Faunal communities in Atlantic offshore circalittoral coarse sediment
Description (English)
Offshore (deep) circalittoral habitats with coarse sands and gravel or shell. This habitat may cover large areas of the offshore continental shelf although there is relatively little quantitative data available. Such habitats are quite diverse compared to shallower versions of this habitat and generally characterised by robust infaunal polychaete and bivalve species. Animal communities in this habitat are closely related to offshore mixed sediments and in some areas settlement of Modiolus modiolus larvae may occur and consequently these habitats may occasionally have large numbers of juvenile M. modiolus. In areas where the mussels reach maturity their byssus threads bind the sediment together, increasing stability and allowing an increased deposition of silt leading to the development of the biotope MC2-222.
Source: EUNIS habitat classification
Quick facts
| EUNIS habitat type | code MD321 |
|---|
Vegetation types
Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)
Not availableSpecies mentioned in habitat description
Invertebrates
Modiolus modiolus
| Species scientific name | English common name | Species group |
|---|---|---|
| Modiolus modiolus | Invertebrates |
Other classifications
| Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012) | A5.15 | Deep circalittoral coarse sediment | narrower |
| European Red List of Habitats | NEAA5.15 | Atlantic lower circalittoral coarse sediment | wider |
History
| Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 | A5.14 | Deep circalittoral coarse sediment | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A4.71 | Animal communities of deep circalittoral gravel bottoms | narrower | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A4.14 | Animals communities in deeper coarse sands | narrower | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A4.73 | Animal communities of deep circalittoral shell gravel bottoms | narrower | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | A4.71 | Animal communities of deep circalittoral gravel bottoms | narrower | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | A4.14 | Animals communities in deeper coarse sands | narrower | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | A4.73 | Animal communities of deep circalittoral shell gravel bottoms | narrower |
