Description of biotope or habitat type
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Sublittoral sand in low or reduced salinity (lagoons)
Physical habitat description
| Salinity | Reduced (18-30ppt), Low (<18ppt) |
|---|---|
| Wave exposure | |
| Tidal streams | Very weak (negligible) |
| Substratum | Medium to fine sand with a minor silt fraction |
| Zone | Infralittoral |
| Depth Band | 0-5 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
Shallow sand and muddy sand in areas of low or reduced, although relatively stable salinity (may vary annually), with largely ephemeral faunal communities. The species are often similar to that found in SS.SMu.SMuLS and are characterised by Arenicola marina with other species, including mysids, tubificoid and enchytraeid oligochaetes, Corophium volutator, Hediste diversicolor, Pygospio elegans, Peringia ulvae and Cerastoderma glaucum, which commonly occur in lagoons. Filamentous green algae such as Chaetomorpha linum may also be present. In some examples of this biotope the polychaete Fabricia stellaris may be super-abundant and the isopod Lekanesphaera hookeri common.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capitella capitata | 70 | Abundant | 61-80% |
| Arenicola marina | 42 | Abundant | 41-60% |
| Mysidae | 30 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Tubificoides benedii | 20 | 61-80% | |
| Chironomidae | 10 | 61-80% | |
| Chaetomorpha linum | 7 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Fucus vesiculosus | 7 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Gasterosteus aculeatus | 5 | Rare | 21-40% |
| Pomatoschistus | 5 | Rare | 21-40% |
| Corophium volutator | 2 | Rare | 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.SSa.SSaLS | Sublittoral sand in low or reduced salinity (lagoons) |
| 2004 (04.05) | SS.SSa.SSaLS | Sublittoral sand in low or reduced salinity (lagoons) |