EUNIS habitat classification 2017 > M - Marine benthic habitats > MB4 - infralittoral mixed sediment > MB42 - Atlantic infralittoral mixed sediment

Atlantic infralittoral mixed sediment

Description (English)

Shallow mixed (heterogeneous) sediments in fully marine or near fully marine conditions, supporting various animal-dominated communities, with relatively low proportions of seaweeds. This habitat may include well mixed muddy gravelly sands or very poorly sorted mosaics of shell, cobbles and pebbles embedded in mud, sand or gravel. Due to the quite variable nature of the sediment type, a widely variable array of communities may be found, including those characterised by bivalves (MB4-233, MB4-231, and MB2-222), polychaetes (MB4-232) and file shells (MB2-221). This has resulted in many species being described as characteristic of this biotope complex all contributing only a small percentage to the overall similarity (see below). This biotope complex may also include a newly proposed Chaetopterus biotope (Rees pers com.) recently found in the eastern English Channel. This biotope is characterised by an undescribed Chaetopterus sp. and small Lanice conchilega. Further sampling is need in order to assess and fully characterise this potential biotope. As a result, the Chaetopterus biotope has not been included in this revision. Infaunal data for this biotope complex are limited to that described in the biotope MB4-233 and so are not representative of the infaunal component of the whole biotope complex.

Source: EUNIS habitat classification

Quick facts

EUNIS habitat type	code MB42
Relation to	Resolution 4 habitat type (used for designation of Emerald sites)

Legal status

Relation to other habitat types mentioned in legal instruments

Legal text	Annex	Name in legal text	Code in legal text	Habitat type relationship	More information
Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats	Revised Annex I of Resolution 4 (1996) of the Bern Convention on endangered natural habitats types using the EUNIS habitat classification (year of revision 2010)	Sandbanks which are slightly covered by sea water all the time	1110	Overlap	https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc....ckColorLogged=FDC864 Resolution No. 4 (1996) of the Bern Convention lists endangered natural habitats requiring specific conservation measures [and the designation of Areas of Special Conservation Interest (ASCIs) forming the Emerald network]
Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats	Revised Annex I of Resolution 4 (1996) of the Bern Convention on endangered natural habitats types using the EUNIS habitat classification (year of revision 2010)	Estuaries	1130	Overlap	https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc....ckColorLogged=FDC864 Resolution No. 4 (1996) of the Bern Convention lists endangered natural habitats requiring specific conservation measures [and the designation of Areas of Special Conservation Interest (ASCIs) forming the Emerald network]
Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats	Revised Annex I of Resolution 4 (1996) of the Bern Convention on endangered natural habitats types using the EUNIS habitat classification (year of revision 2010)	* Coastal lagoons	1150	Overlap	https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc....ckColorLogged=FDC864 Resolution No. 4 (1996) of the Bern Convention lists endangered natural habitats requiring specific conservation measures [and the designation of Areas of Special Conservation Interest (ASCIs) forming the Emerald network]
Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats	Revised Annex I of Resolution 4 (1996) of the Bern Convention on endangered natural habitats types using the EUNIS habitat classification (year of revision 2010)	Large shallow inlets and bays	1160	Overlap	https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc....ckColorLogged=FDC864 Resolution No. 4 (1996) of the Bern Convention lists endangered natural habitats requiring specific conservation measures [and the designation of Areas of Special Conservation Interest (ASCIs) forming the Emerald network]
Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats	Revised Annex I of Resolution 4 (1996) of the Bern Convention on endangered natural habitats types using the EUNIS habitat classification (year of revision 2010)	Sublittoral sediment	A5	Narrower	https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc....ckColorLogged=FDC864 Resolution No. 4 (1996) of the Bern Convention lists endangered natural habitats requiring specific conservation measures [and the designation of Areas of Special Conservation Interest (ASCIs) forming the Emerald network]

Vegetation types

Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)

Not available

Species mentioned in habitat description

Not available

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)	A5.5	Sublittoral macrophyte-dominated sediment	overlap
EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012)	A5.41	Sublittoral mixed sediment in low or reduced salinity	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012)	A5.4	Sublittoral mixed sediments	wider
EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012)	A5	Sublittoral sediment	narrower

For relation to plant communities (syntaxa), see Vegetation types

History

Classification	Code	Habitat type name	Relationship type
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410	A5.43	Infralittoral mixed sediments	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410	A5.5	Sublittoral macrophyte-dominated sediment	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410	A5.41	Sublittoral mixed sediment in low or reduced salinity (lagoons)	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410	A5.4	Sublittoral mixed sediments	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410	A5	Sublittoral sediment	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A4.75	Animal communities of deep circalittoral mixed sediment bottoms	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A4.554	Baltic level gravel bottoms of the infralittoral photic zone dominated by macrophyte vegetation	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A4.555	Baltic level sandy bottoms of the infralittoral photic zone dominated by macrophyte vegetation	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A4.557	Baltic mixed sediments of the infralittoral photic zone dominated by macrophyte vegetation	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A4.556	Baltic muds of the infralittoral photic zone dominated by macrophyte vegetation	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A4.76	Communities of shelf-edge detritic bottom	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A4.42	Infralittoral mixed sediment	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A4.5	Sublittoral macrophyte-dominated sediment	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A4.4	Sublittoral mixed sediment	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A4	Sublittoral sediment	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A4.43	Variable and reduced salinity sublittoral mixed sediments	wider
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	A4.42	Animal communities in shallow-water mixed sediments	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	A4.75	Animal communities of deep circalittoral mixed sediment bottoms	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	A4.76	Communities of shelf-edge detritic bottom	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	A4.5	Shallow sublittoral sediments dominated by angiosperms	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	A4.4	Sublittoral combination sediments	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	A4	Sublittoral sediments	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	A4.43	Variable and reduced salinity sublittoral mixed sediments	wider
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910	A4.44	Animal communities in mixed shallow-water sediments	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910	A4.72	Biocenosis of shelf-edge detritic bottom	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910	A4.5	Shallow-water sediments dominated by angiosperms (other than Posidonia)	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910	A4.4	Sublittoral mixed sediments	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910	A4	Sublittoral sediments	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910	A4.45	Variable and reduced salinity sublittoral mixed sediments	wider
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811	A4.44	Animal communities in shallow mixed infralittoral sediments	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811	A4.45	Estuarine sublittoral mixed sediments	wider
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811	A4.5	Infralittoral sediments dominated by macrophytes	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811	A4	Sublittoral sediments	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199712	A4.43	Animal communities in shallow mixed infralittoral sediments	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199712	X16	Sublittoral sediments	same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 199905	11.23	Sublittoral pebbly seabeds	narrower
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 199905	11.22	Sublittoral soft 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	11.22		narrower
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1996	11.23		narrower
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1993	11.22		narrower
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1993	11.23		narrower
CORINE Biotopes Classification 1991	11.22		narrower
CORINE Biotopes Classification 1991	11.23		narrower
MNCR BioMar 97.06 (Britain & Ireland)	IMX.EstMx	Estuarine sublittoral mixed sediments	wider
MNCR BioMar 97.06 (Britain & Ireland)	IMX.FaMX	Shallow mixed sediment faunal communities	same
MNCR BioMar 97.06 (Britain & Ireland)	SS	Sublittoral sediments	same
MNCR BioMar 96.7 (Britain & Ireland)	IMX.FaMX		same

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