers, streams, pools and extensive riparian marshes/mires, c.7 km south of the town of Hella. The area extends from Langanes on the east side of the Eystri-Rangá river (including Lambhagavatn lake and surrounding marshes), along the Eystri-Rangá, Thverá and Ytri-Rangá rivers, to Selalækur farm. The marshes are dominated by sedges (Carex, Eriophorum). The main land-use is non-intensive grazing.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: The area is particularly important for waterbirds staging in spring, including Pluvialis apricaria (hundreds) and Limosa limosa (730 in 1990). A wide variety of wildfowl, waders and other waterbirds breed in the area.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture | nature conservation and research
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 100 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Hunting causes disturbance to birds, drainage ditches carry silt into Lake Lambhagavatn, and horse-grazing and fish-farming also have detrimental effects. The northern part of the Oddaflód area is not protected but is included in the IBA, and a northern part of the IBA has been drained.