AndreaBozzo/ceres-open-data-index huggingface dataset:
Species point records from 1984 Smith Loch Sween mollusc and polychaete littoral survey

Loch Sween is one of 7 sites currently proposed by the Nature Conservancy Council as Marine Nature Reserves. It has been selected on the basis of its high scientific interest and conservation value. The present study forms part of a series of studies by or for NCC to provide more detail on the scientific interest and to provide information essential for designation and subsequent management. In addition to this study, a number of other studies were carried out in 1984, including work on the littoral habitats, communities and species described in Rostron & Hiscock (1985). Loch Sween is a sea loch some 20 km in length on the east side of the Sound of Jura. Although facing south-westwards its mouth is partly sheltered by a number of islands. The main body of the loch is linear and relatively uniform but there are several main off-shoots or 'arms' to the loch which add considerably to the habitat diversity. The objectives of this survey included surveying a number of sites not previously visited, to describe their mollusc and polychaete communities in particular as well as revisiting old sites to look at annual variation in community structure. Seasonal and longer term variations were investigated using the mollusc samples obtained from the washing of Fucus serratus. Considerable changes in community composition between years were found, often contradictory in trend. The implications of major meteorological variations between years is disclosed although no firm conclusions can be drawn. Although not mentioned in this report, the effects of FW ponding, which occurs extensively during periods of prolonged and heavy rainfall, may also contribute to the annual variation. In addition to these variations, major changes were noted between years for local community dominants such as Ascidiella aspersa and Ophiocomina nigra. A moderate range of communities was recorded, the habitat diversity being less than that found at sites outwith sea lochs investigated elsewhere on the west coast of Scotland. This would be expected and results from the reduced habitat diversity and water exchange and the increase in variability in water 'quality' found in sea lochs. Areas of increased habitat, community and species diversity were associated with shores at the entrance to several of the arms of Loch Sween where water movement was locally enhanced. Records currently considered sensitive have been removed from this dataset.

Organization: Joint Nature Conservation Committee
Species point records from 1978-79 SWBSS Lundy sublittoral survey

This report describes the results of surveys carried out around Lundy in 1978 and 1979. 50 sites were surveyed off the 13 km of coastline. Data collected in some surveys previous to 1978 have also been used in compiling this report. Lists of species present and the main habitats observed are presented. The distribution of species on rock in relation to depth is described and the main features noted. The distribution of habitats and species around Lundy is brought about by mainly by the influence of wave action and tidal streams which vary widely around the island. 29 species present around Lundy are listed as rare or unusual in the context of the sublittoral ecosystems in the British Isles. Many of these species were present in large numbers at some locations around Lundy. Within the context of the SWBSS, Lundy is considered to be the richest and most scientifically interesting area studied. It is suggested that further work on sublittoral ecosystems at Lundy should be mainly concerned with data consolidation for the wide range of studies carried out in recent years. However, a programme of work aimed at establishing sites surveillance of change and initiating a programme of recording is suggested as the next stage of work. Records currently considered sensitive have been removed from this dataset.

Organization: Joint Nature Conservation Committee
Species point records from 1986 University of Dundee Scapa Flow sublittoral sediment survey

Survey work on sublittoral sediment infauna of Scapa Flow was carried out in April 1986, at 17 sites, using grab samples (a Hunter Grab was used). The sampling strategy used was based upon the stations used in an earlier D.A.F.S. (1975) survey of the area not produced. Both the sediment characteristics and the fauna are described for each station sampled. The stations investigated can be grouped into several units (see report) based upon these sedimentary and faunistic characteristics. A significant observation was the discovery of uniquely abundant populations of the caudofoveate mollusc, Chaetoderma nitidulum. Several new species records for Orkney were obtained and the total species list for the region is also given.

