Biodiversity & Conservation

Ostrea edulis beds on shallow sublittoral muddy sediment

SS.IMX.Oy.Ost

IMX.Ost

Image Bernard Picton - Ostrea edulis beds on shallow sublittoral muddy sediment. Image width ca 25 cm.
Image copyright information

Distribution map

SS.IMX.Oy.Ost recorded (dark blue bullet) and expected (light blue bullet) distribution in Britain and Ireland (see below)

  • EC_Habitats
  • OSPAR

Recorded distribution in Britain and Ireland

Native, flat oyster beds are sparsely distributed and are recorded from the River Crouch in east England; Dawlish Warren, the Dart estuary and the River Fal in the south west England; Milford Haven in Wales; Loch Ryan in Scotland; Strangford Lough, Lough Foyle, and the west coast of Ireland.

Habitat preferences

Temperature range preferences - Data deficient

Water clarity preferences - Very high clarity / Very low turbidity
High clarity / Low turbidity
Medium clarity / Medium turbidity

Limiting Nutrients -

Other preferences -

Additional information

The main UK shellfish stocks of the native oyster are now located in the inlets and flats bordering the Thames Estuary, The Solent, River Fal, the west coast of Scotland and Lough Foyle (Anon, 1999c).

This review can be cited as follows:

Tyler-Walters, H. 2001. Ostrea edulis beds on shallow sublittoral muddy sediment. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 19/06/2013]. Available from: <http://www.marlin.ac.uk/habitatpreferences.php?habitatid=69&code=1997>