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Concept: [Zostera marina]/[angustifolia] beds on lower shore or infralittoral clean or muddy sand in the eunishabitats vocabulary

Concept URI http://eunis.eea.europa.eu/eunishabitats/A5.5331
Preferred label [Zostera marina]/[angustifolia] beds on lower shore or infralittoral clean or muddy sand
Definition Expanses of clean or muddy fine sand and sandy mud in shallow water and on the lower shore (typically to about 5 m depth) can have dense stands of [Zostera marina/angustifolia] [Note: the taxonomic status of [Z. angustifolia] is currently under consideration]. In Zmar the community composition may be dominated by these [Zostera] species and therefore characterised by the associated biota. Other biota present can be closely related to that of areas of sediment not containing [Zostera marina], for example, [Laminaria saccharina], [Chorda filum] and infaunal species such as [Ensis] spp. and [Echinocardium cordatum] (e.g. Bamber 1993). From the available data it would appear that a number of sub-biotopes may be found within this biotope dependant on the nature of the substratum and it should be noted that sparse beds of [Zostera marina] may be more readily characterised by their infaunal community. For example, coarse marine sands with seagrass have associated communities similar to MoeVen, SLan or Glap whilst muddy sands may have infaunal populations related to EcorEns, AreISa and FfabMag. Muddy examples of this biotope may show similarities to SundAasp, PhiVir, Are or AfilMysAnit. At present the data does not permit a detailed description of these sub-biotopes but it is likely that with further study the relationships between these assemblages will be clarified. Furthermore, whilst the [Zostera] biotope may be considered an epibiotic overlay of established sedimentary communities it is likely that the presence of [Zostera] will modify the underlying community to some extent. For example, beds of this biotope in the south-west of Britain may contain conspicuous and distinctive assemblages of Lusitanian fauna such as [Laomedea angulata], [Hippocampus] spp. and Stauromedusae. In addition, it is known that seagrass beds play an important role in the trophic status of marine and estuarine waters, acting as an important conduit or sink for nutrients and consequently some examples of [Zostera marina] beds have markedly anoxic sediments associated with them.
Notation A5.5331
Status Valid
Status Modified 2014-01-31
Accepted Date 2014-01-31
Not Accepted Date
Has broader
Has exact match