Barren Atlantic littoral coarse sand

Freely-draining sandy beaches, particularly on the upper and mid shore, which lack a macrofaunal community due to their continual mobility. Trial excavations are unlikely to reveal any macrofauna in these typically steep beaches on exposed coasts. Oligochaetes, probably mainly enchytraeids, and the isopod Eurydice pulchra may be found in extremely low abundances, but if present in any quantity should be classed as units MA6-2273 or MA5-2332. Burrowing amphipods (Bathyporeia spp.) may be present on very rare occasions. Occasionally, other species may be left behind in low abundance by the ebbing tide.$$$Situation: This unit may occur on the mid and/or lower shore below MA3-211 in exposed conditions. In moderately exposed conditions, and where MA5-231 occurs on the upper shore, a range of relatively more species-rich clean sand communities may occur on the mid and lower shore. These include MA5-233, MA5-232 and MA5-241, depending on the degree of wave exposure and sediment mobility. Tal may occur on the same shore as MA5-231, where driftlines of algae and other debris accumulate on the upper shore.

Código Eunis 2021: MA5231