Species point records from 1983 OPRU Bardsey and the Lleyn Peninsula littoral survey

The survey was carried out to describe the range of habitats, communities and species present on littoral rock on Bardsey and the Lleyn Peninsula and to classify the sites according to the communities present and their scientific interest and probable nature conservation importance. Sites were selected from the maps and charts to ensure that as wide a range of habitats as possible was surveyed in the time available. Systematic surveys were carried out of open-shore communities and records of the abundance of conspicuous species were obtained from the main subzones on the shore. These results enabled the classification of different shore types based on communities present and topographical features. Particular attention was given to the description of other habitats such as rockpools, boulders and caves. Colour transparency photographs were taken of the shores and species present. Twenty-five sites were described during the survey and a total of 118 algal, 9 lichen and 124 animal taxa was recorded. Six different shore types were described ranging from shores of steep rock which were very exposed to wave action to flat sheltered shores. Separate descriptions were made of the communities present under boulders, in caves and in rockpools. Much of the considerable length of coastline surveyed was of a wave-exposed nature and good examples of exposed shore communities were described. Other more sheltered types of habitat and associated communities were limited in extent. Although flora and fauna characteristic of more southerly latitudes were found within the survey area, the geographical position, range of sea temperatures and configuration of the coastline mitigated against the occurrence of many of these species within the littoral zone. The coastline of Bardsey Island included almost as many different shore types as the whole area surveyed and several southern species present on the island were absent from the adjacent mainland. Unusual communities present within large caves were encountered in the vicinity of St Tudwal's. The area surveyed includes a considerable extent of very similar coastline with locations identified as unusual or particularly rich in species widely seperated. Decisions regarding the location of boundaries for the proposed statutory marine nature reserve will have to consider whether these isolated sites of high scientific interest can be included or whether the central one of Bardsey and the nearby mainland coast, which includes a very wide range of habitats and communities, is a more practical area to propose.