Kelp in variable salinity on low energy infralittoral rock
Description (English)
Very wave-sheltered bedrock, boulders and cobbles subject to only weak tidal streams in the sublittoral fringe and infralittoral zone, in areas of variable/reduced salinity. This habitat type is characterised by the kelp Laminaria saccharina and coralline crusts such as Lithothamnion glaciale. Grazers such as the urchins Psammechinus miliaris and Echinus esculentus, and the gastropods Gibbula cineraria and Buccinum undatum may be present. The tube-dwelling polychaete Pomatoceros triqueter, the ascidians Ciona intestinalis, Corella parallelogramma and Ascidiella scabra, the barnacle Balanus crenatus, the starfish Asterias rubens and the brittlestar Ophiothrix fragilis may also be present. Red algal communities are composed primarily of Phycodrys rubens. The crabs Carcinus maenas and Pagurus bernhardus, and the bivalve Modiolus modiolus may also be observed.
Source: EUNIS habitat classification
Quick facts
| EUNIS habitat type | code A3.32 |
|---|---|
| Bern Convention | Included in a Resolution 4 habitat type at a higher level (A3) |
Vegetation types
Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)
Not availableSpecies mentioned in habitat description
Algae
Laminaria saccharina
Algae
Lithothamnion glaciale
Invertebrates
Ascidiella scabra
Invertebrates
Asterias rubens
Invertebrates
Buccinum undatum
Invertebrates
Carcinus maenas
Invertebrates
Ciona intestinalis
Invertebrates
Echinus esculentus
Invertebrates
Modiolus modiolus
Invertebrates
Ophiothrix fragilis
| Species scientific name | English common name | Species group |
|---|---|---|
| Laminaria saccharina | Algae | |
| Lithothamnion glaciale | Algae | |
| Ascidiella scabra | Invertebrates | |
| Asterias rubens | Invertebrates | |
| Buccinum undatum | Invertebrates | |
| Carcinus maenas | Invertebrates | |
| Ciona intestinalis | Invertebrates | |
| Echinus esculentus | Invertebrates | |
| Modiolus modiolus | Invertebrates | |
| Ophiothrix fragilis | Invertebrates |
Other classifications
| Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marine Habitat Classification Britain/Ireland 0405 | IR.LIR.KVS | Kelp in variable or reduced salinity | source |
| CORINE Land Cover | 5.2.3. | Sea and ocean | n/a |
| Ramsar Wetland Types | B | Subtidal aquatic beds | wider |
History
| Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 | A3.32 | Kelp in variable salinity on low energy infralittoral rock | same |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | A3.31 | Silted kelp communities on sheltered infralittoral rock | wider |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | A3.31 | Silted kelp communities on sheltered infralittoral rock | same |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 | A3.31 | Silted kelp communities on sheltered infralittoral rock | same |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811 | A3.31 | Silted kelp communities on sheltered infralittoral rock | same |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199712 | A3.31 | Silted kelp communities on sheltered infralittoral rock | same |
| MNCR BioMar 97.06 (Britain & Ireland) | SIR.K | Silted kelp (stable rock) | same |
| MNCR BioMar 96.7 (Britain & Ireland) | SIR.K | same |
