Fucoids in tide-swept conditions
Quick facts
EUNIS habitat type | code A1.15 |
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Description (English)
Fucoid seaweeds in tide-swept conditions on sheltered to extremely sheltered mid eulittoral to lower eulittoral rocky shores, such as narrow channels in sea lochs. The middle shore can be dominated by the wrack Ascophyllum nodosum (A1.151), while Fucus serratus is dominating the lower shore (A1.152, A1.153). The high levels of water movement encourages a rich associated fauna including several filter-feeding groups. These include the sponges Grantia compressa, Halichondria panicea and Hymeniacidon perleve which frequently occur on steep and overhanging faces of boulders and bedrock. It also includes the sea squirts Dendrodoa grossularia and Ascidiella scabra, which occur on steep surfaces and beneath boulders. Hydroids such as the pink Clava multicornis can form colonies on A. nodosum while Dynamena pumila is more often found on Fucus vesiculosus or F. serratus. Underneath the canopy formed by the brown seaweeds is a diverse community of the red seaweeds Gelidium pusillum, Chondrus crispus, Lomentaria articulata, Membranoptera alata and coralline crusts, but the green seaweeds Enteromorpha intestinalis, Ulva lactuca and Cladophora rupestris can be present. The filamentous red seaweed Polysiphonia lanosa can usually be found growing on A. nodosum. On the rock beneath are the limpet Patella vulgata and the barnacle Semibalanus balanoides, while the crab Carcinus maenas and a variety of winkles including Littorina littorea, Littorina mariae and Littorina obtusata can be found on or among the boulders. The whelk Nucella lapillus can either be found in cracks and crevices.
Situation: Sheltered tide-swept shores (i.e. estuaries and sea lochs) below the Fucus spiralis and F. vesiculosus band and above the kelp dominated zone in the sublittoral.
Source: EUNIS habitat classification
Vegetation types
Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)
Not availableSpecies mentioned in habitat description
Species scientific name | English common name | Species group |
---|---|---|
Cladophora rupestris | Algae | |
Enteromorpha intestinalis | Algae | |
Fucus serratus | Algae | |
Fucus spiralis | Algae | |
Fucus vesiculosus | Algae | |
Ulva lactuca | Algae | |
Ascidiella scabra | Invertebrates | |
Carcinus maenas | Invertebrates | |
Clava multicornis | Invertebrates | |
Dendrodoa grossularia | Invertebrates | |
Halichondria panicea | Invertebrates | |
Nucella lapillus | Dog whelk | Invertebrates |
Patella vulgata | Invertebrates |
Other classifications
Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type |
---|---|---|---|
Marine Habitat Classification Britain/Ireland 0405 | LR.HLR.FT | Fucoids in tide-swept conditions | source |
CORINE Land Cover | 4.2.3. | Intertidal flats | n/a |
History
Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type |
---|---|---|---|
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 | A1.15 | Fucoids in tide-swept conditions | same |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A1.3151 | Fucus serratus, sponges and ascidians on tide-swept lower eulittoral rock | narrower |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A1.31 | Dense fucoids on sheltered littoral rock | wider |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A1.3241 | Fucus serratus with sponges, ascidians and red seaweeds on tide-swept lower eulittoral mixed substrata | narrower |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A1.3142 | Ascophyllum nodosum, sponges and ascidians on tide-swept mid eulittoral rock | narrower |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | A1.31 | Dense fucoids on sheltered littoral rock | same |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 | A1.31 | Dense fucoids on sheltered littoral rock | same |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811 | A1.31 | Dense fucoids on sheltered rock | same |
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199712 | A1.41 | Dense fucoids on sheltered rock | same |
MNCR BioMar 97.06 (Britain & Ireland) | SLR.FX.FserX.T | Fucus serratus with sponges, ascidians and red seaweeds on tide-swept lower eulittoral mixed substrata | narrower |
MNCR BioMar 97.06 (Britain & Ireland) | SLR.F.Asc.T | Ascophyllum nodosum, sponges and ascidians on tide-swept mid eulittoral rock | narrower |
MNCR BioMar 97.06 (Britain & Ireland) | SLR.F.Fserr.T | Fucus serratus, sponges and ascidians on tide-swept lower eulittoral rock | narrower |
MNCR BioMar 97.06 (Britain & Ireland) | SLR.F | Dense fucoids (stable rock) | same |
MNCR BioMar 96.7 (Britain & Ireland) | SLR.F | narrower |