Rockpooling destination: Seapalling July 2014

The shore at Seapalling is influenced by a series of artificial sea defences that have changed the dynamics of the shore to produce multiple bays comprised of mobile sands with shingle berms in between.

The hard substrate is characterised by a barnacle community with periwinkles, limpets, dog whelks and beadlet anemones. The lower edges of the breakwater harbour occasional seaweeds, whilst beneath the sea defences are a network of tidal pools.

Since April certain features of the shore have changed, namely increased ephemeral algae growth.

Habitat classifications:

Substrate	LR (Littoral rock)			LS (Littoral substrate)
Habitat	HLR (High energy littoral rock)	FLR (Features of littoral rock)		LS.LSa (Littoral sand)
Biotope complex	LR.HLR. MusB (Mussel and/or barnacle communities)	Rkp (Rockpools)	Eph.FLR.Eph (Ephemeral green or red seaweed communities	LS.LSa.sh (Shingle and gravel shores)	LS.LSa.MoSa.BarSa (Barren littoral coarse sand)
Biotope			LR.FLR.Eph.EntPor (Porphyra purpurea and Entomorpha spp. on sand scoured lower eulittoral rock)

Below are images of organisms you may see whilst rock pooling in this location:

The sea defences provide an artificial hard substrate amongst the littoral sediments of the shore. Habitat classification: LR.HLR (High energy littoral rock) and LS.LSa.MoSa (Barren littoral coarse sand). 

The littoral sediments surrounding the sea defences continually experience the dynamic forces of erosion and deposition.  At this time sand has been eroded from the base of the defences leaving coarser sediment comprised of sand, shingle and razor shells.

The same location as above but in April  2014,shows how sediment levels have decreased in height and have changed from sand to shingle, sand and razor shells.

The same location as above but in October 2013,shows a sediment type of sand and shingle which is more similar to that observed in July 2014. 

Rocky shore communities have formed on the artificial sea defences; barnacles, limpets and periwinkles occur throughout the shore and characterise the biotope complex LR.HLR.MusB (Mussels and/or barnacles in high energy littoral rock).

Barnacles and periwinkles (Littorina sp)

Barnacles and periwinkles (Littorina sp)

During the summer months ephemeral green algae grows over the barnacles of the lower shore 

Barnacles, ephemeral green algae and periwinkles (Littorina sp)

A limpet

Common limpets (Patella vulgata), barnacles and  periwinkle (Littorina sp)

Ephemeral algae, including Porphyra sp fringe the sand scoured rock of the lower shore LR.FLR.Eph.EntPor (Porphyra purpurea and Entomorpha spp. on sand scoured lower eulittoral rock)

It appears that the erosion of sediments and subsequent increase in available rock substrate that was observed in April 2014, has facilitated the growth of ephemeral seaweeds.

These rocks photographed in  April 2014, have bare bases, caused by recent erosion and it was this event that provided additional surface areas for fast growing ephemeral seaweeds to exploit, as seen in the photograph above from July 2014.

A small rockpool beneath a boulder overhang supports a variety of seaweed species, including Coralline crusts, Ulva sp and reds. Since April there has been an increase in the growth of all species, especially the Ulva sp.

The same rock pool but in April, demonstrates the prolific growth of the green seaweeds in summer.

Rockpooling destination: Revisit Seapalling, April 2014

The shore at Seapalling is influenced by a series of artificial sea defences that have changed the dynamics of the shore to produce multiple bays comprised of mobile sands with shingle berms in between.

The hard substrate is characterised by a barnacle community with periwinkles, limpets, dog whelks and beadlet anemones. The lower edges of the breakwater harbour occasional seaweeds, whilst beneath the sea defences are a network of tidal pools.

Since February certain features of the shore have changed, namely reduced strandline, decreased sand height and increased ephemeral algae.

Habitat classifications:

Substrate	LR (Littoral rock)			LS (Littoral substrate)
Habitat	HLR (High energy littoral rock)	FLR (Features of littoral rock)		LS.LSa (Littoral sand)
Biotope complex	LR.HLR. MusB (Mussel and/or barnacle communities)	Rkp (Rockpools)	Eph.FLR.Eph (Ephemeral green or red seaweed communities	LS.LSa.sh (Shingle and gravel shores)	LS.LSa.MoSa.BarSa (Barren littoral coarse sand)
Biotope			LR.FLR.Eph.EntPor (Porphyra purpurea and Entomorpha spp. on sand scoured lower eulittoral rock)

Below are images of organisms you may see whilst rock pooling in this location:

The sea defences provide an artificial hard substrate amongst the littoral sediments of the shore. The defences take the brunt of the waves.   Habitat classification: LR.HLR (High energy littoral rock) and LS.LSa (Littoral sand).

The sea defences comprise large rectangular boulders that have relatively shear faces which support rocky shore communities comprised of barnacles, limpets and periwinkles. Habitat classification:  LR.HLR.MusB (Mussels and/or barnacles in high energy littoral rock).

The littoral sediments surrounding the sea defences continually experience the dynamic forces of erosion and deposition.  Since February there has been deposition of finer sediment at the base of the sea defences at this location.