Organization: Joint Nature Conservation Committee
Species point records from 1984 Smith west Sutherland survey

This survey took place during the latter half of July 1984, covering the shore and inshore waters of west Sutherland between Droman Pier and Badcall Bay. 11 shore and 58 sublittoral sites were investigated. Aims: 1. Carry out survey of sublittoral habitats; 2. Revisit shore stations surveyed in 1979 (Smith, 1981); 3. Investigate Obs and lagoons. Sublittoral was lacking in diversity of species. Much of rock surface grazed down to encrusting calcareous algae by Echinus esculentus, there being a notable lack of red algae. The dominant phylum was Echinodermata, with their large size and weight of numbers. In contrast to the rocky area, the muddy bottoms were of considerable interest and several species not often recorded by divers were found, e.g. Edwardsia claperdi, Trichobranchus glacialis, Chaetoderma nitidulum and Philbertia purpuea. Sites worthy of further investigation are the muddy parts of Loch Inchard and Loch Laxford, especially Loch A'Chadh-fi, and all the waters around Handa. In all, nearly 500 species of plants and animals were identified. The 4 lagoon stations were examined most carefully and Lochan nam Meallan and Struth Mor were found to be less rich than they were in 1979. Struth Mor and Lochan na Fionnadalach Bige were a slight disappointment and judgement is reserved on them. Loch Ceann na Saile was of limited interest. Loch an Roin would repay further study and this station is assessed as Grade 1 - 2. Rubha Shios was a very prolific area and is assessed as Grade 3 - 4. Records currently considered sensitive have been removed from this dataset.

Organization: Joint Nature Conservation Committee
Species point records from 1990 MNCR Mull of Galloway/Auchencairn sublittoral survey

The Solway Firth straddles the western border between Scotland and England, the southern shores lying in Cumbria, the northern shores in Dumfries and Galloway. The Solway is an area of transition from the characteristically sedimentary coastline and seabed of Cumbria and the north-eastern Irish Sea in the south to the more rocky fiordic coastline of western Scotland. The seabed consists largely of sediments, mostly mobile, with areas of shallow bedrock and boulders adjacent to the coast. The inshore sublittoral zone of the area is generally unspoilt, with few damaging activities. The backing coastland is also mostly unspoilt and semi-natural, predominantly used as pasture grassland for dairy farming. Twenty-six sublittoral sites were surveyed on the open coast covering both rocky and sedimentary substrata. From these sites, 19 habitat types were identified. The survey area was split into two distinct regions by Burrow Head. To the west, where continuous hard substrata occurred, communities were characteristic of open coast areas, with a zonation from upper infralittoral to lower circalittoral. However, turbidity increased from west to east with consequent decreases in algal penetration and, in the east of the survey area, algae extended little deeper than chart datum level. Animal dominated communities were therefore predominant on hard substratum in this eastern region. Habitat diversity was generally low, most sedimentary areas being either mobile medium grained sands, or more stable fine grained sands with a low silt content. Bedrock was mostly upward facing and heavily silted, dominated by erect bryozoans, except around the Mull of Galloway and the Scares, where a greater diversity was encountered. Records currently considered sensitive have been removed from this dataset.

Organization: Joint Nature Conservation Committee
Species point records from 1989 UMBSM/MNCR Sound of Luing (Firth of Lorn) survey

This small, one day, survey was carried out in response to an application to site a fish farm in this area, on Lunga. A brief synopsis was supplied to the Crown Estates Commision. The overall quality of the area is exceptionally rich. Other surveys have indicated that the outer Loch Craignish area is very good and probably falls within the area of Scarba, Lunga, Garvellachs, Sound of Luing and Gulf of Corryvreckan as of outstanding marine interest. These sites include records of the brown algae Desmarestia dresnayi which was only recorded once before in Scotland (see Maggs, 1986) and which was found at several sites in the area during the 1989 UMBSM survey of the sealochs of south Argyll and west Kinyre (Howson 1990). Records currently considered sensitive have been removed from this dataset.

Organization: Joint Nature Conservation Committee
Species point records from 1985-87 Green north Skye sublittoral survey

At the request of Mr. A. Curry, NCC Officer responsible for the area including the Isle of Skye, the authors abstracted information from notes and photographs from dives from shore locations on Skye between October 1985 and October 1987. Some sixty underwater colour transparencies had been accumulated together with dive profiles and observational notes. However, it must be understood that at the time the records were made solely for the author's own interest and no attempt was made to compile lists comparable with the standard NCC recording forms for species and habitat. The information contained within this survey report is, therefore, somewhat limited but useful nevertheless. The report from which these details have been obtained is R835. Records currently considered sensitive have been removed from this dataset.

