Description of biotope or habitat type
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Cordylophora caspia and Einhornia crustulenta on reduced salinity infralittoral rock
Physical habitat description
| Salinity | Reduced (18-30ppt), Low (<18ppt) |
|---|---|
| Wave exposure | Very sheltered, Extremely sheltered |
| Tidal streams | Strong (3-6 kn), Moderately strong (1-3 kn) |
| Substratum | Boulders; cobbles |
| Zone | Infralittoral |
| Depth Band | 0-5 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
Shallow sublittoral rock in the upper estuary of one of the south-west inlets (Tamar) with very high turbidity and therefore no seaweeds. The brackish-water hydroid Cordylophora caspia and small colonies of the encrusting bryozoan Einhornia crustulenta and a few Balanus crenatus characterise this biotope. More information required to validate this description.
Situation
Insufficient information to describe neighbouring biotopes.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cordylophora caspia | 98 | Occasional | 81-100% |
| Einhornia crustulenta | 1 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Balanus crenatus | 1 | Rare | 41-60% |
Similar biotopes or habitat types
Not applicable or unknown.
Classification history of this biotope or habitat type
| Classification version | Code |
|---|---|
| 2015 (15.03) | IR.LIR.IFaVS.CcasEle |
| 1996 (6.95) | SCR.HarCon (part) |