Description of biotope or habitat type
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Sublittoral coarse sediment in variable salinity (estuaries)
Physical habitat description
| Salinity | Reduced (18-30ppt), 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), Very weak (negligible) |
| Substratum | Pebbles and gravel with a minor sand fraction |
| Zone | Circalittoral, Infralittoral |
| Depth Band | 0-5 m, 5-10 m, 10-20 m |
| Other Features |
Biotope origin
| Derived using data from | Video/Day Grab |
| 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 gravels that occur in the upper reaches of marine inlets, especially estuaries, where water movement is sufficiently strong to remove the silt content of the sediment. The habitat typically lacks a significant seaweed component and is characterised by a sparse but very robust brackish-water tolerant fauna.
Situation
No situation data available.
Temporal variation
No situation data available.
Characterising species
| Taxon | Relative importance of taxon for defining this community (%) | Typical abundance - SACFOR scale | % of core records where taxon was recorded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carcinus maenas | 33 | Rare | 41-60% |
| Pomatoschistus | 67 | Occasional | 41-60% |
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.SCS.SCSVS | Sublittoral coarse sediment in variable salinity (estuaries) |
| 2004 (04.05) | SS.SCS.SCSVS | Sublittoral coarse sediment in variable salinity (estuaries) |
| 1997 (97.06) | Part of SS.IGS.EstGS | Estuarine sublittoral gravels and sands |