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Littoral rock and other hard substrata

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English name Littoral rock and other hard substrata Key navigation    Open code browser    Diagram icon

EUNIS habitat type code   A1 Level   2
Edition   EUNIS Habitat Classification 2012 - a revision of the habitat classification descriptions.

Description ( English )

Littoral rock includes habitats of bedrock, boulders and cobbles which occur in the intertidal zone (the area of the shore between high and low tides) and the splash zone. The upper limit is marked by the top of the lichen zone and the lower limit by the top of the laminarian kelp zone. There are many physical variables affecting rocky shore communities - wave exposure, salinity, temperature and the diurnal emersion and immersion of the shore. Wave exposure is most commonly used to characterise littoral rock, from 'extremely exposed' on the open coast to 'extremely sheltered' in enclosed inlets. Exposed shores tend to support faunal-dominated communities of barnacles and mussels and some robust seaweeds. Sheltered shores are most notable for their dense cover of fucoid seaweeds, with distinctive zones occurring down the shore. In between these extremes of wave exposure, on moderately exposed shores, mosaics of seaweeds and barnacles are more typical.

Source

Connor, D.W., Allen, J.H., Golding, N., Howell, K.L., Lieberknecht, L.M., Northen, K.O. & Reker, J.B. [edited ETC/BD] (2004)

External links


Relationships with other classifications

Classification Code Title Relation type
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 A1 Littoral rock and other hard substrata same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 A1 Littoral rock and other hard substrata same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 A1 Littoral rock and other hard substrata same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 A1 Littoral rock and other hard substrata same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811 A1 Littoral rock and other hard substrata same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199712 A1 Littoral rock same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 200112 11.292 Lower mediolittoral rocks narrower
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 200112 11.291 Mediolittoral fringe rocks narrower
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 200112 11.29 Rocky shore littoral communities narrower
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 200112 11.293 Upper mediolittoral rocks narrower
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 199905 11.292 Lower mediolittoral rocks narrower
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 199905 11.291 Mediolittoral fringe rocks narrower
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 199905 11.29 Rocky shore littoral communities narrower
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 199905 11.293 Upper mediolittoral rocks narrower
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1997 11.292 Lower mediolittoral rocks narrower
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1997 11.291 Mediolittoral fringe rocks narrower
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1997 11.29 Rocky shore littoral communities narrower
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1997 11.293 Upper mediolittoral rocks narrower
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1996 11.29   narrower
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1996 11.291   narrower
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1996 11.292   narrower
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1996 11.293   narrower
CORINE Land Cover 3.3.2. Bare rock n/a
CORINE Land Cover 4.2.3. Intertidal flats n/a
Marine Habitat Classification Britain/Ireland 0405 LR Littoral rock (and other hard substrata) same
MNCR BioMar 97.06 (Britain & Ireland) LR Littoral rock (and other hard substrata) same
Barcelona Convention 199812 II.4. (MEDIOLITTORAL) HARD BEDS AND ROCKS same
Ramsar Wetland Types D Rocky marine shores wider
Phase 1 habitat classification (UK) 1993 H Coastlands wider
Phase 1 habitat classification (UK) 1993 H1 Intertidal wider
Phase 1 habitat classification (UK) 1993 H13 Intertidal: boulders/rocks overlap
Phase 1 habitat classification (UK) 1993 H12 Intertidal: shingle/cobbles overlap
Biodiversity Broad Habitat Classification (UK) 20 Littoral rock narrower
Biodiversity Action Plan Priority Habitats (UK) 35 Littoral and sublittoral chalk overlap
  A Marine habitats Go to key navigator, starting with this habitat    Parent
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