Estuarine Atlantic sublittoral mixed sediment
Quick facts
| Red List habitat type | code NEAA5.42 |
|---|---|
| Threat status | |
| Europe | Data Deficient |
| EU | Data Deficient |
| Relation to |
|
| Source | European Red List habitat factsheet |
| European Red List of habitats reports | |
| European Red List of habitats (Excel table) |
Summary
This habitat comprises shallow sublittoral mixed sediments in estuarine conditions (18-35ppt), often with surface shells or stones, enabling the development of diverse epifaunal communities. There may be moderately strong (1-3kn) to negligible tidal streams. Wave exposure can vary from sheltered to extremely sheltered. This habitat typically occurs to depths of 10m. This habitat type is quite species rich, compared with more homogeneous sediments.
Indicators of quality:
Long term studies of many estuaries typically focus on the physical, biological and chemical characteristics. Indicators of quality of this habitat are frequently linked to those for the whole estuarine environment and therefore include morphological and physical characteristics, carrying capacity and water quality parameters. For the specific habitat, benthic indices, contaminant levels and productivity are some of the frequently used measures of quality.
Indices developed to assess the ecological status of coastal waters, including estuaries, according to the Water Framework Directive, include physical indicators, water quality indicators and measures of benthic diversity, species richness and abundance. The latter group, which is particularly relevant to benthic habitats, includes a Benthic Quality Index, an Infaunal Trophic Index, a Marine Biotic index based on ecological groups, and the Benthic Opportunistic Polychaetes/Amphipods Index.
Threat status
Synthesis of Red List assessment
| EU | |
| Red List Category | Red List Criteria |
| Data Deficient | |
| Europe | |
| Red List Category | Red List Criteria |
| Data Deficient | |
Confidence in the assessment
Pressures and threats
- Urbanisation, residential and commercial development
- Discharges
- Biological resource use other than agriculture & forestry
- Fishing and harvesting aquatic resources
- Professional active fishing
- Benthic or demersal trawling
- Pollution
- Pollution to surface waters (limnic, terrestrial, marine & brackish)
- Marine water pollution
- Oil spills in the sea
- Toxic chemical discharge from material dumped at sea
- Non-synthetic compound contamination
- Synthetic compound contamination
- Radionucleide contamination
- Natural System modifications
- Human induced changes in hydraulic conditions
- Removal of sediments (mud...)
- Estuarine and coastal dredging
- Modification of hydrographic functioning, general
- Modification of water flow (tidal & marine currents)
- Wave exposure changes
- Alteration of sea-floor/ Water body morphology
- Dykes, embankments, artificial beaches, general
- Sea defense or coast protection works, tidal barrages
- Climate change
- Changes in abiotic conditions
- Water flow changes (limnic, tidal and oceanic)
- Wave exposure changes
Habitat restoration potential
Trends in extent |
|
Average current trend in quantity |
|
Unknown  |
Unknown |
| EU28 | EU28+ |
Trends in quality |
|
Average current trend in quality |
|
| Unknown |
Unknown |
| EU28 | EU28+ |
Conservation and management needs
Spatial management including zoning of activities as part of Integrated Coastal Zone Management Schemes and Marine Protected Areas that cover the entire estuary complex, as well as water shed management, are beneficial.
List of conservation and management needs
- Measures related to wetland, freshwater and coastal habitats
- Restoring/Improving water quality
- Restoring/Improving the hydrological regime
- Measures related to spatial planning
- Establish protected areas/sites
- Measures related to hunting, taking and fishing and species management
- Regulation/Management of fishery in marine and brackish systems
- Measures related to urban areas, industry, energy and transport
- Urban and industrial waste management
Distribution
Geographic occurrence and trends
| Seas | Present or presence uncertain | Current area of habitat (Km2) | Recent trend in quantity (last 50 years) | Recent trend in quality (last 50 years) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celtic Seas | Present | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Kattegat | ||||
| Greater North Sea | ||||
| Bay of Biscay and the Iberian Coast |
Extent of Occurrence, Area of Occupancy and habitat area
| Extent of Occurrence (EOO) (Km2) | Area of Occupancy (AOO) | Current estimated Total Area | Comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EU28 | 244,272 | >23 | Unknown | Based on a limited data set. AOO is known to be an underestimate. |
| EU28+ | >23 | Unknown | Based on a limited data set. AOO is known to be an underestimate. |
EOO = the area (km2) of the envelope around all occurrences of a habitat (calculated by a minimum convex polygon).
Characteristic species
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 | Narrower | http://ec.europa.eu/environm...rective/index_en.htm |
