Biodiversity & Conservation

Sensitivity

Laminaria digitata on moderately exposed sublittoral fringe rock

IR.MIR.KR.Ldig.Ldig

Image Keith Hiscock - Kelp forest exposed at low tide with rocky shore in background. Image width ca 3 m (foreground).
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IR.MIR.KR.Ldig.Ldig recorded () and expected () distribution in Britain and Ireland (see below)

Habitat sensitivity

Physical Factors

Click factor name to view rationale	Intolerance	Recoverability	Sensitivity	Species Richness	Evidence / Confidence
Substratum Loss	High	High	Moderate	Major decline	High
Smothering	Intermediate	High	Low	Decline	High
Increase in suspended sediment	Low	High	Low	Minor decline	Moderate
Decrease in suspended sediment
Desiccation	Intermediate	High	Low	Minor decline	High
Increase in emergence regime	Intermediate	High	Low	Minor decline	Moderate
Decrease in emergence regime
Increase in water flow rate	Low	High	Low	No change	Moderate
Decrease in water flow rate
Increase in temperature	Intermediate	High	Low	Minor decline	Moderate
Decrease in temperature
Increase in turbidity	Intermediate	High	Low	Decline	Moderate
Decrease in turbidity
Increase in wave exposure	Low	High	Low	No change	Moderate
Decrease in wave exposure
Noise	Tolerant	Not relevant	Not sensitive	Not relevant	Not relevant
Visual Presence	Tolerant	Not relevant	Not sensitive	Not relevant	Not relevant
Abrasion & physical disturbance	Intermediate	High	Low	Decline	Moderate
Displacement	High	High	Moderate	Major decline	High

Chemical Factors

Click factor name to view rationale	Intolerance	Recoverability	Sensitivity	Species Richness	Evidence / Confidence
Synthetic compound contamination	High	High	Moderate	Major decline	Moderate
Heavy metal contamination	Intermediate	High	Low	Minor decline	Low
Hydrocarbon contamination	Intermediate	High	Low	Major decline	Moderate
Radionuclide contamination	Insufficient information	Insufficient information	Insufficient information	Not relevant	Not relevant
Changes in nutrient levels	Intermediate	High	Low	Decline	High
Increase in salinity	Intermediate	High	Low	Decline	High
Decrease in salinity
Changes in oxygenation	Low	High	Low	Decline	Moderate

Biological Factors

Click factor name to view rationale	Intolerance	Recoverability	Sensitivity	Species Richness	Evidence / Confidence
Introduction of microbial pathogens/parasites	Low	High	Low		Moderate
Introduction of non-native species	Low	High	Low	Minor decline	Moderate
Extraction of this species	Intermediate	High	Low	Decline	Moderate
Extraction of other species	Low	High	Low	No change	Moderate

Species used to indicate biotope intolerance

Physical factors

	Laminaria digitata Key structural	Lithophyllum incrustans Key structural	Palmaria palmata Important characterizing	Patella vulgata Important functional
Substratum Loss	High	High	High	High
Smothering	Intermediate	Low	Intermediate	High
Increase in suspended sediment	Intermediate	Low	Low	Low
Decrease in suspended sediment	Tolerant*	Tolerant*		Low
Desiccation	Intermediate	High	Intermediate	Low
Increase in emergence regime	Intermediate	High	Intermediate	Low
Decrease in emergence regime	Tolerant*	Tolerant
Increase in water flow rate	Low	Low	Intermediate	Low
Decrease in water flow rate	Intermediate	Low
Increase in temperature	Intermediate	Tolerant	Intermediate	Low
Decrease in temperature	Intermediate	Tolerant
Increase in turbidity	Intermediate	Low	Low	Low
Decrease in turbidity	Tolerant*	Tolerant*
Increase in wave exposure	Low	Tolerant	Intermediate	Low
Decrease in wave exposure		Low
Noise	Tolerant	Tolerant	Not relevant	Low
Visual Presence	Tolerant	Tolerant	Not relevant	Tolerant
Abrasion & physical disturbance	Intermediate	Intermediate	Intermediate	Low
Displacement	High	Low	High	Intermediate

