Description of biotope or habitat type
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Sublittoral macrophyte-dominated communities on sediments
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 | Sand, mud, gravel and mixed sediments. |
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 |
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
This complex includes maerl beds, seaweed dominated mixed sediments (including kelps such as Saccharina latissima and filamentous/foliose red and green algae), seagrass beds, and lagoonal angiosperm communities. These communities develop in a range of habitats from exposed open coasts to lagoons and are found in a variety of sediment types and salinity regimes.
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.SMp | Sublittoral macrophyte-dominated communities on sediments |
2004 (04.05) | SS.SMp | Sublittoral macrophyte-dominated communities on sediments |