Concept: Brine channels in the eunishabitats vocabulary

Concept URI	http://eunis.eea.europa.eu/eunishabitats/A8.3
Preferred label	Brine channels
Definition	During freezing of seawater, salt is rejected from the ice crystals. The remaining brine solution forms a three-dimensional network of tubes and channels with typical diameters of 200 µm within the ice matrix. Despite the harsh environmental conditions (low light intensities, low temperature, high salinity), a specialised community has developed and adapted to live within the brine channel system. Minute unicellular algae like diatoms are the dominant primary producers.
Notation	A8.3
Status	Valid
Status Modified	2014-01-31
Accepted Date	2014-01-31
Not Accepted Date
Editorial note	Proposed new unit (Southampton workshop).
Has broader	A8 (Ice-associated marine habitats) in biodiversity/eunishabitats
Has narrower	A8.31 (Brine channels in first year ice) in biodiversity/eunishabitats A8.32 (Brine channels in multi-year ice) in biodiversity/eunishabitats
Has exact match	http://eunis.eea.europa.eu/habitats/2762