Biodiversity & Conservation

Filamentous green seaweeds on low salinity infralittoral mixed sediment or rock

SS.IMX.KSwMx.FiG

IMX.FiG

Image Anon. - Tufts of green filamentous algae. Image width ca 15 cm.
Image copyright information

Distribution map

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

  • EC_Habitats

Species indicative of sensitivity

To assess the sensitivity of the biotope, the sensitivity of component species is reviewed. Those species that are considered to be particularly indicative of the sensitivity of the biotope, and for which research has been undertaken in detail are shown below (see selection criteria). The biology of other component species of the biotope is also taken into account wherever information is known to the researcher.

Species found especially in this biotope

  • Akera bullata
  • Chaetomorpha linum
  • Gasterosteus aculeatus
Community Importance Species name Common Name
Key structural Arenicola marina Blow lug
Important characterizing Neomysis integer Opossum shrimp
Important characterizing Gasterosteus aculeatus Three-spined stickleback
Key structural Ulva intestinalis Gut weed
Key structural Chaetomorpha linum A green seaweed
Important functional Asterias rubens Common starfish
Important functional Mytilus edulis Common mussel

Explanation

Dominant or abundant species occurring in examples of the biotope have been selected to represent sensitivity along with less widely occurring species that make the biotope unusual. The biotope description (Connor et al., 1997a) and survey records indicate only "Mysidae". It seems most likely that Neomysis integer and Praunus flexuosus occur and information on Neomysis integer has been used as representative. Asterias rubens may not occur in lowest salinity examples of the biotope.

Additional information

Records of this biotope include a small number of species frequently found and many species that are recorded from one or a few examples. Some of the species representative of sensitivity have been not been researched and information reviews completed at the time this biotope review was prepared. Literature searches have therefore been undertaken (in addition to already reviewed species) for Chaetomorpha linum, Carcinus maenas, Akera bullata and Gasterosteus aculeatus for this review.

This review can be cited as follows:

Hiscock, K. 2002. Filamentous green seaweeds on low salinity infralittoral mixed sediment or rock. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 22/05/2013]. Available from: <http://www.marlin.ac.uk/habitatreproduction.php?habitatid=157&code=1997>