Description of biotope or habitat type
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Laminaria hyperborea park with hydroids, bryozoans and sponges on tide-swept lower infralittoral rock
Physical habitat description
| Salinity | Full (30-35 ppt) |
|---|---|
| Wave exposure | Extremely exposed, Very exposed, Exposed, Moderately exposed |
| Tidal streams | Strong (3-6 kn), Moderately strong (1-3 kn) |
| Substratum | Bedrock and boulders |
| Zone | Infralittoral - lower |
| Depth Band | 5-10 m, 10-20 m |
| 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'
- 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
Exposed to moderately wave-exposed, strongly tide-swept, rock with Laminaria hyperborea park characterised by a rich under-storey and stipe flora of foliose seaweeds such as Phycodrys rubens, Plocamium cartilagineum, Hypoglossum hypoglossoides, Kallymenia reniformis, Cryptopleura ramosa and Delesseria sanguinea. The red seaweed Heterosiphonia plumosa can be present. The foliose brown seaweed Dictyota dichotoma and coralline crust are often present as well. Amongst the red seaweeds is a rich fauna comprising sponges (Pachymatisma johnstonia, Stelligera montagui, Amphilectus fucorum and Dysidea fragilis), anthozoans (Alcyonium digitatum and Caryophyllia smithii), hydroids (Aglaophenia pluma and Nemertesia antennina), colonial ascidians (Clavelina lepadiformis and Morchellium argus) and bryozoans such as Electra pilosa. Both the flora and fauna of this biotope are similar to the wave exposed kelp park (LhypR.Pk), but LhypT.Pk has a greater faunal component including the barnacle Balanus crenatus, the echinoderm Asterias rubens and the crab Necora puber.
Situation
This biotope generally occurs below a tide-swept L. hyperborea kelp forest (LhypT.Ft). As this biotope occurs over such a range of wave exposures a variety of circalittoral biotopes can occur beneath it: for example, Exposed, tide-swept rock (FaT) or moderately exposed tide-swept rock (EcCr).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminaria hyperborea | 7 | Frequent | 81-100% |
| Delesseria sanguinea | 6 | Frequent | 81-100% |
| Corallinaceae | 5 | Frequent | 81-100% |
| Dictyota dichotoma | 5 | Frequent | 61-80% |
| Plocamium cartilagineum | 5 | Frequent | 81-100% |
| Cryptopleura ramosa | 3 | Frequent | 61-80% |
| Dysidea fragilis | 3 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Heterosiphonia plumosa | 3 | Frequent | 61-80% |
| Pachymatisma johnstonia | 3 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Aglaophenia pluma | 2 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Asterias rubens | 2 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Balanus crenatus | 2 | Common | 41-60% |
| Hypoglossum hypoglossoides | 2 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Kallymenia reniformis | 2 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Necora puber | 2 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Nemertesia antennina | 2 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Electra pilosa | 1 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Alcyonium digitatum | 1 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Caryophyllia smithii | 1 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Clavelina lepadiformis | 1 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Amphilectus fucorum | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Morchellium argus | 1 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Phycodrys rubens | 1 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Stelligera montagui | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
Similar biotopes or habitat types
IR.MIR.KR.Lhyp.Pk
Found in areas of similar wave exposure but not subject to accelerated tidal currents. Although similar red seaweeds dominate these kelp forests the faunal component is more conspicuous in the tide-swept biotope (higher diversity of sponges, hydroids and anthozoans).
