Characterizing species of the upper eulittoal shore

The upper eulittoral shore hosts species that can with stand exposure to the atmosphere, many have adaptations to reduce water loss. Lichens are tough and barnacles and limpets occur in close proximity to create cooler, damper micro climates.

The communities you find on the upper eulittoral shore will differ depending on the wave exposure.

Below are images of characterizing species of the upper eulittoral shore:

Fucus spiralis occurs on sheltered to moderately exposed shores

On more exposed shores barnacles and shallow coralline rockpools occur.

Lichina pygmaea and small periwinkles (Melarhaphe neritoides) occur among the barnacles on South West shores.

Mytilus edulis also occur in low numbers

Often seaweeds from the sublittoral are washed up onto the upper eulittoral shore.

In summer porphyra sp can cover upper eulittoral shore rock.

Rockpooling destination: Walls, Shetland September 2014

The shore comprised of outcrops of bedrock, boulders, cobbles and pebbles slopes gently to the low water mark and is positioned within a sheltered inlet on the North Western extend of Shetland main land.

Lichens cover the supralittoral rock and extend onto larger boulders and bed rock of the upper shore. The remaining boulders, cobbles and pebbles of the shore are covered by sparse barnacles, periwinkles and further down the shore a blanket of fucoids.

Habitat classification:

Substrate	LR (Littoral rock)
Habitat	LLR (Low energy littoral rock)			FLR (Features of littoral rock)
Biotope complex	LR.LLR.F (Fucoids on sheltered marine shores)			LR.FLR.Lic (Lichens on supralittoral rock)
Biotope	LR.LLR.F.Asc (Ascophyllum nodosum on sheltered mid eulittoral rock).	LR.LLR.F.Pel (Pelvetia canaliculata on sheletered littoral fringe rock)	(Fucus spiralis on moderately exposed to very sheltered upper eulittoral rock)	LR.FLR.Lic.YG (Yellow and grey lichens on supralittoral rock)	LR.FLR.Lic.Ver (Verrucaria maura on littoral fringe rock)

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

The rocky shore is comprised of outcrops of bedrock, boulders, cobbles and pebbles. Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Lic (Lichens on supralittoral rock) and LR.LLR.F (Fucoids on sheltered marine shores).

The out crops of bed rock, boulders and cobbles of the upper shore are covered in lichens, whilst a succession of different fucoids form a blanket across the shore. Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Lic (Lichens on supralittoral rock) and LR.LLR.F (Fucoids on sheltered marine shores).

A bivalve washed up on the shore....

Provides a refuge for a number of terrestrial species. 

Birch washed up from the sea provided an important source of kinderling to the previous inhabitants of Shetland.

On the upper and mid shore barnacles and periwinkles (Littorina sp) cover the cobbles and pebbles. 

Barnacles and periwinkles (Littorina sp) on cobbles of the shore.

Barnacles and periwinkles (Littorina sp) on cobbles of the shore.

Fucus spiralis. Habitat classification:  (Fucus spiralis on moderately exposed to very sheltered upper eulittoral rock)

Ascophyllum nodosum on the lower shore. Habitat classification: LR.LLR.F.Asc (Ascophyllum nodosum on sheltered mid eulittoral rock).

Rockpooling destination: North Shetland, September 2014

The shore comprised of pebbles, cobbles and boulders slopes gently to the low water mark and is positioned within a sheltered inlet on the Northern extend of Shetland main land.

The upper most shore shore is characterised by lichens and succulent plants with a strandline of washed up seaweed and debris. Channel wrack forms a band in the upper shore before a blanket of fucoids come to cover the mid and lower shore.

Habitat classification:

Substrate	LR (Littoral rock)
Habitat	LLR (Low energy littoral rock)			FLR (Features of littoral rock)
Biotope complex	LR.LLR.F (Fucoids on sheltered marine shores)			LR.FLR.Lic (Lichens on supralittoral rock)
Biotope	LR.LLR.F.Asc (Ascophyllum nodosum on sheltered mid eulittoral rock).	LR.LLR.F.Pel (Pelvetia canaliculata on sheletered littoral fringe rock)	(Fucus spiralis on moderately exposed to very sheltered upper eulittoral rock)	LR.FLR.Lic.YG (Yellow and grey lichens on supralittoral rock)	LR.FLR.Lic.Ver (Verrucaria maura on littoral fringe rock)

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

    The shore comprises relatively stable pebbles, cobbles and boulders within a sheltered inlet .Habitat classification: LR.LLR (Low energy littoral rock).

  In the splash zone ‘supralittoral’ yellow and grey lichens occur amongst the black lichen, Verrucaria maura. A red succulent plant also occurs amongst the crevices. Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Lic.YG (Yellow and grey lichens on supralittoral rock).

    Channel wrack (Pelvetia canaliculata) occurs as a band amongst Verrucaria maura in the upper shore. Habitat classification: LR.LLR.F.Pel (Pelvetia canaliculata on sheltered littoral fringe rock)

 New growth of P. canaliculata.

Spiral wrack (Fucus spiralis) with the occasional P. canaliculata occur below the main band of P. canaliculata of the upper shore. Habitat classification: LR.LLR.F.Fspi (Fucus spiralis on moderately exposed to very sheltered upper eulittoral rock) 

A barnacle

    New growth of F. spiralis

F. spiralis, Bladder wrack (Fucus vesiculosus) and Egg wrack (Ascophyllum nodosum).

  Egg wrack (A. nodosum) dominates the mid shore. Habitat classification: LR.LLR.F.Asc (Ascophyllum nodosum on sheltered mid eulittoral rock).

