Skeidarársandur (541)
Iceland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2000
National site name: Skeiðarársandur
Central coordinates: Latitude: 63.8833, Longitude: -17.1833
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 63
Area of KBA (km2): 933.073
Protected area coverage (%): 0.18
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A very large glacial outwash plain formed by the Skeidará river, on the south-east coast by Vatnajökull glacier, and including Ingólfshöfdi and its vicinity. There are some small marshes of sedge (Carex, Eriophorum), sandy areas with rushes Juncus, and flat, gravel areas that are partly or completely vegetated.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: Not much information on birds is available for the area apart from Ingólfshöfdi, but the breeding avifauna also includes a good variety of waders and other waterbirds.
Habitats
Land use: tourism/recreation
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Wetlands(Inland) | 20 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 80 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Nootka lupin Lupinus nootkatensis, an introduced plant which is highly invasive, may pose a potential threat to the habitat.