SW1B Zostera marina saline community
Vegetation
This simple community consists of beds of the marine angiosperm Zostera marina, occasionally accompanied by the growth of Ruppia marina/cirrhosa.
Ecology
These beds occur in the subtidal or lower intertidal zone of lagoons and sheltered coastal waters, growing on sand, gravel or sandy mud.
Sub-communities
No sub-communities are currently described.
Similar communities
Zostera marina occurs infrequently in the SW1A Ruppia maritima/cirrhosa lagoon community, but there it is usually subordinate to the tasselweed.
Conservation value
Zostera beds are used in Ireland as bioindicators of ecological quality status for purposes of reporting under the Water Framework Directive (see Wilkes et al. 2017). Species/1 m2 = 1.2, n = 6.
Management
Intertidal Zostera beds can be impacted by vehicular traffic, for example that in involved in aquaculture. Eutrophication of coastal waters can lead to smothering of beds by opportunistic algal growth.