    Beneath the A. nodosum are limpets (Patella vulgata) and barnacles.

   Limpets, dog whelks (Nucella lapillus), edible periwinkles (Littorina littorea) and spirorbid polychaetes occur on boulders beneath the fucoid under storey.

   A limpet covered in spirorbid polychaetes.

  Edible periwinkles (Littorina littorea)

A flat periwinkle (Littorina sp.)

Ulva sp grows on the less stable mixed substrata.

  The surrounding edges of the inlet are comprised of a higher component of cobbles and boulders. Habitat classification: LR.LLR (Low energy littoral rock).

Rock pooling destination: Cathedral Cave, Eigg May 2013

The shore comprises a bedrock platform that contains a number of rock pools before dropping off towards the low tide mark.

Fucoids and barnacles form a patch-work like distribution across the shore, within which rock pools occur. The shallow rock pools are dominated by coralline crusts whilst the deeper pools have a variety of seaweeds.

Habitat classification:

Substrate	LR (Littoral rock)
Habitat	MLR (Moderate energy littoral rock)		FLR (Features of littoral rock)
Biotope complex	BF (Barnacles and fucoids on moderately exposed shores)		Rkp (Rockpools)
Biotope	LR.LMR.BF.PelB   (Pelvetia canaliculata and barnacles on moderately exposed shores)	LR.MLR.BF.FspiB (Fucus spiralis on full salinity exposed to moderately exposed upper eulittoral rock)	LR.FLR.Rkp.G (Green seaweeds (Entomorpha spp. and Cladophora spp.) in shallow upper shore rock pools)	LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools)

The rocky shore. Habitat classification:  LR.MCR.BF (Barnacles and fucoids on moderately exposed shores) and LR.FLR.Rkp (Rock pools).

Shallow pools of the upper shore pools are dominated by ephemeral green algae that characterizes the biotope LR.FLR.Rkp.G (Green seaweeds (Entomorpha spp. and Cladophora spp.) in shallow upper shore rock pools) that occurs within the broader biotope complex LR.FLR.Rkp (Rockpools).

Channel wrack (Pelvetia canaliculata) on the upper shore. Pelvetia canaliculata characterizes the biotope LR.LMR.BF.PelB (Pelvetia canaliculata and barnacles on moderately exposed shores) that occurs within the broader biotope complex of LR.MLR.BF (Barnacles and fucoids on moderately exposed shores). The band of channel wrack delimits the upper extent of the biotope complex.

Small periwinkles (Melarhaphe neritoides) seek shelter within a tiny pit of the bed rock on the upper shore. Habitat classification:  LR.LMR.BF.PelB (Pelvetia canaliculata and barnacles on moderately exposed shores).

Spiral wrack (Fucus spiralis) and barnacles exhibit a patch work distribution within which rock pools occur. Fucus spiralis characterizes the biotope LR.MLR.BF.FspiB (Fucus spiralis on full salinity exposed to moderately exposed upper eulittoral rock) that occurs within the broader biotope complex of LR.MLR.BF (Barnacles and fucoids on moderately exposed shores).

Spiral wrack (Fucus spiralis) in its reproductive phase with swollen ends to the frond known as receptacles that contain the conceptacles from which gametes are released. Habitat classification: LR.MLR.BF.FspiB (Fucus spiralis on full salinity exposed to moderately exposed upper eulittoral rock).

Spiral wrack (Fucus spiralis) and barnacles exhibit a patch work like distribution. Habitat classification: Habitat classification: LR.MLR.BF.FspiB (Fucus spiralis on full salinity exposed to moderately exposed upper eulittoral rock).

A dog whelk (Nucella lapillus) on the mid shore. Habitat classification: LR.MLR.BF.FspiB (Fucus spiralis on full salinity exposed to moderately exposed upper eulittoral rock).

Coralline crust dominates this small rock pool that acts as a refuge for a multiple of fauna, including anemones, algae, mussels and periwinkles. Coralline crusts characterizes the biotope LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools) that occurs within the broader biotope complex LR.FLR.Rkp (Rock pools).

Coral weed (Corallina officinalis) grows as an epiphyte of the coralline crust and periwinkles seek refuge within the small pool. Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools).

The common blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) also occurs within the small pool. Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools).

A coralline crust dominated rock pool with the coral weed (Corallina officinalis), Limpets, Breadcrumb sponge (Halichondria (Halichondria) panacea), ephemeral green algae and a brown seaweed. Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools).

In some cases coralline pools can become overwhelmed by the seasonal growth in ephemeral green algae.  Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools).

Coralline pools situated closer to the low tide mark are richer in seaweed species.  Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools).

Anemones in a coralline rock pool.  Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Rkp.Cor (Coralline crust dominated shallow eulittoral rockpools).

Beadlet anemones (Actinia equina) can be found amongst the rock pools. Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Rkp (Rock pools).

Rock pools further down the shore are home to Snake locks anemones (Anemonia viridis). Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Rkp (Rock pools).

A hermit crab (Paguroidea) in a rock pool. Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Rkp (Rock pools).

Large rock pools occur on the shore. Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Rkp (Rock pools).

The boulders within these larger pool are encrusted in coralline crusts, their vertical extend marking the lowest water levels experienced by the rock pool. Barnacles, limpets (Patella vulgata), snakelocks anemones (Anemonia viridis) and a variety of seaweeds also occur. Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Rkp (Rock pools).