Description of biotope or habitat type
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Stuckenia pectinata community
Physical habitat description
| Salinity | Variable (18-35 ppt), Low (<18ppt) |
|---|---|
| Wave exposure | Extremely sheltered |
| Tidal streams | Very weak (negligible) |
| Substratum | Mud and sandy mud (often with some stones and shells) |
| Zone | Infralittoral, Sublittoral fringe |
| Depth Band | 0-5 m |
| Other Features |
Biotope origin
| Derived using data from | Recording (Phase II) |
| 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
Low and variable salinity infralittoral mud with beds of Stuckenia pectinata. Other associated species are broadly similar to that of SS.SMp.SSgr.Rup, with blankets of filamentous green algae such as Ulva intestinalis, Cladophora liniformis, and Rhizoclonium riparium. The grazing gastropod Potamopyrgus antipodarum is found in this biotope and juvenile Mytilus edulis have been observed settled on Potamogeton leaves and amongst the algae. The nationally scarce charophyte Lamprothamnium papulosum may be found to some extent in this biotope but more often in neighbouring habitats (see Plaza & Sanderson 1997). Mysids, trout (Salmo trutta), and sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus can be found swimming amongst the vegetation. Mya arenaria may be found in some examples of this biotope. The infaunal component of this biotope requires further investigation but is likely to contain oligochaetes, Arenicola marina, Corophium volutator and Gammarus spp. This biotope is furhter described as NVC type A12 (Rodwell 1995).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potamogeton | 26 | Frequent | 61-80% |
| Mysidae | 25 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Potamopyrgus antipodarum | 23 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Stuckenia pectinata | 8 | Common | 21-40% |
| Cladophora liniformis | 4 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Mytilus edulis | 4 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Chara aspera | 3 | Frequent | 1-20% |
| Ulva intestinalis | 2 | Frequent | 1-20% |
| Filamentous green algae | 2 | Occasional | 1-20% |
| Salmo trutta | 2 | Occasional | 1-20% |
| Peringia ulvae | 1 | Occasional | 1-20% |
| Gasterosteus aculeatus | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
Similar biotopes or habitat types
SS.SMp.SSgr.Rup
Similar associated species but Ruppia, if present in SS.SMp.Ang.NVC A12, does not form distinct beds.Classification history of this biotope or habitat type
| Classification version | Code | Habitat name |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 (15.03) | SS.SMp.Ang.NVC A12 | Potamogeton pectinatus community |
| 2004 (04.05) | SS.SMp.Ang.NVC A12 | Potamogeton pectinatus community |
| 1997 (97.06) | SS.IMU.Ang.A12 | Potamogeton pectinatus community |
| 1996 (6.95) | SS.IMU.Pot | Potamogeton pectinatus community |