The same location as above but a few months previous shows how the sediment distributions have changed since February.

Other locations have experienced increased erosion reflected in the distribution of the barnacles. Erosion of sediment has provided new areas for settlement, resulting in a distinct barnacle size distribution. With a band of more recently settled and smaller barnacles on the recently available substrate below the more established barnacle community above. 

Variability in barnacle size gives an indication of the changing availability of substrate on the shore. Smaller, younger barnacles mark out those areas previously under sand.

The white tests of dead barnacles mark a previous height of the sand. 

Rocks covered in the dead tests of barnacles indicate that the sand was previously at a higher level, and their distribution suggest that the sand is lower than it had been when they originally colonised the rock.

Spiral wrack (Fucus spiralis) has experienced regrowth since February (see image below).

Spiral wrack (Fucus spiralis) in February.

Ephemeral seaweeds have increased in abundance and cover many of the lower shore rocks. Habitat classification: LR.FLR.Eph.EntPor (Porphyra spp.and Entomorpha spp. on sand scoured lower eulittoral rock)

Porphyra spp. occur on the sand scoured lower shore rocks.

A small coralline rockpool within the sea defences supports a number of seaweeds, limpets, and a serpulid polychaete all of which are subject to the dynamic nature of the shore at Seapalling. Habitat classification:  LR.FLR.Rkp (Rockpools).

This photo from February shows the same rock pool full of sand. 

A beadlet anemone (Actina equina) within its tentacles out within a rock pool.

A beadlet anemone (Actina equina) within its tentacles withdrawn to conserve water whilst exposed to the drying air.

A common star fish (Asterias rubens)

Rockpooling destination: Seapalling, February 2014

The shore at Seapalling is influenced by a series of artificial sea defences that have changed the dynamics of the shore to produce multiple bays comprised of mobile sands with shingle berms in between.

The hard substrate is characterised by a barnacle community with periwinkles, limpets, dog whelks and beadlet anemones. The lower edges of the breakwater harbour occasional seaweeds, whilst beneath the sea defences are a network of tidal pools.

Since October, the deposition of sediments has changed again and a strand line has formed, whilst there has been further die back of seaweeds.

Habitat classifications:

Substrate	LR (Littoral rock)		LS (Littoral substrate)
Habitat	HLR (High energy littoral rock)	FLR (Features of littoral rock)	LS.LSa (Littoral sand)
Biotope complex	LR.HLR. MusB (Mussel and/or barnacle communities)	Eph.FLR.Eph (Ephemeral green or red seaweed communities	LS.LSa.sh (Shingle and gravel shores)	LS.LSa.St (Strandline)	LS.LSa.MoSa.BarSa (Barren littoral coarse sand)
Biotope		LR.FLR.Eph.EntPor (Porphyra purpurea and Entomorpha spp. on sand scoured lower eulittoral rock)

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

The sea defences provide an artificial hard substrate amongst the littoral sediments of the shore. During the winter months strandlines of washed up hornwrack (Flustra foliacea) form. Habitat classification: LR.HLR (High energy littoral rock), LS.LSa (Littoral sand) and LS.LSa.St (Strandline).

The sea defences comprise large rectangular boulders that have relatively shear faces. Habitat classification: LR.HLR (High energy littoral rock). The littoral sediments surrounding the sea defences continually experience the dynamic forces of erosion and deposition.  At this time sand has been deposited against the sea defences, while review of this location in October (image below)  shows a lower sediment level that is comprised of sand and shingle.

The same location as above but a few months previous shows how the sediment distributions have changed, from sand and shingle to increased deposition of sand.

Rocky shore communities have formed on the artificial sea defences; barnacles, limpets and periwinkles occur throughout and characterise the biotope complex LR.HLR.MusB (Mussels and/or barnacles in high energy littoral rock).

Spiral wrack (Fucus spiralis) has experienced further die back since October (see image below).

Spiral wrack (Fucus spiralis) in October.

Periwinkles (Littorina sp) amongst barnacles. 

A juvenile dog whelk (Nucella lapillus) amongst barnacles. 

The barnacles covering the rock are of variable sizes indicating a mixed aged community. The dead barnacles provide shelter for a variety of including  periwinkles (Littorina sp)

Limpets within the barnacle community.

Mastocarpus stellatus on a barnacle covered boulder.

The deposition of sand has covered barnacle clad boulders.

Limpets and barnacles ‘emerge’ from the sand, an indication of the relatively recent deposition. 

Nearer to the low water mark, Serrated wrack (Fucus serratus) occurs on a boulder and on the boulders edges ‘emerges’ from the sand.

Beneath the boulder overhangs it is cooler, damp and shaded with interconnecting tidal pools. Barnacles, beadlet anemones (Actinia equina) and dog whelks (Nucella lapillus) occur across these shaded rock faces. 

Sand deposition has filled many of the tidal pools.  Here beadlet anemones (Actinia equina) and common starfish (Asterias rubens) occur where once there was a pool.

Anemones (Urticina spp) washed up last year now inhabit a a pool that has been subject to sand deposition

Anemones (Urticina spp)