BIOTIC

BIOTIC Species Information for Flustra foliacea
All Taxonomy Biology Distribution Reproduction

Researched by	Lizzie Tyler	Data supplied by	University of Sheffield
Refereed by	This information is not refereed.
Distribution and Habitat
Distribution in Britain & Ireland	Common on all rocky coasts of Britain and Ireland.
Global distribution	Flustra foliacea occurs in the Kara Sea, White Sea and Barents Sea in the Arctic circle, the North Sea, and extends south as far as Bay of Biscay. Also found on the east coast of Greenland.
Biogeographic range	Not researched	Depth range
Migratory	Non-migratory / Resident
Distribution Additional Information	Flustra foliacea may colonize any hard substratum, such as shells, stones, or cobbles but forms dense aggregations particularly in otherwise barren, current swept rocky bottoms. Although present in a wide range of tidal streams and wave exposure, Flustra foliacea is abundant in moderately strong to strong tidal streams (Hiscock, 1983). Dyer et al. (1982) reported between <10 to >200 colonies per m² in trawls in the North Sea. Flustra foliacea is associated with strong currents and areas subject to sediment abrasion (Stebbing, 1971a; Knight-Jones & Nelson-Smith, 1977; Hartnoll, 1983; Holme & Wilson, 1985) and requires stable hard substrata (Eggleston, 1972b; Ryland, 1976; Dyrynda, 1994). The abundance of bryozoans is positively correlated with supply of stable hard substrata and hence with current strength (Eggleston, 1972b; Ryland, 1976).

Substratum preferences	Bedrock Large to very large boulders Mixed Small boulders Cobbles	Physiographic preferences	Open coast Offshore seabed Strait / sound Sealoch Ria / Voe
Biological zone	Upper Infralittoral Lower Infralittoral Upper Circalittoral Lower Circalittoral	Wave exposure	Very Exposed Exposed Moderately Exposed Sheltered
Tidal stream strength/Water flow	Very Strong (>6 kn) Strong (3-6 kn) Moderately Strong (1-3 kn) Weak (<1 kn)	Salinity	Full (30-40 psu)
Habitat Preferences Additional Information
Distribution References	Hayward & Ryland, 1995b, Hayward et al., 1996, Fish & Fish, 1996, Hayward & Ryland, 1998, Ryland, 1970, Ryland, 1967, Ryland, 1977, Stebbing, 1971, JNCC, 1999, Picton & Costello, 1998, NBN, 2002, Dyer et al., 1982, Holme & Wilson, 1985, Hiscock, 1983, Hiscock, 1985 (b), Hartnoll, 1983, Knight-Jones & Nelson-Smith, 1977, Dyrynda, 1994, Eggleston, 1972b, Hincks, 1880, Hayward & Ryland, 1990, Julie Bremner, unpub data,