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Concept: [Verrucaria maura] and sparse barnacles on exposed littoral fringe rock in the eunishabitats vocabulary

Concept URI http://eunis.eea.europa.eu/eunishabitats/B3.1131
Preferred label [Verrucaria maura] and sparse barnacles on exposed littoral fringe rock
Definition The littoral fringe of very exposed to moderately exposed rocky shores with a sparse covering of the barnacles [Semibalanus balanoides] and/or [Chthamalus montagui] over the black lichen [Verrucaria maura]. Winkles [Littorina saxatilis] and [Melarhaphe neritoides] are usually present although [M. neritoides] tends to be found on more exposed shores. The limpet [Patella vulgata] is often present though at a low abundance (Occasional). This biotope can be dominated by ephemeral seaweeds including the red seaweed [Porphyra umbilicalis], the green seaweeds [Enteromorpha] spp. or, particulary in the north, microscopic blue-green algae (Cyanophyceae), which overgrow [V. maura]. The wrack [Pelvetia canaliculata] (Rare) may also be present, becoming increasingly more common with greater shelter (see PelB). Geographical variation: On northern and eastern shores the barnacle is usually [S. balanoides], which is normally restricted to the lower littoral fringe, with a band of [V. maura] only in the upper littoral fringe. On south-west and western shores the barnacle is usually [C. montagui] which may extend over the whole of the littoral fringe zone. Situation: Ver.B is usually found on more exposed coasts below the [V. maura] biotope Ver.Ver. It is found above the mussel [Mytilus edulis] and barnacles biotope (MytB) or above the barnacle and [Patella] spp. zone (Cht.Cht; Sem). Ver.B also occurs on vertical faces of moderately exposed shores where the [P]. [canaliculata] biotope (PelB) usually dominates on non-vertical faces. Temporal variation: The abundance of [P. umbilicalis] shows considerable seasonal and geographical variation. During warm weather [P. umbilicalis] is often bleached light brown and sticks to the rock as it dries out. On southern shores it may be absent during the summer on all but the most exposed shores, as it dies back leaving a barnacle and lichen dominated community. In the cooler north the [P]. [umbilicalis] covering persists throughout the year. [Porphyra linearis] can also be found in the among the [P. umbilicalis] during the late winter and spring.
Notation B3.1131
Status Valid
Status Modified 2014-01-31
Accepted Date 2014-01-31
Not Accepted Date
Has broader
Has exact match