Matrix of circalittoral rock biotopes, ordered according to current speed on the vertical axis and wave exposure on the horizontal axis (from Connor et al., 1997).

  VERY EXPOSED EXPOSED MODERATELY EXPOSED SHELTERED VERY SHELTERED
VERY STRONG

(>6 kn.)

Habitat not found Balanus crenatus & Tubularia indivisa (BalTub) Balanus crenatus, Halichondria panicea & Alcyonidium diaphanum (BalHpan)
STRONG

(3-6 kn.)

  Tubularia, sponges & other hydroids (TubS)

Dense Alcyonium, Tubularia & Anemones (AlcTub)

Cushion sponges, hydroids & ascidians (CuSH)

Mixed reduced salinity - H. bowerbanki & Eudendrium (HbowEud)

 

 

 

 

MODER-ATELY STRONG

(1-3 kn.)

 

 

 

 

Corynactis & crisiid/ Bugula/ Cellaria turf (CorCri)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Coralline crusts, Parasmittina & Caryophyllia (CCParCar)

    

 

 

Deep - Phakellia & axinellid sponges (PhaAxi)

Mobile/mixed - Pomatoceros, Balanus crenatus & bryozoan crusts (PomByC)

Corynactis & crisiid/Bugula/Cellaria turf (CorCri)

 

 

 

Alcyonium, Cliona, Pachymatisma & Nemertesia (AlcMaS)

 

 

 

Alcyonium, Pomatoceros, algal & bryozoan crusts (AlcC)

Erect sponges & Eunicella/Swiftia (ErSEun, ErSPbolSH, ErSSwi)

Flustra & hydroid/bryozoan turf (Flu*)

Sponges, Nemertesia spp. & Alcyonidium diaphanum (SnemAdia)

Slight tides/mixed - Ophiothrix/Ophiocomina beds (Oph*)

Stolonica & Polyclinum (StoPaur)

Vertical - Alcyonium, Pomatoceros, algal & bryozoan crusts (AlcC)

Soft rock - Piddocks (Pid); Polydora (Pol)

Vertical rock - Bugula spp. (Bug); Antedon bifida & bryozoan/hydroid turf (Ant)

Sand influence - Sabellaria spinulosa (Sspi)

Sand abraded/covered - Urticina/Ciocalypta (Urt.Urt & Urt.Cio)

Mixed - Musculus beds (Mus); Modiolus beds (ModT); Mytilus beds (MytHAs)

Mixed - Modiolus beds with Chlamys varia, sponges, hydroids & bryozoans (ModCvar)
 

  

WEAK

(<1 kn.)

Coralline crusts, Parasmittina & Caryophyllia (CCParCar)

Alcyonium & Securiflustra (AlcSec)

Alcyonium, Pomatoceros, algal & bryozoan crusts (AlcC)

 

 

 

 

 

Mobile/mixed - Pomatoceros, Balanus crenatus & bryozoan crusts (PomByc)

Faunal & algal crusts, Echinus & sparse Alcyonium (FaAlC*)

Alcyonium & Securiflustra (AlcSec)

 

Slight tides/mixed - Ophiothrix/Ophiocomina beds (Oph*)

Vertical - Alcyonium, Pomatoceros, algal & bryozoan crusts (AlcC)

Vertical - Bugula spp. (Bug); Antedon bifida & bryozoan/hydroid turf (Ant)

Caves - Sponges, cup corals & Parerythropodium (Scup)

Soft rock - Piddocks (Pid); Polydora (Pol)

Silty - Molgula manhattensis & Polycarpa spp. (MolPol); with Sabellaria (MolPol.Sab) 

Antedon, solitary ascidians & fine hydroids (AntAsH)

 

 

 

Mixed - Modiolus with fine hydroids & solitary ascidians (ModHAs)

Suberites, other sponges & solitary ascidians (SubSoAs)

 

 

 

 

Mixed - Modiolus with fine hydroids & solitary ascidians (ModHAs)

 

 

VERY WEAK

(Negligible)

Solitary ascidians, inc. Ciona, Ascidia mentula (AmenCio)

 

 

 

Mixed - Ascidiella aspersa (Aasp)

Metridium & solitary ascidians (AmenCio.Met)

Neocrania & Protanthea (NeoPro)

Variable salinity - Brachiopods, calcareous tubeworms & sponges (NeoPro.CaTw)

Reduced salinity - Neocrania, Dendrodoa & Sarcodictyon (NeoPro.Den)

References