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Concept: [Semibalanus balanoides], [Fucus vesiculosus] and red seaweeds on exposed to moderately exposed eulittoral rock in the eunishabitats vocabulary

Concept URI http://eunis.eea.europa.eu/eunishabitats/A1.1132
Preferred label [Semibalanus balanoides], [Fucus vesiculosus] and red seaweeds on exposed to moderately exposed eulittoral rock
Definition Exposed and moderately exposed upper and mid eulittoral bedrock characterised by the barnacle [Semibalanus balanoides], the limpet [Patella vulgata] and the whelk [Nucella lapillus] with a sparse community of seaweeds. Turfs of the wrack [Fucus vesiculosus] can be present on the more horizontal parts of the shore though usually in low abundance (Occasional). Individuals of [F. vesiculosus] can lack the characteristic twin air bladders due to environmental stress (i.e. wave exposure). A sparse seaweed community consisting of foliose red seaweeds such as [Osmundea pinnatifida] and [Mastocarpus stellatus] are usually present along with the [Corallina officinalis] and the green seaweed [Enteromorpha intestinalis]. The algal community is usually restricted to fissures and cracks in the bedrock surface. Moist cracks and crevices also provide a refuge for small individuals of the mussel [Mytilus edulis] and the winkles [Littorina saxatilis] and [Littorina littorea]. These crevices can also be occupied by encrusting coralline algae and the anemone [Actinia equina]. Situation: On exposed and moderately exposed shores Sem.FvesR is found below the black lichen [Verrucaria maura] and sparse barnacles biotope (Ver.B) and/or below the [Chthamalus] spp. and [P. vulgata] biotopes (Cht). Sem.FvesR is found above the biotope dominated by the wrack [Himanthalia elongata] (Him) or the red seaweed biotopes (Coff). Temporal variation: On some shores, particularly those which are moderately exposed to wave action, temporal fluctuations in the abundance of limpets, barnacles and fucoid seaweeds may occur. As a result, over a number of years, a single shore may cycle between the barnacle-[P. vulgata] dominated biotope (Sem.FvesR) and a [F. vesiculosus]-dominated biotope (Fves). Individuals of [F. vesiculosus] growing in stressed environmental conditions (i.e. high wave exposure) do not always develop the characteristic twin air bladders.
Notation A1.1132
Status Valid
Status Modified 31.01.2014
Accepted Date 31.01.2014
Not Accepted Date
Has broader
Has exact match