Biodiversity & Conservation

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.

Barnacles, represented by Semibalanus balanoides, and Littorina littorea are important characterizing species as, in their absence, the SLR.BLlit biotope would not be recognized. Littorina littorea and Patella vulgata are key functional species because their grazing activity stops the development of algal cover. Other species that may be presents such as the epifaunal Patella vulgata, Littorina saxatilis and Mytilus edulis and the infaunal Arenicola marina and Cerastoderma edulis are not considered to be species particularly indicative of the sensitivity of the SLR.BLlit biotope as, in their absence, the biotope would become impoverished but would still be recognized as barnacles and Littorina littorea on unstable eulittoral mixed substrata.

None