Organization: Joint Nature Conservation Committee
Species point records from 1984 NCC/OPRU Loch Sween sublittoral survey

Loch Sween is situated on the east side of the Sound of Jura, in south-west Scotland. It opens to the south-west and its mouth is partially protected by the small MacCormaig Isles. The main body of the loch is relatively straight, with a fringe of rocks or gravel giving way to a sandy or muddy seabed. There are a number of 'arms' to the loch which add considerably to the diverstiy of habitats present. Linne Mhuirich forms an arm to the west, with a constricted mouth into Loch Sween forming an area of tidal rapids. At the head of the loch, arms include the silled Caol Scotnish. Loch Sween has been proposed as a Marine Nature Reserve by NCC on account of the high scientific interest and conservation importance of habitats and communities within the loch. Already a site of historical marine biological recording and research, NCC commisioned extensive systematic littoral and sublittoral surveys in 1982 (Smith, 1982; Earll, 1982, 1984). Further information was required on the distribution and types of littoral and sublittoral habitats and communities present, to assess the relative importances of individual areas and the integrated importance of the whole loch. Information was needed to assess management requirements, particularly where fragile communities might be exposed to enviromental impacts from mariculture activities within the loch. The 1984 survey work had the following objectives: - to describe the littoral communities: reported in Rostron and Hiscock (1985) - to moniter the enviromental impact of fish and shell fish farming in the loch: for incorporation into general fish farming assessments. - to further investigate sublittoral habitats and communities: covered in this report. Surveys were undertaken of the sills at the entrance to Linne Mhuirich and Caol Scotnish. The composition and distribution of the habitats and communities at these sites, respectively Linne Mhuirich Rapids and Caol Scotnish Narrows, are described in the report. Similar comparative studies were carried out in these two arms of the loch, looking primarily at the epibenthic sediment communities. An additional investigation of circalittoral bedrock communities in the main loch was made. The results emphasise the scientific interest of the individual areas. The differences observed between sill and sub-loch systems are significant and inclusion of the variants is shown to enhance rather than duplicate the range of habitats and community types present. No seperate assessment of scientific interest and conservation importance is made in this report. Records currently considered sensitive have been removed from this dataset.

Organization: Joint Nature Conservation Committee
Species point records from 1985 Smith Loch Torridon and Loch Carron survey

Loch Torridon and Loch Carron are two sea loch complexes in Wester Ross on the west coast of Scotland. Both have basins over 100 m deep. Each has an inner loch 8 - 10 km long and 1 - 3 km wide, a middle section which in Loch Torridon is composed of the upper narrows, Loch Shieldaig and an outer narrows, in Loch Carron consists of Strome Narrows and the shallows which extend westwards past Plockton. The outer parts of both lochs are bigger and deeper than the inner, that of Loch Torridon faces north-west and is moderately exposed/exposed in part, while outer Loch Carron and its upper arm Loch Kishorn, face south-west to Skye and are moderately sheltered. Most of the coasts, both littoral and sublittoral, are bedrock or boulders which pass down into gravels, sands or muds. There are extensive shore gravel and/or sand flats at the heads of the lochs and in Loch Kishorn and the Plockton area, where maerl is widespread at low water downwards. Most, very sheltered to moderately exposed habitats have been found. The only exposed area is at the outer end of Loch Torridon. Flora is moderately rich, but sublittorally has suffered greatly from drastic overgrazing by Echinus esculentus. Concommitantly, the fauna is also reduced. Mollusca and lobsters being the chief sufferers. Sessile animals also were in low numbers in many places. The places least affected were those not accessable to urchins by virtue of overhang or current strength. The fauna of soft bottoms was of considerable interest and rich in Mollusca and Polychaeta. Species of interest included a great variety of Echinoderms, the dominant phylum, Ophiothrix echinata was abundant, holothurians numerous and Hippasteria phrygiana, here at the southern limit of its range, was recorded. There were a number of Mollusca which have been recorded rarely in west Scotland, including Scissurella crispata, Margarites argentatus, Teretia anceps, Eubranchus vittatus, Onchidella celtica and Arcopagia balaustina. Areas of outstanding interest included, in Loch Torridon: sediment plains in Loch Shieldaig and Upper Loch Torridon, Upper Loch Torridon narrows, Ob Mheallaidh lagoon and rapids complex. In Loch Carron: Strome narrows (tidal streams), pebble beds, maerl beds off Plockton, Modiolus beds. Many places are of considerable marine biological importance and of conservation and educational value. Records currently considered sensitive have been removed from this dataset.

