EUNIS habitat classification 2012 amended 2019 > A - Marine habitats > A3 - Infralittoral rock and other hard substrata > A3.7 - Features of infralittoral rock

Features of infralittoral rock

English name: Features of infralittoral rock

Description (English)

Includes surge gulleys (A3.71), which are found throughout the infralittoral rock zone, and usually consist of vertical bedrock walls, occasionally with overhanging faces, and support communities, which reflect the degree of wave surge they are subject to and any scour from mobile substrata on the cave/gully floors. The larger cave and gully systems, such as found in Shetland, Orkney, the Western Isles and St Kilda, typically show a marked zonation from the entrance to the rear of the gully/cave as wave surge increases and light reduces. Also includes habitats in hard substrata in the infralittoral zone characterised by the presence of seeping or bubbling gases, oils or water (A3.73) and recently colonised artificial hard substrata in the infralittoral zone (A3.72).

Source: EUNIS habitat classification

Quick facts

EUNIS habitat type	code A3.7
Bern Convention	Included in a Resolution 4 habitat type at a higher level (A3)
Relation to	Annex I habitat types (EU Habitats Directive)

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
Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - consolidated version 01/01/2007	Annex I: natural habitat types of community interest whose conservation requires the designation of special areas of conservation	Estuaries	1130	Overlap	http://ec.europa.eu/environm...rective/index_en.htm
Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - consolidated version 01/01/2007	Annex I: natural habitat types of community interest whose conservation requires the designation of special areas of conservation	Large shallow inlets and bays	1160	Overlap
Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - consolidated version 01/01/2007	Annex I: natural habitat types of community interest whose conservation requires the designation of special areas of conservation	Reefs	1170	Overlap
Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - consolidated version 01/01/2007	Annex I: natural habitat types of community interest whose conservation requires the designation of special areas of conservation	Submarine structures made by leaking gases	1180	Overlap
Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - consolidated version 01/01/2007	Annex I: natural habitat types of community interest whose conservation requires the designation of special areas of conservation	Submerged or partially submerged sea caves	8330	Overlap

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
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 200112	12.7	Sea-caves	narrower
CORINE Land Cover	5.2.3.	Sea and ocean	not defined
Marine Habitat Classification Britain/Ireland 0405	IR.FIR	Features of infralittoral rock	same

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

History

Classification	Code	Habitat type name	Relationship type
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410	A3.7	Features of infralittoral rock	same
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308	A3.4	Caves, overhangs and surge gullies in the infralittoral zone	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202	A3.4	Caves, overhangs and surge gullies in the infralittoral zone	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910	A3.4	Caves, overhangs and surge gullies in the infralittoral zone	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199811	A3.4	Caves, overhangs and surge gullies in the infralittoral zone	narrower
EUNIS Habitat Classification 199712	A9.2	Infralittoral caves	narrower
Palaearctic Habitat Classification 199905	12.7	Part of Sea-caves	narrower

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