Description of biotope or habitat type
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Sabellaria alveolata on variable salinity sublittoral mixed sediment
Physical habitat description
| Salinity | Variable (18-35 ppt) |
|---|---|
| Wave exposure | Exposed, Moderately exposed, Sheltered |
| Tidal streams | Strong (3-6 kn), Weak (>1 kn) |
| Substratum | Mixed sandy sediment with pebble and cobbles |
| Zone | Infralittoral |
| Depth Band | 0-5 m, 5-10 m |
| Other Features |
Biotope origin
| Derived using data from | Various |
| Faunal group | Epifauna/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
Tide-swept sandy mixed sediments with cobbles and pebbles, in variable salinity or fully marine conditions, may be characterised by surface accumulations of the reef building polychaete Sabellaria alveolata. The presence of Sabellaria sp. has a strong influence on the associated infauna as the tubes bind the surface sediments together and provide increased stability. Such reefs may form large structures up to a metre in height although they are considerably less extensive than the intertidal reefs formed by this species (LS.LBR.Sab.Salv). Other associated species may include the polychaete Melinna cristata, often as dense aggregations, mobile surface feeding polychaetes including Typosyllis armillary and Eulalia tripunctata. Other polychaetes may include Mediomastus fragilis and Pygospio elegans whilst amphipods such as Harpinia pectinata and tubificid oligochaetes may also be found.
Situation
No situation data available.
Temporal variation
No temporal data available.
Characterising species
| Taxon | Relative importance of taxon for defining this community (%) | Typical abundance - SACFOR scale | Typical abundance - (count per m2) | % of core records where taxon was recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syllis armillaris | 66 | Frequent | 4 | 41-60% |
| Sabellaria alveolata | 66 | Super abundant | 1646 | 81-100% |
| Eulalia tripunctata | 7 | Abundant | 74 | 61-80% |
| Mediomastus fragilis | 4 | Common | 168 | 41-60% |
| Golfingia vulgaris vulgaris | 2 | 56 | 41-60% | |
| Harpinia pectinata | 2 | Frequent | 34 | 21-40% |
| Melinna cristata | 2 | Abundant | 79 | 41-60% |
| Pygospio elegans | 1 | Frequent | 15 | 21-40% |
Similar biotopes or habitat types
SS.SBR.PoR.SspiMx
SS.SBR.PoR.SalvMx has a reduced species richness in comparison with SS.SBR.PoR.SspiMx, particularly in mature S. alveolata beds where the species tends to completely cover the seabed allowing few other species to colonise the habitat.
LS.LBR.Sab.Salv
The reefs formed in sublittoral sediments are considerably less extensive than the intertidal reefs formed by this species.Classification history of this biotope or habitat type
| Classification version | Code | Habitat name |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 (15.03) | SS.SBR.PoR.SalvMx | Sabellaria alveolata on variable salinity sublittoral mixed sediment |
| 2004 (04.05) | SS.SBR.PoR.SalvMx | Sabellaria alveolata on variable salinity sublittoral mixed sediment |