Black sea mediolittoral sands

Coarse, medium and fine sands in the Mediolittoral zone, typically exposed, moderately exposed or sheltered from wave action.The dominant environmental conditions which define the sediment characteristic and species composition are high levels of physical disturbance from wave action, wide temperature variability, and periods of desiccation. In the microtidal Black Sea (tidal range of about 0.3 m) this habitat is limited to narrow beach strip covered by the swash. Community composition depends on grain size and origin of sand (siliceous/calcareous, biogenic/abiogenic) with three associated biotopes distinguished. Diversity is usually low due to high physical disturbance from wave action but abundances may be high.

Código Eunis 2021: MA541