A habitat map of the southern site is presented in Figure 28. The predominant habitat of
this shore is shingle, which runs
from the top of the shore to the lower shore from north to south of the site. The mid- shore shingle has a characteristically steep gradient compared to the high and low shore areas. This is interrupted by a lagoon at the mid-shore. At low tide a narrow band of shingle overlain by sand is observed and several shingle banks are exposed at low tide.
At the foot of the rip-rap wall an area of fines are deposited and larger rock and pebbles have also settled in this area.
E.2.3 Southern Intertidal Site: Species Present
The following species were recorded attached to the mid to lower section of the rip-rap at the northern end of the survey site:-
Fucus spiralis (fucoid alga)
Enteromorpha sp. (filamentous green alga)
Porphyra sp. (red alga)
Elminius modestus (barnacle) These represent typical rocky shore species.
The area of vegetated shingle supported plants adapted to the nutrient poor conditions of this habitat and included:-
Crambe maritima (sea kale)
Lathyrus japonicus (sea pea) No sign of Sabellaria was noted at this site.
E.2.4 Southern Intertidal Site: Sensitive Habitats and Species
A significant area of the high shore to the north of the lagoon is vegetated shingle, which supports several plants including sea kale (Crambe maritima) and the sea pea (Lathyrus japonicus). Vegetated shingle is considered rare and as an internationally important system and resource, which is disappearing. The Suffolk coast holds around 90% of Britain’s vegetated shingle resource and some areas, such as neighbouring Orfordness (Shingle
Areas of Conservation (SACs) under Annex I of the Habitats Directive (annual vegetation of drift
lines, perennial vegetation of stony
banks). The areas of vegetated shingle found at Orfordness are, however, a more extensive example of this habitat type than that which
relevance to this
is found across the area of investigation. Vegetated
shingle is also part of the landscape around the Sizewell B nuclear power station development area.
The sea pea (Lathyrus japonicus) is considered nationally scarce.
