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Biodiversity & Conservation
| Basic Information | Biotope classification | Ecology | Habitat preferences and distribution | Species composition | Sensitivity | Importance |
Lithothamnion glaciale maerl beds in tide-swept variable salinity infralittoral gravel
SS.IGS.Mrl.Lgla
Image Christine Howson - Lithothamnion glaciale nodules amongst pebbles with the sunstar Crossaster papposus, Isle of Lewis. Image width ca 20 cm.
Image copyright information
SS.IGS.Mrl.Lgla 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 | Very low / none | Very High | Major decline | High |
| Smothering | High | Very low / none | Very High | Major decline | High |
| Increase in suspended sediment | Intermediate | Low | High | Decline | High |
| Decrease in suspended sediment | |||||
| Desiccation | High | Very low / none | Very High | Major decline | High |
| Increase in emergence regime | High | Very low / none | Very High | Major decline | High |
| Decrease in emergence regime | |||||
| Increase in water flow rate | Intermediate | Low | High | Decline | Moderate |
| Decrease in water flow rate | |||||
| Increase in temperature | Intermediate | Low | High | Minor decline | Low |
| Decrease in temperature | |||||
| Increase in turbidity | Low | Very high | Very low | Decline | Moderate |
| Decrease in turbidity | |||||
| Increase in wave exposure | Intermediate | Very low / none | High | Decline | Moderate |
| Decrease in wave exposure | |||||
| Noise | Tolerant | Not relevant | Not sensitive | No change | High |
| Visual Presence | Tolerant | Not relevant | Not sensitive | No change | High |
| Abrasion & physical disturbance | High | Very low / none | Very High | Major decline | High |
| Displacement | Tolerant | Not relevant | Not sensitive | No change | Low |
Chemical Factors
| Click factor name to view rationale | Intolerance | Recoverability | Sensitivity | Species Richness | Evidence / Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synthetic compound contamination | High | High | Moderate | Decline | Very low |
| Heavy metal contamination | Insufficient information | Not relevant | Insufficient information | Not relevant | Not relevant |
| Hydrocarbon contamination | Intermediate | High | Low | Decline | Very low |
| Radionuclide contamination | Insufficient information | Insufficient information | Insufficient information | Insufficient Information | Not relevant |
| Changes in nutrient levels | Intermediate | Low | High | Decline | Low |
| Increase in salinity | Low | High | Low | Minor decline | Low |
| Decrease in salinity | |||||
| Changes in oxygenation | Intermediate | Moderate | Moderate | Major decline | Very low |
Biological Factors
| Click factor name to view rationale | Intolerance | Recoverability | Sensitivity | Species Richness | Evidence / Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction of microbial pathogens/parasites | Intermediate | Very low / none | High | Low | |
| Introduction of non-native species | Intermediate | Very low / none | High | Decline | Moderate |
| Extraction of this species | High | Very low / none | Very High | Major decline | Moderate |
| Extraction of other species | High | Very low / none | Very High | Major decline | High |
Species used to indicate biotope intolerance
Physical factors
| Lithothamnion glaciale Key structural | Ophiothrix fragilis Important functional | Psammechinus miliaris Important functional | |
| Substratum Loss | High | High | High |
| Smothering | High | High | High |
| Increase in suspended sediment | Intermediate | Low | Low |
| Decrease in suspended sediment | |||
| Desiccation | High | Intermediate | High |
| Increase in emergence regime | High | Not relevant | Low |
| Decrease in emergence regime | |||
| Increase in water flow rate | Intermediate | Low | Low |
| Decrease in water flow rate | |||
| Increase in temperature | Intermediate | Intermediate | Low |
| Decrease in temperature | |||
| Increase in turbidity | Intermediate | Low | Low |
| Decrease in turbidity | |||
| Increase in wave exposure | Intermediate | Low | Intermediate |
| Decrease in wave exposure | |||
| Noise | Tolerant | Low | Tolerant |
| Visual Presence | Tolerant | Tolerant | Low |
| Abrasion & physical disturbance | High | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| Displacement | Intermediate | Tolerant | Tolerant |
Chemical factors
| Lithothamnion glaciale Key structural | Ophiothrix fragilis Important functional | Psammechinus miliaris Important functional |
|
| Synthetic compound contamination | Insufficient information | Insufficient information | High |
| Heavy metal contamination | Insufficient information | Insufficient information | Intermediate |
| Hydrocarbon contamination | Insufficient information | High | High |
| Radionuclide contamination | Insufficient information | Insufficient information | Insufficient information |
| Changes in nutrient levels | Intermediate | Intermediate | Low |
| Increase in salinity | Low | Low | Intermediate |
| Decrease in salinity | |||
| Changes in oxygenation | Low | High | Intermediate |
Biological factors
| Lithothamnion glaciale Key structural | Ophiothrix fragilis Important functional | Psammechinus miliaris Important functional |
|
| Introduction of microbial pathogens/parasites | Intermediate | Low | Intermediate |
| Introduction of non-native species | Intermediate | Tolerant | Tolerant |
| Extraction of this species | Intermediate | Not relevant | Intermediate |
| Extraction of other species | Intermediate | Tolerant | Intermediate |
Species used to indicate biotope recoverability
Physical factors
| Lithothamnion glaciale Key structural | Ophiothrix fragilis Important functional | Psammechinus miliaris Important functional | |
| Substratum Loss | High | High | |
| Smothering | High | High | |
| Increase in suspended sediment | Low | Very high | Very high |
| Decrease in suspended sediment | |||
| Desiccation | High | High | |
| Increase in emergence regime | Not relevant | Low | |
| Decrease in emergence regime | |||
| Increase in water flow rate | Low | Very high | Very high |
| Decrease in water flow rate | |||
| Increase in temperature | Low | High | Low |
| Decrease in temperature | |||
| Increase in turbidity | Low | Very high | Very high |
| Decrease in turbidity | |||
| Increase in wave exposure | Low | Very high | High |
| Decrease in wave exposure | |||
| Noise | Not relevant | Very high | Not relevant |
| Visual Presence | Not relevant | Not relevant | Very high |
| Abrasion & physical disturbance | High | High | |
| Displacement | Not relevant | Not relevant |
Chemical factors
| Lithothamnion glaciale Key structural | Ophiothrix fragilis Important functional | Psammechinus miliaris Important functional |
|
| Synthetic compound contamination | Insufficient information | Not relevant | High |
| Heavy metal contamination | Insufficient information | Not relevant | High |
| Hydrocarbon contamination | Insufficient information | High | High |
| Radionuclide contamination | Insufficient information | Not relevant | Insufficient information |
| Changes in nutrient levels | Low | High | Very high |
| Increase in salinity | Very high | High | High |
| Decrease in salinity | |||
| Changes in oxygenation | Very high | High | High |
Biological factors
| Lithothamnion glaciale Key structural | Ophiothrix fragilis Important functional | Psammechinus miliaris Important functional |
|
| Introduction of microbial pathogens/parasites | Low | High | High |
| Introduction of non-native species | Low | Not relevant | Not relevant |
| Extraction of this species | Low | Not relevant | High |
| Extraction of other species | Low | Not relevant | High |
This review can be cited as follows:
Jackson, A. 2006. Lithothamnion glaciale maerl beds in tide-swept variable salinity infralittoral gravel. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 23/05/2013]. Available from: <http://www.marlin.ac.uk/habitatsensitivity.php?habitatid=7&code=1997>
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