Description of biotope or habitat type
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Ampharete falcata turf with Parvicardium pinnulatum on cohesive muddy sediment near margins of deep stratified seas
Physical habitat description
| Salinity | Full (30-35 ppt) |
|---|---|
| Wave exposure | |
| Tidal streams | Weak (>1 kn) |
| Substratum | Cohesive sandy mud |
| Zone | Circalittoral |
| Depth Band | 50-100 m |
| Other Features |
Biotope origin
| Derived using data from | Various |
| Faunal group | Infauna |
Download comparative physical and biological data. The comparative tables enable a rapid comparison of the species composition and principal physical characteristics between a given set of biotopes.
- Records used to define the biotope (core records)
- Other records assigned to this biotope, marked as 'certain'
- Other records assigned to this biotope, marked as 'uncertain'
- Predicted extent of the level 3 (for sublittoral rock & deep sea) or 4 (for sublittoral sediment) habitat
Point data based on records in the UK Marine Recorder Snapshot. Predicted habitat extent is from UKSeaMap.
Description
Dense stands of Ampharete falcata tubes which protrude from muddy sediments, appearing as a turf or meadow in localised areas. These areas seem to occur on a crucial point on a depositional gradient between areas of tide-swept mobile sands and quiescent stratifying muds. Dense populations of the small bivalve Parvicardium pinnulatum occur in the superficial sediment. Other infauna in this diverse biotope include Lumbrineris scopa, Levinsenia sp., Prionospio steenstrupi, Diplocirrus glaucus and Praxillella affinis, although a wide variety of other infaunal species may also be found. Both the brittlestars Amphiura filiformis and Amphiura chiajei may be present together with Nephrops norvegicus in higher abundance than the SS.SMu.CFiMu.BlyrAchi or SS.SMu.CSaMu.AfilKurAnit biotopes. Substantial populations of mobile epifauna such as Pandalus montagui and smaller fish also occur, together with those that can cling to the tubes, such as Macropodia spp. A similar turf of worm tubes formed by the maldanid polychaete Melinna cristata has been recorded from Northumberland (Buchanan 1963). Nephrops trawling may severely damage this biotope and it is possible that such activity has destroyed examples of this biotope in the Irish Sea (E.I.S. Rees pers. comm. 2002).
Situation
No situation data available.
Temporal variation
No temporal data available.
Characterising species
| Taxon | Typical abundance - SACFOR scale | % of core records where taxon was recorded |
|---|---|---|
| Abra nitida | Abundant | |
| Agonus cataphractus | ||
| Ampharete falcata | Super abundant | |
| Amphictene auricoma | Common | |
| Amphiura chiajei | Super abundant | |
| Amphiura filiformis | Abundant | |
| Brissopsis lyrifera | Abundant | |
| Crangon crangon | ||
| Ennucula tenuis | Common | |
| Goneplax rhomboides | Common | |
| Kurtiella bidentata | Common | |
| Lagis koreni | Abundant | |
| Liparis liparis | ||
| Macropodia linaresi | ||
| Nephrops norvegicus | ||
| Pandalus montagui | ||
| Parvicardium pinnulatum | Super abundant | |
| Scalibregma inflatum | Abundant |
Similar biotopes or habitat types
SS.SMu.CSaMu.AfilEten
This biotope is closely linked to SMU.SS.SMu.CSaMu.AfilEten, which also may support A. falcata in some areas of the Irish Sea.Classification history of this biotope or habitat type
| Classification version | Code | Habitat name |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 (15.03) | SS.SMu.OMu.AfalPova | Ampharete falcata turf with Parvicardium ovale on cohesive muddy sediment near margins of deep stratified seas |
| 2004 (04.05) | SS.SMu.OMu.AfalPova | Ampharete falcata turf with Parvicardium ovale on cohesive muddy sediment near margins of deep stratified seas |
| 1997 (97.06) | SS.COS.AmpPar | Ampharete falcata turf with Parvicardium ovale on cohesive muddy very fine sand near margins of deep stratified seas |