MA2-561 - Faciès des banquettes de feuilles mortes de Posidonia oceanica

Facies of banks of dead leaves of Posidonia oceanica

Classification des habitats EUNIS 2022

Descriptif de l'habitat

This facies is characterized by the accumulation of plant debris made up mostly of dead Posidonia oceanica leaves and/or other marine phanerogams species (e. g. Cymodocea nodosa, Zostera noltei, etc.). This is a belt that is a few centimeters to several meters wide and up to 1 to 2 meters high at the edge of the littoral. These accumulations form on sand, gravels or pebbles and are called ‘banks’. The accumulation of banks varies according to the season and the site’s hydrodynamic situation. In the winter, part of these banks is reclaimed during storms at the edge of the shore and the leaf debris is once again fragmented, retted and then gradually carried out at depth down to the bathyal level. The fauna existing in these banks is temporary and made up of some detritus-scavenging species.

Bibliographie

European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity 2022. EUNIS marine habitat classification 2022 including crosswalks. Table Excel. (Source)