Biodiversity & Conservation

Abra alba, Nucula nitida and Corbula gibba in circalittoral muddy sand or slightly mixed sediment

SS.CMS._.AbrNucCor

<i>%Abra alba%</i>, <i>%Nucula nitida%</i> and <i>%Corbula gibba%</i> in circalittoral muddy sand or slightly mixed sediment
Distribution map

SS.CMS._.AbrNucCor recorded (dark blue bullet) and expected (light blue bullet) distribution in Britain and Ireland (see below)

  • EC_Habitats
  • UK_BAP

Marine natural heritage importance

Listed under EC Habitats Directive
UK Biodiversity Action Plan
National importance Not available
Habitat Directive feature (Annex 1) Large shallow inlets and bays

Biotope importance

Abra alba is a common food item for Asterias rubens and demersal fish. Abra alba constituted ca 20% by weight (annual average) of the important food species of plaice, Pleuronectes platessa in Kiel Bay, Germany (Arntz, 1980; Rainer, 1985) and ca 40% by weight (seasonal average) off the North Wales coast (Basimi & Grove, 1985). Predatory fish are also likely to frequent the biotope and include the Dover sole Solea solea and members of the cod family. The infaunal tube-building polychaete Lagis koreni is a significant food-source for commercially important demersal fish, especially dab and plaice, e.g. Macer (1967), Lockwood (1980) and Basimi & Grove (1985). Echinocardium cordatum is also a component of the diet of a number of demersal fish, e.g. plaice (Carter et al., 1991).

Exploitation

Survey data suggests that the biotope does not contain significant numbers of any commercially important species such as Nephrops norvegicus and so is not likely to be subject to exploitation.

Additional information icon Additional information

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This review can be cited as follows:

Budd, G.C. 2006. Abra alba, Nucula nitida and Corbula gibba in circalittoral muddy sand or slightly mixed sediment. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 20/05/2013]. Available from: <http://www.marlin.ac.uk/habitatimportance.php?habitatid=62&code=1997>