EUNIS habitat classification 2017 > M - Marine benthic habitats > MB5 - Infralittoral sand > MB52 - Atlantic infralittoral sand

Atlantic infralittoral sand

Description (English)

Sands which occur in shallow water, either on the open coast or in tide-swept channels of marine inlets. Clean sands typically lack a significant seaweed component and is characterised by robust fauna, particularly amphipods (Bathyporeia) and robust polychaetes including Nephtys cirrosa and Lanice conchilega. Non-cohesive muddy sand (with 5% to 20% silt/clay) supports a variety of animal-dominated communities, particularly polychaetes (Magelona mirabilis, Spiophanes bombyx and Chaetozone setosa), bivalves (Fabulina fibula and Chamelea gallina) and the urchin Echinocardium cordatum.

Source: EUNIS habitat classification

Quick facts

EUNIS habitat type	code MB52
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	Wider	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)	A5.23	Infralittoral fine sand	overlap
EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012)	A5.24	Infralittoral muddy sand	wider
EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012)	A5.5	Sublittoral macrophyte-dominated sediment	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012)	A5.2	Sublittoral sand	wider
EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012)	A5.21	Sublittoral sand in low or reduced salinity	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012)	A5	Sublittoral sediment	wider

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

History

Classification	Code	Habitat type name	Relationship type
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410	A5.23	Infralittoral fine sand	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410	A5.24	Infralittoral muddy sand	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410	A5.5	Sublittoral macrophyte-dominated sediment	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410	A5.2	Sublittoral sand	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410	A5.21	Sublittoral sand in low or reduced salinity	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410	A5	Sublittoral sediment	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A4.21	Animal communities in fully marine shallow clean sands	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A4.26	Animal communities in variable or reduced salinity muddy sands	overlap
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A4.24	Animal communities in variable or reduced salinity shallow clean sands	overlap
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A4.72	Animal communities of deep circalittoral sandy 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	A4.22	Communities of fine sands in very shallow waters	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A4.23	Communities of well sorted fine sands	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A4.25	Infralittoral muddy sand	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A4.5	Sublittoral macrophyte-dominated sediment	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A4.2	Sublittoral sand	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A4	Sublittoral sediment	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	A4.21	Animal communities in fully marine shallow clean sands	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	A4.25	Animal communities in fully marine shallow-water muddy sands	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	A4.26	Animal communities in variable or reduced salinity muddy sands	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	A4.24	Animal communities in variable or reduced salinity shallow clean sands	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	A4.72	Animal communities of deep circalittoral sandy bottoms	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	A4.22	Communities of fine sands in very shallow waters	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	A4.23	Communities of well sorted fine sands	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	A4.5	Shallow sublittoral sediments dominated by angiosperms	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	A4.2	Sublittoral sands and muddy sands	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	A4	Sublittoral sediments	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910	A4.21	Animal communities in fully marine shallow clean sands	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910	A4.26	Animal communities in fully marine shallow-water muddy sands	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910	A4.27	Animal communities in variable or reduced salinity muddy sands	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910	A4.24	Animal communities in variable or reduced salinity shallow clean sands	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910	A4.22	Biocenosis of fine sands in very shallow waters	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910	A4.23	Biocenosis of well sorted fine sands	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910	A4.5	Shallow-water sediments dominated by angiosperms (other than Posidonia)	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910	A4.2	Sublittoral sands and muddy sands	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910	A4	Sublittoral sediments	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811	A4.21	Animal communities in shallow infralittoral muddy sands	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811	A4.14	Estuarine sublittoral gravels and sands	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811	A4.5	Infralittoral sediments dominated by macrophytes	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811	A4	Sublittoral sediments	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199712	A4.22	Animal communities in shallow infralittoral muddy sands	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)	IGS.EstGS	Estuarine sublittoral gravels and sands	wider
MNCR BioMar 97.06 (Britain & Ireland)	IMS.FaMS	Shallow muddy sand faunal communities	same
MNCR BioMar 97.06 (Britain & Ireland)	IGS.FaS	Shallow sand faunal communities	wider
MNCR BioMar 97.06 (Britain & Ireland)	SS	Sublittoral sediments	same
MNCR BioMar 96.7 (Britain & Ireland)	IMS.FaMS		same

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