PEAT AND CLAY EXPOSURES This oddly named habitat refers to areas of seabed created from Yarmouth to ancient lake-bed sediments (clay) or submerged forests (peat). Taking Take a step back in time in this recommended Marine Conservation Zone (rMCZ) millions of years to form, these which features ancient marine habitats and an important fossil site areas are fragile and irreplaceable. This habitat often supports piddocks, a shellfish species that BOULDNOR CLIFF Fossilised uses its shell like a drill to bore This important geological feature turtle shell burrows into the peat and clay. Piddocks are sometimes extends beneath the sea. It’s rich in Empty burrows provide excellent known as anglewings - you fossils, some up to 30 million years old. homes for other marine species. can see why

UNDER-BOULDER COMMUNITIES Fossilised When the tide’s out, the spaces between and jaw of an underneath large rocks (boulders) provide an animal important habitat for many plants and animals. related to a horse How big is a boulder? This habitat keeps species Lymington In 1999, divers also discovered a submerged stone age village here. safe from predators, the Excavations of this village have uncovered items that shed light on our past. ! heat of the sun and Over 25cm Cowes ! drying winds. !!

! Wheat DNA that The The ! ! !! !!! suggests trade oldest oldest Here are some of the animals you might discover, but between Britain piece of boat remember to replace the rocks as you found them and Europe started string in building

2,000 years earlier the UK site in ! porcelain than previously the UK crab thought !

!! !!!! squat lobster CHALK REEFS star sea Yarmouth squirt Created over 65 million years ago from the skeletons of microscopic Wales breadcrumb plants, chalk habitats are soft and Map is for illustrative purposes only sponge easily eroded. Along the shore, brittlestar they support unique seaweed rMCZ site boundary options being considered communities, while beneath the water, they make a perfect home for Chalk Bouldnor archaeological site burrowing marine animals. YARMOUTH TO COWES Peat and clay Under-boulder Marine chalk habitats are rare, making up less than 0.6 % of the British coastline

Sources • Discovering Fossils website: www.discoveringfossils.co.uk • Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) website: www.jncc.defra.gov.uk • Maritime Archaeology Trust Not all the species/habitats website: www.maritimearchaeologytrust.org/bouldnor • The Marine Life Information Network (MarLIN) website: www.marlin.ac.uk • Wildlife Trusts website: www.wildlifetrusts.org featured on this poster Photos • Porcelain crab, squat lobster © Kate de la Haye • Turtle shell and jawbone fossils © www.discoveringfossils.co.uk • Open piddock shell © David Evans • Star sea squirt, are being considered for breadcrumb sponge © Keith Hiscock • Bouldnor Cliff archaeological site © Maritime Archaeology Trust • Seaweeds on chalk reefs © Paul Naylor • Brittlestar © Malcolm Storey, www.gov.uk/natural-england designation within this site www.bioimages.org.uk/ • Isle of Wight chalk cliffs © Peter Wakely • Piddock shell in peat © Jessica Winder