Marine Nature Conservation Review Marine biotope classification for Britain and Ireland Volume 1. Littoral biotopes Version 97.06 David W. Connor (co-ordinator), D. Paul Brazier, Timothy O. Hill & Kate O. Northen 1997 JNCC Report No. 229 Joint Nature Conservation Committee Monkstone House City Road Peterborough PE1 1JY UK Recommended citation: Connor, D.W., Brazier, D.P., Hill, T.O., & Northen, K.O. 1997. Marine Nature Conservation Review: marine biotope classification for Britain and Ireland. Volume 1. Littoral biotopes. Version 97.06. JNCC Report, No. 229. ISBN 0963 8091 Text © Copyright Joint Nature Conservation Committee 1997 Photographs © Copyright Joint Nature Conservation Committee 1997 unless otherwise stated Editor: David Connor, JNCC Technical assistance: Ruth Beaver, JNCC Photographic images, database export: Bernard Picton, Ulster Museum, Belfast Artwork: Ian Reach, JNCC Printing: Ricky Mexson, JNCC Colour reproduction: CLE Enterprises Ltd, St Ives, Cambs. This report contributes to BioMar, a project part-funded by the European Commission under the Life programme BioMar partners: National Parks & Wildlife Service, Ireland Trinity College Dublin, Ireland Joint Nature Conservation Committee, UK University of Newcastle, UK AID Environment, Netherlands Companion volume: Connor, D.W., Dalkin, M.J., Hill, T.O., Holt, R.H.F., & Sanderson, W.G. 1997. Marine Nature Conservation Review: marine biotope classification for Britain and Ireland. Volume 2. Sublittoral biotopes. Version 97.06. JNCC Report, No. 230. The classification is also available in electronic form as: Connor, D.W., Brazier, D.P., Dalkin, M.J., Hill, T.O., Holt, R.H.F., Northen, K.O., & Sanderson, W.G. 1997. Marine Nature Conservation Review: marine biotope classification for Britain and Ireland. Version 97.06. In: BioMar biotope viewer: a guide to marine habitats, fauna and flora of Britain and Ireland ed. by B.E. Picton & M.J. Costello. Dublin, Environmental Sciences Unit, Trinity College. 2 Contents Contents Executive summary ....................................................................................................... 5 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................... 7 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 9 1.1 Background ............................................................................................................................. 9 1.2 The terms biotope, habitat and community ............................................................................. 9 1.3 Applications of the classification ............................................................................................ 9 1.4 Considerations underlying the classification's development ................................................. 10 1.5 Scope of the classification ..................................................................................................... 11 1.6 Classification strategy ........................................................................................................... 12 1.7 Development of the classification ......................................................................................... 12 1.8 The European perspective ..................................................................................................... 15 2 Structure of the classification ................................................................................ 17 2.1 Habitat influence on marine communities ............................................................................ 17 2.2 Biological characteristics of marine habitats ........................................................................ 17 2.3 A framework for the classification - the primary habitat matrix ........................................... 21 2.4 The hierarchical approach ..................................................................................................... 25 2.5 Distinguishing and defining biotopes.................................................................................... 27 3 How to use the classification .................................................................................. 29 3.1 Finding your way around ...................................................................................................... 29 3.2 Understanding the codes ....................................................................................................... 29 3.3 Matching data to the classification ........................................................................................ 32 3.4 Guidance on recording types not currently defined .............................................................. 33 3.5 Mapping ................................................................................................................................ 34 4 Biotope classification list ........................................................................................ 35 4.1 Layout of the hierarchical list ............................................................................................... 35 4.2 The MNCR BioMar biotope classification - main types ....................................................... 35 4.3 The MNCR BioMar biotope classification - full list of types ............................................... 38 5 Habitat matrices ...................................................................................................... 57 6 Biotope descriptions ................................................................................................ 67 6.1 Layout of the descriptions ..................................................................................................... 67 6.2 Main types (littoral) .............................................................................................................. 73 6.3 Littoral (intertidal) rock biotopes ........................................................................................ 109 6.4 Littoral (intertidal) sediment biotopes ................................................................................. 217 6.5 Sublittoral (extreme lower shore) rock biotopes ................................................................. 253 6.6 Sublittoral (extreme lower shore) sediment biotopes .......................................................... 275 7 The classification of physiographic types ........................................................... 283 7.1 The physiographic classification ......................................................................................... 283 7.2 Inter-links between the physiographic and biotope classifications ..................................... 284 8 Correlation with other major classifications ...................................................... 285 8.1 Physiographic type correlations .......................................................................................... 285 8.2 Correlation with SSSI selection units ................................................................................. 286 8.3 Habitat type correlations ..................................................................................................... 286 9 References .............................................................................................................. 289 Appendix 1 MNCR SACFOR abundance scales .................................................. 297 3 Contents Appendix 2 Terms used for field recording and habitat definition .................... 299 Appendix 3 EUNIS-compatible alpha-numeric codes .......................................... 303 Appendix 4 Comparative tables of habitat and species data ............................... 307 Index to codes ............................................................................................................ 361 Tables, figures and plates Figure 2.1 Profile of a rocky shore and seabed showing the biological zones ......................... 18 Table 2.1 Environmental factors which influence community structure ................................. 18 Table 2.2 Marine biological zones and the factors determining them ..................................... 20 Figure 2.2 The inter-relationship of primary and secondary habitat matrices .......................... 22 Table 2.3 Framework for the MNCR BioMar biotope classification - the primary matrix ....................................................................................................................... 24 Table 2.4 Outline structure of the classification hierarchy and number of types defined ..................................................................................................................... 26 Table 3.1 Lexicon of codes ...................................................................................................... 30 Table 3.2 Red/green/blue colour balance for each of the Pantone colours .............................. 34 Plate 1 Colour chart for mapping habitat complex types .................................................... 35 Plate 2 Example of a biotope distribution map using standard habitat complex colours and overlay shading to add further definition ............................................. 35 Table 5.1 Framework for the MNCR BioMar biotope classification ...................................... 58 Table 5.2 Main types (biotope complexes) in the MNCR BioMar biotope classification ...........................................................................................................