14 - Intertidal and littoral flats

Classification des habitats du Paléarctique (2001)

Description

Extensive, flat or nearly flat, surfaces of sands, muds or rocks of the coasts of the oceans, their connected seas and associated lagoons, submerged for part of every tide or for part of the annual cycle, devoid of terrestrial vascular plants. They are of particular importance as feeding grounds for wildfowl and waders. The diverse intertidal communities of invertebrates and algae that occupy them can be precised by use of the subdivisions of units 11.27 to 11.2A, phanerogamic marine vegetation communities that may be exposed for a few hours in the course of every tide by use of those of unit 11.3, brackish water vegetation of permanent pools by use of those of unit 11.4.

Bibliography

Devillers P., Devillers-Terschuren J. & Vander Linden C., 2001. PHYSIS Palaearctic Habitat Classification Database. Updated to 10 December 2001. Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles, Bruxelles. (Source)

Fuller, 1982; Soper, 1989; Morrison, 1989; Hollis and Jones, 1991; Summerfield, 1991: 331; Britton and Crivelli, 1993.