NatureScot Commissioned Report 539: Infaunal analysis of grab samples collected from the Clyde Sea, in March 2012

In March 2012 a team of marine biologists from NatureScot and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) undertook a survey within Firth of Clyde and surrounding sea lochs to confirm the and distribution of habitats and species of high conservation importance, known as priority marine features (PMFs). These include horse mussels, flame shell beds and the rare but beautiful fireworks anemone. The survey was funded by Marine Scotland.

Twenty-eight stations from Upper Loch Fyne to the sill at the mouth of the Clyde Sea were surveyed using a 0.1m2 Day grab. The animals living within the seabed samples collected were examined together with the characteristics of the sediments themselves (particle size analyses - PSA). The findings are presented within this brief interpretive report. Species diversity was highly variable (3 to 77 species per 0.1m2) but generally moderate to high and over 250 species were recorded in total.

Pages: 59
Published: 2013

NatureScot Commissioned Report 539