Organization: Joint Nature Conservation Committee
Species point records from 1984 OPRU Western Isles sealochs survey

ROSTRON, D. 1984 includes brief description of sites and main communities/species at sites in: Loch Boisdale, Loch Skipport, Loch Sheilavaig, Loch Carnan, Loch Langass, Loch Eport, Loch Maddy, The Obbe, Loch Miavaig and Loch Mharabig. Records currently considered sensitive have been removed from this dataset.

Organization: Joint Nature Conservation Committee
Species point records from 1979 NCC Uists sublittoral survey

The report is in two parts, describing i) marine and ii) brackish sites in the Uists. Marine sites include Lochs Skipport, Eynort and Eport, and some west coast sites near the Monarch Isles. Brackish sites include Loch an Duin, Oban a Calachain, Loch Obisay and Loch Bec. Brief descriptions of marine communities are given and comments on a difference between the west coast of Uist, with extensive shallow offshore rock, and the east coast with deep water close inshore, and more silty areas near the sea-lochs. Species recorded by Nicol 1936 are included in the species lists for the brackish lochs. Brief descriptions of each site are given, with tables of abundance of species found. Salinity and temperature data are presented for the brackish lochs. This survey reconfirmed the interest and conservation importance of the brackish lochs: Loch an Duin, Oban a Calachain and Loch Obisary. Loch Eynort, was the most interesting of the three sea-lochs surveyed and would probably be considered as a prime site in a full marine nature conservation review. Only two sites were surveyed off the Monachs in the very extensive kelp beds. Although not stated in the report, it is considered that the area around the Monarchs NNR would make an ideal marine nature reserve representative of Laminaria hyperborea forest. Loch Obisary, Loch Eynort and the Monarchs have all been identified as having intertidal areas of prime marine biological importance by the NCC contract intertidal survey unit. Records currently considered sensitive have been removed from this dataset.

Organization: Joint Nature Conservation Committee
Species point records from 1990 MNCR Morecambe Bay to Whitehaven sublittoral survey

The sublittoral hard substrata between Morecambe Bay and Whitehaven was surveyed in 1991 as part of the survey of the north-eastern coast of the Irish Sea for the MNCR. This part of the coast is predominantly sedimentary both in the littoral and sublittoral. The coastline south of Whitehaven to the Isle of Walney is generally linear except for the indentations of the Ravenglass and Duddon estuaries. The Isle of Walney is a barrier island which protects the sheltered waters of the Walney Channel to the east. The extensive sand flats of Morecambe Bay are cut by the Lune Deep which stretches south-westwards from the entrance of the Wyre Channel. Only isolated areas of hard substrata are present in the sublittoral. The most extensive area is the Lune Deep, a glacially formed kettle hole with steep boulder and cobble sides. Smaller areas of rock are present at St Bees Head, where there is outcropping bedrock. More characteristic of the region are the glacial boulder scars found littorally and sublittorally along the open coast and in the Walney Channel. Eighteen sublittoral sites were surveyed on the hard substrata. Seven hard substrata communities were identified from four seperate survey areas: St Bees Head with its exposed sand scoured communities; the rich flora and fauna of an exposed boulder scar at Selker Rocks; the sheltered tide swept scar at Head Scar in the Walney Channel, and the dense hydroid and bryozoan turf in the Lune Deep. Three sediment communities associated with these regions are briefly described. Two hundred and six taxa were identified from the surveys.

