Description of biotope or habitat type
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Ruppia maritima in reduced salinity infralittoral muddy sand
Physical habitat description
| Salinity | Reduced (18-30ppt) |
|---|---|
| Wave exposure | Extremely sheltered |
| Tidal streams | Very weak (negligible) |
| Substratum | Muddy fine sand to mud |
| Zone | Infralittoral |
| Depth Band | 0-5 m |
| Other Features |
Biotope origin
| Derived using data from | Various |
| Faunal group | Epifauna |
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
In sheltered brackish muddy sand and mud, beds of Ruppia maritima and more rarely Ruppia spiralis may occur. These beds may be populated by fish such as Gasterosteus aculeatus which is less common on filamentous algal-dominated sediments. Seaweeds such as Chaetomorpha spp., Ulva spp., Cladophora spp., and Chorda filum are also often present in addition to occasional fucoids. In some cases, the stoneworts Lamprothamnium papulosum and Chara aspera can occur. Infaunal and epifaunal species may include mysid crustacea, the polychaete Arenicola marina, the gastropod Peringia ulvae, the amphipod Corophium volutator and oligochaetes such as Baltidrilus costatus. In some areas Zostera subg. Zostera marina may also be interspersed with the Ruppia beds.
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 | % of core records where taxon was recorded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruppia | 43 | Abundant | 61-80% |
| Chironomidae | 43 | Abundant | 61-80% |
| Baltidrilus costatus | 27 | Super abundant | 61-80% |
| Mysidae | 13 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Corophium volutator | 12 | Abundant | 41-60% |
| Arenicola marina | 5 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Carcinus maenas | 4 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Idotea balthica | 3 | 21-40% | |
| Enchytraeidae | 3 | 41-60% | |
| Filamentous green algae | 3 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Gasterosteus aculeatus | 3 | Rare | 21-40% |
| Ruppia maritima | 2 | Abundant | 1-20% |
| Gammarus zaddachi | 2 | 1-20% | |
| Lamprothamnium papulosum | 2 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Chaetomorpha linum | 2 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Ectocarpaceae | 2 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Ulva | 2 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Ulva intestinalis | 2 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Hediste diversicolor | 2 | Super abundant | 21-40% |
| Pygospio elegans | 2 | Abundant | 21-40% |
| Zostera marina | 1 | 1-20% | |
| Capitella capitata | 1 | 21-40% | |
| Gammarus locusta | 1 | 21-40% |
Similar biotopes or habitat types
Not applicable or unknown.
Classification history of this biotope or habitat type
| Classification version | Code | Habitat name |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 (15.03) | SS.SMp.SSgr.Rup | Ruppia maritima in reduced salinity infralittoral muddy sand |
| 2004 (04.05) | SS.SMp.SSgr.Rup | Ruppia maritima in reduced salinity infralittoral muddy sand |
| 1997 (97.06) | SS.IMS.Sgr.Rup | Ruppia maritima in reduced salinity infralittoral muddy sand |