Description of biotope or habitat type
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Sublittoral sand in variable salinity (estuaries)
Physical habitat description
| Salinity | Variable (18-35 ppt) |
|---|---|
| Wave exposure | Moderately exposed, Sheltered, Very sheltered |
| Tidal streams | Strong (3-6 kn), Moderately strong (1-3 kn), Weak (>1 kn) |
| Substratum | Medium to very fine sand |
| Zone | Infralittoral |
| Depth Band | 0-5 m, 5-10 m, 10-20 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
Clean sands that occur in the upper reaches of marine inlets, especially estuaries, where water movement is moderately strong, allowing the sedimentation of sand but not the finer silt fraction. The habitat typically lacks a significant seaweed component and is characterised by brackish-water tolerant fauna, particularly amphipods, polychaetes and mysid shrimps.
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 | Typical abundance - (count per m2) | % of core records where taxon was recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eurydice pulchra | 27 | 4 | 21-40% | |
| Nephtys cirrosa | 17 | Common | 9 | 21-40% |
| Neomysis integer | 13 | Frequent | 6 | 21-40% |
| Capitella capitata | 13 | Frequent | 8 | 21-40% |
| Gammarus salinus | 5 | 3 | 1-20% |
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.SSaVS | Sublittoral sand in variable salinity (estuaries) |
| 2004 (04.05) | SS.SSa.SSaVS | Sublittoral sand in variable salinity (estuaries) |
| 1997 (97.06) | SS.IGS.EstGS | Estuarine sublittoral gravels and sands |