Organization: Joint Nature Conservation Committee
Species point records from 1990 MNCR Crosby to Fleetwood littoral survey

The survey area is the eastern shore of Liverpool Bay, and consists of an almost unbroken expanse of sandy beaches. The area is bounded to the north by Morecambe Bay and to the south by the Mersey estuary, and is split into two by the broad inlet of the Ribble estuary. There are no outcrops of bedrock in the survey area, which consists entirely of glacial and alluvial sediments, fine sand predominating in most areas, but also including isolated patches of boulders and cobbles. The Fylde coast, to the north of the Ribble, is heavily used for recreational purposes, whilst the Ribble estuary and Merseyside foreshore to the south experience less disturbance and are protected by an unbroken series of sites of nature conservation importance with statutory designations. Fifteen sites were surveyed in Spetember 1990, chiefly sampling littoral sediments, but also including natural and artificial hard substrata where these were present. The open Fylde coast supported an impoverished crustacean/polychaete community in mobile fine sand, whilst the open Merseyside coast held a similar community in the upper shore and a much richer community characterised by bivalve molluscs in more stable mid and low shore sand. The outer Ribble and Mersey estuaries held sediment communities typical of such physiographic conditions, consisting of fairly stable fine sand with some silt, and supporting communities characterised by the baltic tellin Macoma balthica, and, in the Ribble, the cockle Cerastoderma edule. The Ribble, and to a lesser extent the Wyre estuary at Fleetwood, also held muddier sediments subject to low and variable salinities, and these contained a community characterised by the polychaete worm Hediste diversicolor and the bivalve mollusc Scrobicularia plana. Natural hard substrata were only found on the Fylde coast and in the Ribble estuary, where boulder and cobble scars were dominated and stabilised by mussels (Mytilus edulis), with abundant barnacles (Semibalanus balanoides) also characteristic. A similar, though impoverished community was found on consolidated clay and boulder exposures near Cleveleys. Beware! the infauna has been entered in the epifauna window Artificial substrata such as pier pilings, groynes and concrete structures were present at a small number of sites and were also dominated by M.edulis, but had a reduced diversity combined with a high biomass. Habitat diversity in the survey area is very limited, with the result that community and species diversity is also reduced compared with most other littoral areas of the same size. The nature conservation importance of the whole area, the communities and the species recorded have been provisionally assessed. One community was considered to be of regional importance, and a further five were considered to be of local importance. No species found during the survey were considered to be of particular conservation importance, all being widespread in similar physiographic conditions in the region.

Organization: Joint Nature Conservation Committee
Species point records from 1983 Dyrynda Fleet lagoon sublittoral survey

The report describes a survey of the Fleet lagoon and Portland Harbour. Investigations in the sublittoral cover the sediments, salinity, temperature, the general environment and subtidal communities. Information up to 1984 on the Fleet is reviewed. A full species list is given. There is a most apparent contrast between the biological communities of the lagoonal basin and the link-channel zone. The former is dominated by eel grass and most previous work with the lagoon has focused here. The subtidal communities of the link-channel zone were examined at a series of eight stations.

Organization: Joint Nature Conservation Committee
Species point records from 1997 MNCR Sanday (Orkney) littoral survey

This survey was carried out as part of the Marine Nature Conservation Review (MNCR). The MNCR was started in 1987 by the Nature Conservancy Council and subsequent to the Environment Protection Act 1990, was undertaken by JNCC on behalf of the conservation agencies up to its completion in 1998. The MNCR was initiated to provide a comprehensive baseline of information on marine habitats and species, to aid coastal zone and sea-use management and to contribute to the identification of areas of marine natural heritage importance throughout Great Britain. Data collected through the MNCR was stored in the Marine Recorder database, and has been extracted from Marine Recorder to produce this dataset. For more details, see http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-1596.

Organization: Joint Nature Conservation Committee