Description of biotope or habitat type
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Cirratulids and Cerastoderma edule in littoral mixed sediment
Physical habitat description
| Salinity | Variable (18-35 ppt) |
|---|---|
| Wave exposure | Very sheltered, Extremely sheltered |
| Tidal streams | |
| Substratum | Mixed sediments |
| Zone | |
| Depth Band | Lower shore, Mid shore |
| 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'
Point data based on records in the UK Marine Recorder Snapshot.
Description
Sheltered mixed sediments, usually subject to variable salinity conditions. Banks of shell may be present. The infauna is very diverse, dominated by a range of polychaetes including Exogone naidina, Sphaerosyllis taylori, Pygospio elegans, Chaetozone gibber, Cirriformia tentaculata, Aphelochaeta marioni, Capitella capitata, Mediomastus fragilis, and Melinna palmata. The oligochaetes Tubificoides benedii and T. pseudogaster are abundant, as is the cockle Cerastoderma edule. A large range of amphipods may occur, including Melita palmata, Microprotopus maculatus, Aora gracilis and Corophium volutator. The bivalves Abra alba and A. nitida may occur. The barnacle Austrominius modestus can be abundant where the sediment has stones on the surface. Epifaunal algae may occur attached to stable cobbles on the sediment surface.
Situation
***Mid shore, lower shore, as extension of shallow sublittoral biotope.
Temporal variation
Not known.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aphelochaeta marioni | 38 | Abundant | 18535 | 81-100% |
| Tubificoides benedii | 20 | Abundant | 7945 | 81-100% |
| Tubificoides pseudogaster | 11 | Abundant | 2938 | 81-100% |
| Exogone naidina | 7 | Abundant | 9504 | 61-80% |
| Melinna palmata | 3 | Abundant | 648 | 81-100% |
| Cerastoderma edule | 2 | Abundant | 638 | 81-100% |
| Capitella capitata | 2 | Common | 787 | 61-80% |
| Cirriformia tentaculata | 2 | Super abundant | 939 | 61-80% |
| Austrominius modestus | 1 | Abundant | 721 | 21-40% |
| Mediomastus fragilis | 1 | Common | 268 | 61-80% |
| Pygospio elegans | 1 | Frequent | 608 | 61-80% |
| Sphaerosyllis taylori | 1 | Common | 1530 | 61-80% |
| Chaetozone gibber | 1 | Common | 779 | 61-80% |
Similar biotopes or habitat types
