Sparse or no macrofaunal communities in Baltic upper circalittoral sand

This Baltic Sea benthic habitat occurs in the aphotic zone where there is least 90% coverage of sand according to the HELCOM HUB classification.  Macrofauna, epifauna and infauna are sparse or absent. It is typically present below depths of 30m and occurs in high energy exposure areas. One associated biotope has been identified: ‘Baltic aphotic sand dominated by meiofauna’ (AB.J4U1). This occurs in all wave exposure classes and is identified by a large representation of meiofauna (for example Oligochaeta, Ostracoda, Nematoda, Copepoda), which constitutes at least 50% of the biomass. In the Gulf of Bothnia nectobenthic Mysidae can be associated with the biotope, and Mysidae can also appear in benthic grab-samples.

Indicators of quality: 

Both biotic and abiotic indicators have been used to describe marine habitat quality. These include: the presence of characteristic species as well as those which are sensitive to the pressures the habitat may face; water quality parameters; levels of exposure to particular pressure, and more integrated indices which describe habitat structure and function, such as trophic index, or successional stages of development in habitats that have a natural cycle of change overtime. There are no commonly agreed indicators of quality for this habitat, although particular parameters may have been set in certain situations e.g. protected features within Natura 2000 sites, where reference values have been determined and applied on a location-specific basis. 

Synthesis of Red List assessment

Confidence in the assessment

Pressures and threats