infralittoral mixed sediment
Description (English)
Infralittoral mixed (heterogeneous) sediments found from the extreme low water mark to down to the lower limit for vascular plants. These habitats incorporate a range of sediments including heterogeneous muddy gravelly sands and also mosaics of cobbles and pebbles embedded in or lying upon sand, gravel or mud. There is a degree of confusion with regard 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 biological subtypes. These habitats may support a wide range of infauna and epibiota including polychaetes, bivalves, echinoderms, anemones, hydroids and Bryozoa. Mixed sediments with biogenic reefs classified separately as MB2.
Source: EUNIS habitat classification
Quick facts
EUNIS habitat type | code MB4 |
---|---|
Relation to | Resolution 4 habitat type (used for designation of Emerald sites) |
Legal status
Relation to other habitat types mentioned in legal instruments
Vegetation types
Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)
Not availableSpecies mentioned in habitat description
Other classifications
Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type |
---|---|---|---|
EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012) | A5.43 | Infralittoral mixed sediments | narrower |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012) | A5 | Sublittoral sediment | narrower |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012) | A5.4 | Sublittoral mixed sediments | same |
History
Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 | A5.4 | Sublittoral mixed sediments | same | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 | A5.43 | Infralittoral mixed sediments | same | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 | A5 | Sublittoral sediment | same | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A4.4 | Sublittoral mixed sediment | same | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A4.75 | Animal communities of deep circalittoral mixed sediment bottoms | narrower | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A4.42 | Infralittoral mixed sediment | same | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A4 | Sublittoral sediment | same | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A4.76 | Communities of shelf-edge detritic bottom | narrower | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | A4.4 | Sublittoral combination sediments | narrower | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | A4.42 | Animal communities in shallow-water mixed sediments | same | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | A4.76 | Communities of shelf-edge detritic bottom | narrower | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | A4 | Sublittoral sediments | same | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | A4.75 | Animal communities of deep circalittoral mixed sediment bottoms | narrower | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 | A4.72 | Biocenosis of shelf-edge detritic bottom | narrower | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 | A4 | Sublittoral sediments | same | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 | A4.44 | Animal communities in mixed shallow-water sediments | same | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 | A4.4 | Sublittoral mixed sediments | narrower | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811 | A4.44 | Animal communities in shallow mixed infralittoral sediments | same | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811 | A4 | Sublittoral sediments | same | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199712 | X16 | Sublittoral sediments | same | |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199712 | A4.43 | Animal communities in shallow mixed infralittoral sediments | same | |
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 199905 | 11.22 | Sublittoral soft seabeds | narrower | |
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 199905 | 11.23 | Sublittoral pebbly seabeds | narrower | |
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1997 | 11.23 | Sublittoral pebbly seabeds | narrower | |
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1997 | 11.22 | Sublittoral soft seabeds | narrower | |
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1996 | 11.23 | narrower | ||
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1996 | 11.22 | narrower | ||
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1993 | 11.22 | narrower | ||
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1993 | 11.23 | narrower | ||
CORINE Biotopes Classification 1991 | 11.23 | narrower | ||
CORINE Biotopes Classification 1991 | 11.22 | narrower | ||
MNCR BioMar 97.06 (Britain & Ireland) | SS | Sublittoral sediments | same | |
MNCR BioMar 97.06 (Britain & Ireland) | IMX.FaMX | Shallow mixed sediment faunal communities | same | |
MNCR BioMar 96.7 (Britain & Ireland) | IMX.FaMX | same |