EUNIS habitat classification 2017 > M - Marine benthic habitats > ME5 - Upper Bathyal sand > ME51 - Arctic upper bathyal sand

Arctic upper bathyal sand

Description (English)

Deep-sea sand sediments have a diverse infaunal community dominated by polychaetes. Epifauna tend to be sparse, mobile species, or burrowing fauna such as anemones and brittlestars visible at the surface.
In the absence of ecological data, sand habitat can be defined according to Long (2006), which describes the classification's broad sediment types according to the relative proportion of mud, sand and gravel (see http://www.emodnet-seabedhabitats.eu/PDF/GMHM3_Detailed_explanation_of_seabed_sediment_classification.pdf). Note that small amounts of gravel with sand can move the habitat from sand to coarse sediment. Also note that Folk muddy sand sediments are classed as mud habitat if the mud content is great enough to support species usually associated with mud. In the absence of particle size data it can be difficult to reliably distinguish between mud and sand.

Source: EUNIS habitat classification

Quick facts

EUNIS habitat type code ME51

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) A6.3 Deep-sea sand narrower
For relation to plant communities (syntaxa), see Vegetation types

History

Classification Code Habitat type name Relationship type Comment
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 A6.3 Deep-sea sand same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 A5.3 Deep-sea sand same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 A5.3 Deep-sea sand substrates same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 A5.3 Bathyal zone sand same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811 A5.2 Bathyal zone sand (continental slope floor) same
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 199905 11.211 Bathyal benthic communities wider
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1997 11.211 Bathyal benthic communities wider
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1996 11.211   wider
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 1993 11.211   wider
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