Identity:

Sheltered to extremely sheltered rocky shores with very weak to weak tidal streams are typically characterised by a dense cover of fucoid seaweeds which form distinct zones (the wrack Pelvetia canaliculata on the upper shore through to the wrack Fucus serratus on the lower shore). Where salinity is reduced (such as at the head of a sea loch or where streams run across the shore) Fucus ceranoides may occur. Fucoids also occur on less stable, mixed substrata (cobbles and pebbles on sediment) although in lower abundance and with fewer associated epifaunal species; beds of mussels Mytilus edulis are also common. In summer months, dense blankets of ephemeral green and red seaweeds can dominate these mixed shores. Two biological subtypes have been described: Dense blankets of fucoid seaweeds dominating sheltered, fully marine littoral rocky shores (A1.31) and fucoids dominating variable salinity rocky shores (A1.32).