AB.M1E Baltic
aphotic mixed substrate characterized by epibenthic bivalves
Author
HELCOM RED LIST Biotope Expert Team
Textual description
Baltic aphotic bottoms with 10- 90 % coverage of hard
(rock/boulders/stone) and 10-90 % soft substrata (e.g. muddy/coarse
sediment/sand). Sessile/semi-sessile epibenthic bivalves cover at least 10 % of the seabed and more than other perennial attached erect groups.
Physical environment
Substrate is soft or crystalline rock, boulders or stones mixed with
mobile substrates such as sand or coarse substrate. Depth is typically
from 20 to 100 meters.
Characteristic species
Mytilus spp.
Quality descriptors
Diversity, abundance and biomass of fauna.
Geographic range
Whole Baltic Sea
Anthropogenic threats
Eutrophication
Correspondence with other classification systems
HELCOM 1998:
2.8 Mixed sediment bottoms
2.8.1 Aphotic zone
EUNIS 2012:
A5 Sublittoral sediment
A5.4 : Sublittoral mixed sediments
A5.41 : Sublittoral mixed sediment in low or reduced salinity
A5.412 : Baltic mixed sediment bottoms of the aphotic zone
http://eunis.eea.europa.eu/habitats/2589