Abstract
The southern Irish Sea is a shallow sea (with maximum depths of 160 m) that lies
between Wales and the Republic of Ireland in the NE Atlantic region, covering an area of ~33,000 km2. The area includes many broadscale geomorphic features including plains, banks, ridges, reefs, valleys, shoals, bioherms, and sediment wave fields. Biological diversity has been recorded across many of these features during studies such as the BIOMÔR [A.S.Y. Mackie, P.G. Oliver, E.I.S. Rees, BIOMÔR Rep. 1 (1995) 263], SWISS [A.S.Y. Mackie, E.I.S. Rees, J.G. Wilson, Marine Biodiversity in Ireland and Adjacent Waters, Ulster Museum, Belfast, 2002], and HABMAP [K.A. Robinson, T. Darbyshire, K. Van Landeghem, C. Lindenbaum, F. McBreen, S. Creavan, et al., BIOMÔR Rep. 5 (2009) 148] projects. Of particular interest is the occurrence of a horse-mussel (Modiolus modiolus) bioherm that forms part of a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) off the Welsh coast. The bioherm is inhabited by rich macroinfaunal and epifaunal assemblages and has a characteristic acoustic signature due to its wave-like structure. The species diversity and affinities of the fauna associated with eight geomorphic features and five broad sediment categories are investigated using multivariate techniques. Gravelly sediments in the plains, valleys, banks, and Modiolus bioherm support the highest species richness. Conversely, sandbanks and shoals have low-diversity assemblages of animals adapted to mobile sands.
between Wales and the Republic of Ireland in the NE Atlantic region, covering an area of ~33,000 km2. The area includes many broadscale geomorphic features including plains, banks, ridges, reefs, valleys, shoals, bioherms, and sediment wave fields. Biological diversity has been recorded across many of these features during studies such as the BIOMÔR [A.S.Y. Mackie, P.G. Oliver, E.I.S. Rees, BIOMÔR Rep. 1 (1995) 263], SWISS [A.S.Y. Mackie, E.I.S. Rees, J.G. Wilson, Marine Biodiversity in Ireland and Adjacent Waters, Ulster Museum, Belfast, 2002], and HABMAP [K.A. Robinson, T. Darbyshire, K. Van Landeghem, C. Lindenbaum, F. McBreen, S. Creavan, et al., BIOMÔR Rep. 5 (2009) 148] projects. Of particular interest is the occurrence of a horse-mussel (Modiolus modiolus) bioherm that forms part of a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) off the Welsh coast. The bioherm is inhabited by rich macroinfaunal and epifaunal assemblages and has a characteristic acoustic signature due to its wave-like structure. The species diversity and affinities of the fauna associated with eight geomorphic features and five broad sediment categories are investigated using multivariate techniques. Gravelly sediments in the plains, valleys, banks, and Modiolus bioherm support the highest species richness. Conversely, sandbanks and shoals have low-diversity assemblages of animals adapted to mobile sands.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Seafloor Geomorphology as Benthic Habitat |
| Subtitle of host publication | GeoHAB Atlas of Seafloor Geomorphic Features and Benthic Habitats |
| Editors | Peter T Harris, Elaine K Baker |
| Publisher | Elsevier |
| Pages | 523-537 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780123851406 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2012 |
