Fucus serratus on moderately exposed lower eulittoral rock

English name: Fucus serratus on moderately exposed lower eulittoral rock

Description (English)

Lower eulittoral bedrock and stable boulders on moderately exposed to sheltered shores with a canopy of the wrack Fucus serratus and an associated fauna consisting of the limpet Patella vulgata, the barnacle Semibalanus balanoides, the whelk Nucella lapillus, the anemone Actinia equina and the sponge Halichondria panicea. Green seaweeds such as Enteromorpha intestinalis and Ulva lactuca are usually present among/beneath the F. serratus canopy. Three variants of this biotope are described. These are: F. serratus with red seaweeds (A1.2141) and F. serratus with under-boulder communities (A1.2142) with sponges. Lastly, a F. serratus and piddocks community on soft rock has been identified (A1.2143). Dense F. serratus with fewer red seaweeds occurs on more sheltered shores (unit A1 315).
Situation: Above the F. serratus biotope on moderately exposed bedrock shores is the Fucus vesiculosus and/or S. balanoides and P. vulgata dominated biotopes (A1.113; A1.1132; A1.213). On more sheltered shores are biotopes dominated by the wracks F. vesiculosus and Ascophyllum nodosum (A1.313; A1.3141). On moderately exposed shores, the sublittoral fringe below Fser is dominated by the kelp Laminaria digitata and on vertical faces the kelp Alaria esculenta may be present (A3.2112; A3.1112). On more sheltered shores the kelp Laminaria saccharina is found among the L. digitata (A3.3131; A3.3132).

Source: EUNIS habitat classification

Quick facts

EUNIS habitat type code A1.214

Vegetation types

Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)

Not available

Species mentioned in habitat description

Algae Enteromorpha intestinalis
Algae Fucus serratus
Algae Fucus vesiculosus
Algae Laminaria saccharina
Algae Ulva lactuca
Invertebrates Actinia equina
Invertebrates Halichondria panicea
Invertebrates Nucella lapillus
Invertebrates Patella vulgata
Species scientific name English common name Species group
Enteromorpha intestinalis Algae
Fucus serratus Algae
Fucus vesiculosus Algae
Laminaria saccharina Algae
Ulva lactuca Algae
Actinia equina Invertebrates
Halichondria panicea Invertebrates
Nucella lapillus Dog whelk Invertebrates
Patella vulgata Invertebrates

Other classifications

Classification Code Habitat type name Relationship type
Marine Habitat Classification Britain/Ireland 0405 LR.MLR.BF.Fser <I>Fucus serratus</I> on moderately exposed lower eulittoral rock source
CORINE Land Cover 4.2.3. Intertidal flats n/a
For relation to plant communities (syntaxa), see Vegetation types

History

Classification Code Habitat type name Relationship type
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 A1.214 Fucus serratus on moderately exposed lower eulittoral rock same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 A1.223 Fucus serratus on moderately exposed lower eulittoral rock same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 A1.223 Fucus serratus on moderately exposed lower eulittoral rock same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 A1.213 Fucus serratus on moderately exposed lower eulittoral rock same
MNCR BioMar 97.06 (Britain & Ireland) MLR.BF.Fser Fucus serratus on moderately exposed lower eulittoral rock same
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