You are here:
Eionet
Data Dictionary
Vocabulary

Concept: Mixed [Laminaria hyperborea] and [Laminaria saccharina] on sheltered infralittoral rock in the eunishabitats vocabulary

Concept URI http://eunis.eea.europa.eu/eunishabitats/A3.312
Preferred label Mixed [Laminaria hyperborea] and [Laminaria saccharina] on sheltered infralittoral rock
Definition Mixed [Laminaria hyperborea] and [Laminaria saccharina] on bedrock and boulders in sheltered infralittoral habitats. Typically subject to weak tidal streams and rather silty conditions. Beneath the kelp is an associated under-storey flora of foliose red seaweeds including [Plocamium cartilagineum, Cryptopleura ramosa] and [Callophyllis laciniata] as well as the brown seaweeds [Dictyota dichotoma], [Cutleria multifida] and [Desmarestia aculeata]. The stipes of [L. hyperborea] may be densely covered with red seaweeds such as [Phycodrys rubens] and [Delesseria sanguinea] as well as the solitary ascidian [Clavelina lepadiformis] and the featherstar [Antedon bifida]. The fronds are often epiphytised by the hydroid [Obelia geniculata] and the bryozoan [Membranipora membranacea]. Beneath the kelp canopy, the faunal component is generally less diverse than the more exposed kelp forests, dominated by the echinoderms [Echinus esculentus] and [Asterias rubens], but the tops shells [Gibbula cineraria] and [Calliostoma zizyphinum] can be common as well. The crab [Necora puber] and the brittlestar [Ophiothrix fragilis] can be found in cracks and crevices, while the tube-building polychaete [Pomatoceros triqueter] and coralline crusts are present on the rock surface. Although there is a reduced number of species by comparison to the more exposed [L. hyperborea] forests (Lhyp.Ft), there are considerably more algae species than occur in the more sheltered [L. saccharina] forests (Lsac.Ft). This biotope is predominately found in the shelter of fjordic sealochs in Scotland. Where it does occur in south-west Britain the mixed kelp forest may also include the southern kelp [Laminaria ochroleuca]. Three variants has been described: The kelp forest in the upper infralittoral (LhypLsac.Ft), grading to a kelp park with increasing depth (LhypLsac.Pk) as well as a grazed variant (LhypLsac.Gz).
Notation A3.312
Status Valid
Status Modified 2014-01-31
Accepted Date 2014-01-31
Not Accepted Date
Has broader
Has narrower
Has exact match