Description of biotope or habitat type
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Laminaria hyperborea with dense foliose red seaweeds on exposed infralittoral rock
Physical habitat description
| Salinity | Full (30-35 ppt) |
|---|---|
| Wave exposure | Extremely exposed, Very exposed, Exposed |
| Tidal streams | Strong (3-6 kn), Moderately strong (1-3 kn), Weak (>1 kn), Very weak (negligible) |
| Substratum | Bedrock; boulders |
| Zone | Infralittoral |
| Depth Band | 0-5 m, 5-10 m, 10-20 m, 20-30 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
Very exposed to exposed infralittoral bedrock or large boulders characterised by the kelp Laminaria hyperborea, beneath which is a dense turf of foliose red seaweeds. Three variations of this biotope are described: the upper infralittoral kelp forest (LhypR.Ft), the kelp park below (LhypR.Pk) and a third type of kelp forest, confined to southern England, that is characterised by a mixture of L. hyperborea and Laminaria ochroleuca (LhypR.Loch). The fauna of these biotopes is markedly less abundant than kelp forests in areas of greater wave surge (LhypFa); sponges, anthozoans and polyclinid ascidians may be present, though never at high abundance. Beneath the under-storey of red seaweeds, the rock surface is generally covered with encrusting coralline algae.
Situation
No situation data available.
Temporal variation
No temporal variation data available.
Characterising species
| Taxon | Relative importance of taxon for defining this community (%) | Typical abundance - SACFOR scale | % of core records where taxon was recorded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminaria hyperborea | 15 | Abundant | 81-100% |
| Delesseria sanguinea | 7 | Frequent | 81-100% |
| Corallinaceae | 5 | Frequent | 61-80% |
| Cryptopleura ramosa | 5 | Frequent | 61-80% |
| Dictyota dichotoma | 5 | Frequent | 61-80% |
| Plocamium cartilagineum | 4 | Frequent | 61-80% |
| Echinus esculentus | 4 | Frequent | 61-80% |
| Asterias rubens | 3 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Metacallophyllis laciniata | 3 | Frequent | 61-80% |
| Membranipora membranacea | 2 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Alcyonium digitatum | 2 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Botryllus schlosseri | 2 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Calliostoma zizyphinum | 2 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Corynactis viridis | 2 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Kallymenia reniformis | 2 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Electra pilosa | 1 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Caryophyllia smithii | 1 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Steromphala cineraria | 1 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Heterosiphonia plumosa | 1 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Hypoglossum hypoglossoides | 1 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Membranoptera alata | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
| Obelia geniculata | 1 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Spirobranchus triqueter | 1 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Urticina felina | 1 | Occasional | 41-60% |
Similar biotopes or habitat types
Not applicable or unknown.
Photos
