Description of biotope or habitat type
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Faunal communities on variable or reduced salinity infralittoral rock
Physical habitat description
| Salinity | Reduced (18-30ppt), Variable (18-35 ppt), Low (<18ppt) |
|---|---|
| Wave exposure | Very sheltered, Extremely sheltered |
| Tidal streams | Strong (3-6 kn), Moderately strong (1-3 kn), Weak (>1 kn), Very weak (negligible) |
| Substratum | Bedrock, shells, mud, artificial and other |
| Zone | Infralittoral |
| Depth Band | 0-5 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
Shallow subtidal rocky habitats which support faunal-dominated communities, with seaweed communities only poorly developed or absent. In some sealochs dense mussel Mytilus edulis beds (MytRS) develop in tide-swept channels, whilst upper estuarine rocky habitats in the south-west coast rias may support particular brackish-water tolerant faunas (CcasEle; HarCon).
Situation
No situation data available.
Temporal variation
Unknown
Characterising species
| Taxon | Relative importance of taxon for defining this community (%) | Typical abundance - SACFOR scale | % of core records where taxon was recorded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mytilus edulis | 65 | Abundant | 81-100% |
| Balanus crenatus | 8 | Frequent | 41-60% |
| Carcinus maenas | 6 | Occasional | 41-60% |
| Halichondria panicea | 3 | Common | 21-40% |
| Ectocarpaceae | 2 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Metridium senile | 2 | Frequent | 21-40% |
| Ascidiella aspersa | 1 | Occasional | 21-40% |
Similar biotopes or habitat types
Not applicable or unknown.
Classification history of this biotope or habitat type
| Classification version | Code |
|---|---|
| 1997 (97.06) | SIR.EstFa |