MC5-2 - Sable du circalittoral en Atlantique

Atlantic circalittoral sand

Classification des habitats EUNIS 2022

Descriptif de l'habitat

Sand and muddy sand in the Atlantic circalittoral. Includes clean fine sands with less than 5% silt/clay in deeper water is characterised by a wide range of echinoderms (in some areas including the pea urchin Echinocyamus pusillus), polychaetes and bivalves. This habitat is generally more stable than shallower, infralittoral sands and consequently supports a more diverse community.
Also circalittoral non-cohesive muddy sands with the silt content of the substratum typically ranging from 5% to 20% supports animal-dominated communities characterised by a wide variety of polychaetes, bivalves such as Abra alba and Nucula nitidosa, and echinoderms such as Amphiura spp and Ophiura spp., and Astropecten irregularis. These circalittoral habitats tend to be more stable than their infralittoral counterparts and as such support a richer infaunal community.

Bibliographie

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