Biodiversity & Conservation

Zostera marina/angustifolia beds in lower shore or infralittoral clean or muddy sand

SS.SMp.SSgr.Zmar

IMS.Zmar

Image Keith Hiscock - Current swept bed of Zostera marina. Image width ca 2 m in foreground.
Image copyright information

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Distribution map

SS.SMp.SSgr.Zmar recorded (dark blue bullet) and expected (light blue bullet) distribution in Britain and Ireland (see below)

  • Berne
  • EC_Habitats
  • UK_BAP
  • OSPAR

Recorded distribution in Britain and Ireland

Present in enclosed areas (harbours, bays, sounds and inlets) in southwest England, Wales, western Ireland, western and eastern Scotland including Orkney and Shetland Islands

Habitat preferences

Temperature range preferences - 5 to 30 °C

Water clarity preferences - High clarity / Low turbidity

Limiting Nutrients - Nitrogen (nitrates)
Phosphorous (phosphates)

Other preferences -

Additional information

Intertidal Zostera marina beds may be damaged by frost, although rhizomes most likely survive. In carbonate based sediments phosphate may be limiting due to adsorption onto sediment particles. Zostera marina is also found in reduced salinities, for example brackish lagoons (Dyrynda, 1997).

This review can be cited as follows:

Tyler-Walters, H. & Wilding, C.M. 2008. Zostera marina/angustifolia beds in lower shore or infralittoral clean or muddy sand. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 19/05/2013]. Available from: <http://www.marlin.ac.uk/habitatpreferences.php?habitatid=257&code=2004>