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Marine Habitat Classification


Description of biotope or habitat type

To understand more about what this page is describing, see How to use the classification. See also How to cite.

   Sublittoral mixed sediment


Physical habitat description

Salinity Full (30-35 ppt), Reduced (18-30ppt), Variable (18-35 ppt)
Wave exposure Moderately exposed, Sheltered, Very sheltered, Extremely sheltered
Tidal streams Moderately strong (1-3 kn), Weak (>1 kn), Very weak (negligible)
Substratum Mixed sediments.
Zone Circalittoral, Infralittoral
Depth Band 0-5 m, 5-10 m, 10-20 m, 20-30 m, 30-50 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.

Distribution of habitat SS.SMx Sublittoral mixed sediment

  • 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

Sublittoral mixed (heterogeneous) sediments found from the extreme low water mark to deep offshore circalittoral habitats. These habitats incorporate a range of sediments including heterogeneous muddy gravelly sands and mosaics of cobbles and pebbles embedded in or lying upon sand, gravel or mud. There is a degree of confusion with regard to nomenclature within this complex as many habitats could be defined as containing mixed sediments, in part depending on the scale of the survey and the sampling method employed. The BGS trigon can be used to define truly mixed or heterogeneous sites with surficial sediments which are a mixture of mud, gravel and sand. However, another 'form' of mixed sediment includes mosaic habitats such as superficial waves or ribbons of sand on a gravel bed or areas of lag deposits with cobbles/pebbles embedded in sand or mud and these are less well defined and may overlap into other habitat or biotope complexes. These habitats may support a wide range of infauna and epibiota including polychaetes, bivalves, echinoderms, anemones, hydroids and Bryozoa. Mixed sediments with biogenic reefs or macrophyte dominated communities are classified separately in the SS.SBR and SS.SMp habitat complexes respectively.

Situation

No situation data available.

Temporal variation

No temporal data available.

Characterising species

Characterising species data not applicable.

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.SMx Sublittoral mixed sediment
2004 (04.05) SS.SMx Sublittoral mixed sediment
1997 (97.06) SS.CMX (part) Circalittoral mixed sediments
1997 (97.06) SS.IMX (part) Infralittoral mixed sediments

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