Faunal Group C was most likely to occur on circalittoral fine sand and mixed sediment. Other preferences were
preference for moderate energy which
dictated by its is
dominated away from the coast. Otherwise this faunal group covered the full range of other environmental variables.
Faunal Group D was found to be most likely to occur within 10km of the shore on the majority of sediment types found in the infralittoral
zone (mixed sediment, sandy
mud, muddy sand, fine sand), characterised by a well mixed ROFI in winter. It has energy preferences. This faunal group was less likely to occur in offshore waters and had no likelihood of occurrence on gravel.
Faunal Group E was most likely to occur on all substrates with the exception of fine mud and gravel, approximately 20km of the shore within the infralittoral and circalittoral zones. The likelihood of occurrence of this group declined with distance from the shore due to its preference for cooler waters and winter well mixed ROFI.
Faunal Group F was most likely to occur in the middle section of the cable route where its preference for mixed sediment, coarse sediment and fine sand combined with moderate energy, the circalittoral zone, winter well mixed ROFI and low temperatures. Likelihood decreased to the west and east due to the lower presence of some of these characteristics.
Faunal Group G was, as with Faunal Group B, very restricted in coverage with small patches
of high liklihood predicted
within 7km of the coast. The patchiness was due to its strong association with mixed sediments, with the nearshore areas also favouring low temperature, high energy and winter well mixed ROFI.
Figure 26 illustrates the overlap between the areas of high likelihood of occurrence for each faunal group.
