Shoreline Habitat Classification

Marine, intertidal, mixed coarse, partially exposed, eulittoral

Mixed-coarse sediments are those where no one grain size occupies more than 70 percent of a stretch of beach. Instead, the beach is a mix (in variable quantities) of a few boulders, with cobble, gravel, and sand. Such sites often exist where sea stacks or other features reduce the wave energy reaching the shore. These habitats usually have very high species diversity because of the range of microhabitats they provide: stable tops of cobbles, undersides of cobbles, among loose sediment, and within the stable sediment beneath the cobbles. Clams often thrive in this sediment because it is hard for predators to dig to them. Drift algae may accumulate in these habitats, providing additional food and habitat for a variety of organisms.

Class ID
18
Class name
Marine, intertidal, mixed coarse, partially exposed, eulittoral
Length
75.00
Primary substrate
Gravel
Secondary substrate
Sand
Tertiary substrate
Cobble
Substrate stability
Semi-stable surface features
Substrate key details
Cobble, pebble, sand (some stable surface features)
Wave exposure
Semi-exposed
Blue book classes
Marine intertidal mixed-coarse: Semi-protected to Protected
Map/survey site examples
Much of northern Olympic coast; Most of western Whidbey Is, Partridge Point (in part), False Bay (in part)
Fish sampling sites
Beach Seine: West Beach
Diagnostic species
Fucus distichus
Mytilus trossulus
Leukoma staminea
Ulva spp.
Mastocarpus
Macoma inquinata
Balanidae
Lottia
Platichthys stellatus
Parophrys vetulus
Psettichthys melanostictus
Cymatogaster aggregata
VEC common associates
Venerupis philippinarum
Saxidomus gigantea
Tresus capax
Habitat classification system