You are here:
Eionet
Data Dictionary
Vocabulary

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 2014-01-31
Accepted Date 2014-01-31
Not Accepted Date
Has broader
Has exact match