Biodiversity & Conservation

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Upper infralittoral tide-swept channels of coarse sediment subject to variable or reduced salinity which support distinctive beds of Lithothamnion glaciale maerl 'rhodoliths'. Phymatolithon calcareum may also be present as a more minor maerl component. This biotope can often be found at the upper end of Scottish sea lochs where the variable salinity of the habitat may not be immediately obvious. Associated fauna and flora may include species found in other types of maerl beds (and elsewhere), e.g. Chaetopterus variopedatus, Lanice conchilega, Mya truncata, Plocamium cartilagineum and Phycodrys rubens. IGS.Lgla, however, also has a fauna that reflects the slightly reduced salinity conditions, e.g. Psammechinus miliaris is often present in high numbers along with other grazers such as chitons and Tectura spp. Hyas araneus, Ophiothrix fragilis and Henricia oculata are also fairly typically present at sites. In Scottish lagoons (obs) this biotope may show considerable variation but the community falls within the broad description defined here. (Information taken from the Marine Biotope Classification for Britain and Ireland, Version 97.06: Connor et al., 1997a, b).