Rockpooling destination: St. Loye, Cornwall September 2013

The shore is a high energy environment comprised of boulders and bedrock with rock pools and gullies on the lower shore.

Fauna are relatively sparse amongst the boulder field with the upper most shore characterised by lichens communities within and below which periwinkles seek refuge amongst boulder crevices. Further down the shore barnacles increase in abundance and coralline rockpools occur. At the low water mark deeper rockpools and gullies are characterised by a variety of wave tolerant seaweeds. Where conditions are sheltered enough a strandline of kelp occurs marking the high tide.

Habitat classification:

Substrate	LR (Littoral rock)				LS (Littoral substrate)
Habitat	LR.HLR (High energy littoral rock)	FLR (Features of littoral rock)			LS.LSa (Littoral sand)
Biotope complex	LR.HLR. MusB (Mussel and/or barnacle communities)	LR.FLR.Lic.(Lichens on supralittoral and littoral fringe rock).		LR.FLR.Rkp (Rockpools)	LS.LSa.St (Strandline)
Biotope		LR.FLR.Lic.Ver (Verrucaria Maura on littoral fringe rock)	LR.FLR.Lic.YG (Yellow and grey lichens on supralittoral rock)	LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools)

Below are images of some of organisms you may encounter whilst rock pooling in these habitats:

The rocky shore has a relatively steep profile and is comprised of boulders and bedrock. The upper most shore is characterised by yellow and green lichens; where conditions are sheltered a strandline of kelp has formed. Habitat classification: LR.HLR (High energy littoral rock), LR.FLR.Lic.(Lichens on supralittoral and littoral fringe rock) and  LS.LSa.St (Strandline).

Lichens such as sea ivory (Ramalina siliquosa) and common orange lichen (Xanthoria parietina) occur at the top of the shore and characterise the biotope LR.FLR.Lic.YG (Yellow and grey lichens on supralittoral rock).

Common orange lichen (Xanthoria parietina). The growth of lichen on the boulders is linked to the boulders stability, with more extensive growth on increasingly stable boulders and bedrock.

Parelle (Ochrolechia parella).

A common seaslater or, grammersil (Ligia oceanica) scavenges amongst the lichens.

Tar lichen (Verrucaria Maura) occurs on the upper shore and characterises the biotope LR.FLR.Lic.Ver (Verrucaria Maura on littoral fringe rock).

Small periwinkles (Melarhaphe neritoides) and the occasional red mite occur throughout the Verrucararia maura biotope. 

Small periwinkles (Melarhaphe neritoides) distribute themselves amongst the davits of the boulder for protection from wave exposure.  

Small periwinkles (Melarhaphe neritoides).  

The lichen, Lichina pygmaea usually associated with the LR.HLR. MusB (Mussel and/or barnacle communities) biotope complex occurs here within the LR.FLR.Lic.Ver (Verrucaria Maura on littoral fringe rock) biotope.

Barnacles are sparse.

Rough periwinkles (Littorina saxatilis agg.) can be found beneath and between boulders where they gain protection from wave exposure.

Two representatives of the species complex ‘rough periwinkle’ are present within the same area of the shore. The larger, smoother, more tumid morph Littorina saxatilis agg. and the ridged and less tumid morph which is Littorina compressa . 

Two representatives of the species complex ‘rough periwinkle’ Littorina saxatilis agg. and Littorina compressa.

As the height of the shore decreases barnacles and limpets increase in abundance.   The increased abundance of barnacles characterises the biotope complex LR.HLR. MusB (Mussel and/or barnacle communities).

Thick topshells (Osilinus lineatus), barnacles and thong weed (Himanthalia elongate) occur amongst boulders of the lower shore.

A red algal turf on the damp underside of a boulder.

At this time the tide was too high to explore the rock pools.