Description of biotope or habitat type
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Corallina officinalis on exposed to moderately exposed lower eulittoral rock
Physical habitat description
| Salinity | Full (30-35 ppt) |
|---|---|
| Wave exposure | Very exposed, Exposed, Moderately exposed |
| Tidal streams | Moderately strong (1-3 kn), Weak (>1 kn), Very weak (negligible) |
| Substratum | Bedrock |
| Zone | Eulittoral - lower |
| Depth Band | Lower shore |
| Other Features |
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'
Point data based on records in the UK Marine Recorder Snapshot.
Description
Very exposed to moderately exposed lower eulittoral rock that supports a dense turf of the red seaweed Corallina officinalis, often on wave surged rocky slopes. There is usually a low abundance of other turf-forming red seaweeds including Lomentaria articulata, Mastocarpus stellatus, Palmaria palmata and Osmundea pinnatifida. Other seaweeds that occur in low abundance includes the wrack Himanthalia elongata, Laminaria digitata while the brown seaweed Leathesia marina can be found growing on and around the other seaweeds. The green seaweeds Ulva intestinalis, Ulva lactuca and Cladophora rupestris are present as well. A number of invertebrates are present on the bedrock underneath the coralline turf, including the barnacle Semibalanus balanoides, the mussel Mytilus edulis, the sponges Halichondria panicea and Hymeniacidon perlevis, the anemone Actinia equina and the limpets Patella ulyssiponensis and Patella vulgata. The brown seaweed Bifurcaria bifurcata and the barnacle Perforatus perforatus may occur in the extreme south-west. Two variants have been described: C. officinalis and kelp (Coff.Coff) and C. officinalis, H. elongata and the limpet P. ulyssiponensis (Coff.Puly).
Situation
This community usually forms a distinct band just above the kelp zone (Ala, Ala.Ldig or Ldig). It can be found below the barnacle and P. vulgata dominated biotopes (Cht; Sem; Sem.FvesR).
Temporal variation
Unknown.
Characterising species
| Taxon | Relative importance of taxon for defining this community (%) | Typical abundance - SACFOR scale | % of core records where taxon was recorded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corallina officinalis | 17 | Abundant | 81-100% |
| Lomentaria articulata | 10 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Osmundea pinnatifida | 7 | Frequent | 61-80% |
| Patella ulyssiponensis | 7 | Common | 61-80% |
| Corallinaceae | 6 | Common | 61-80% |
| Semibalanus balanoides | 5 | Common | 41-60% |
| Ulva intestinalis | 4 | Occasional | 61-80% |
| Patella vulgata | 4 | Common | 41-60% |
| Mastocarpus stellatus | 3 | Frequent | 81-100% |
| Actinia equina | 2 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Laminaria digitata | 2 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Mytilus edulis | 2 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Palmaria palmata | 2 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Ulva lactuca | 2 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Bifurcaria bifurcata | 1 | Occasional | 1-20% |
| Halichondria panicea | 1 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Hymeniacidon perlevis | 1 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Leathesia marina | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
Similar biotopes or habitat types
Not applicable or unknown.
Classification history of this biotope or habitat type
| Classification version | Code |
|---|---|
| 1995 | LRK.RED.COR |