Chemical factors

	Laminaria digitata Key structural	Lithophyllum incrustans Key structural	Palmaria palmata Important characterizing	Patella vulgata Important functional
Synthetic compound contamination	Intermediate	High	High	High
Heavy metal contamination	Intermediate	Insufficient information	Intermediate	Intermediate
Hydrocarbon contamination	Low	High	High	High
Radionuclide contamination	Insufficient information	Insufficient information	Insufficient information	Insufficient information
Changes in nutrient levels	Low	Low	Intermediate	Low
Increase in salinity	Not relevant	Insufficient information	Intermediate	Low
Decrease in salinity	Intermediate	Intermediate
Changes in oxygenation	Insufficient information	Insufficient information	Low	Intermediate

Biological factors

	Laminaria digitata Key structural	Lithophyllum incrustans Key structural	Palmaria palmata Important characterizing	Patella vulgata Important functional
Introduction of microbial pathogens/parasites	Low	Insufficient information	Insufficient information	Insufficient information
Introduction of non-native species	Low	Insufficient information	Not relevant	Not relevant
Extraction of this species	Intermediate	Not relevant	Intermediate	Intermediate
Extraction of other species	Intermediate	Intermediate	Intermediate	Low

Species used to indicate biotope recoverability

Physical factors

	Laminaria digitata Key structural	Lithophyllum incrustans Key structural	Palmaria palmata Important characterizing	Patella vulgata Important functional
Substratum Loss	High	Low	High	High
Smothering	High	Very high	High	High
Increase in suspended sediment	High	Very high	High	High
Decrease in suspended sediment	Not relevant	Not relevant		High
Desiccation	High	Low	High	High
Increase in emergence regime	High	Low	High	High
Decrease in emergence regime	Not relevant	Not relevant
Increase in water flow rate	High	Very high	High	High
Decrease in water flow rate	High	Very high
Increase in temperature	High	Not relevant	High	High
Decrease in temperature	High	Not relevant
Increase in turbidity	High	Very high	Very high	Very high
Decrease in turbidity	Not relevant	Not relevant
Increase in wave exposure	High	Not relevant	High	High
Decrease in wave exposure		Immediate
Noise	Not relevant	Not relevant	Not relevant	High
Visual Presence	Not relevant	Not relevant	Not relevant	Not relevant
Abrasion & physical disturbance	High	High	High	Very high
Displacement	High	Very high	High	High

Chemical factors

	Laminaria digitata Key structural	Lithophyllum incrustans Key structural	Palmaria palmata Important characterizing	Patella vulgata Important functional
Synthetic compound contamination	High	Low	High	High
Heavy metal contamination	High	Not relevant	High	High
Hydrocarbon contamination	High	High	High	High
Radionuclide contamination	Insufficient information	Not relevant	Insufficient information	Insufficient information
Changes in nutrient levels	High	High	High	High
Increase in salinity	None	Not relevant	High	High
Decrease in salinity	Very high	High
Changes in oxygenation	Insufficient information	Not relevant	Immediate	High

Biological factors

	Laminaria digitata Key structural	Lithophyllum incrustans Key structural	Palmaria palmata Important characterizing	Patella vulgata Important functional
Introduction of microbial pathogens/parasites	High	Not relevant	Not relevant	Insufficient information
Introduction of non-native species	Insufficient information	Not relevant	Not relevant	Not relevant
Extraction of this species	High	Not relevant	High	High
Extraction of other species	High	High	High	High

This review can be cited as follows:

Hill, J.M. 2000. Laminaria digitata on moderately exposed sublittoral fringe rock. 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/habitatsensitivity.php?habitatid=297&code=1997>

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Laminaria digitata on moderately exposed sublittoral fringe rock

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IR.MIR.KR.Ldig.Ldig