|Basic Information||Biotope classification||Ecology||Habitat preferences and distribution||Species composition||Sensitivity||Importance|
Image Sue Scott - Ascophyllum nodosum with epiphytes (SIR.AscSAs). Image width ca 30 cm.
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IR.SIR.Lag.AscSAs recorded () and expected () distribution in Britain and Ireland (see below)
To assess the sensitivity of the biotope, the sensitivity of component species is reviewed. Those species that are considered to be particularly indicative of the sensitivity of the biotope, and for which research has been undertaken in detail are shown below (see selection criteria). The biology of other component species of the biotope is also taken into account wherever information is known to the researcher.
|Community Importance||Species name||Common Name|
|Key structural||Ascophyllum nodosum||Egg wrack|
|Important characterizing||Halichondria panicea||Breadcrumb sponge|
|Important characterizing||Ciona intestinalis||A sea squirt|
|Important structural||Fucus serratus||Toothed wrack|
The biotope consists of dense stands of Ascophyllum nodosum and other algae such as Fucus serratus are also common. The Ascophyllum nodosum is host to many different epiphytic sponges and ascidians represented here by Halichondria panicea and Ciona intestinalis.
This review can be cited as follows:
Hill, J.M. 2001. Ascophyllum nodosum with epiphytic sponges and ascidians on variable salinity infralittoral rock. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme [on-line]. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [cited 19/05/2013]. Available from: <http://www.marlin.ac.uk/habitatreproduction.php?habitatid=328&code=1997>