Species point records from 1984 NCC/OPRU Loch Sween sublittoral survey

Loch Sween is situated on the east side of the Sound of Jura, in south-west Scotland. It opens to the south-west and its mouth is partially protected by the small MacCormaig Isles. The main body of the loch is relatively straight, with a fringe of rocks or gravel giving way to a sandy or muddy seabed. There are a number of 'arms' to the loch which add considerably to the diverstiy of habitats present. Linne Mhuirich forms an arm to the west, with a constricted mouth into Loch Sween forming an area of tidal rapids. At the head of the loch, arms include the silled Caol Scotnish. Loch Sween has been proposed as a Marine Nature Reserve by NCC on account of the high scientific interest and conservation importance of habitats and communities within the loch. Already a site of historical marine biological recording and research, NCC commisioned extensive systematic littoral and sublittoral surveys in 1982 (Smith, 1982; Earll, 1982, 1984). Further information was required on the distribution and types of littoral and sublittoral habitats and communities present, to assess the relative importances of individual areas and the integrated importance of the whole loch. Information was needed to assess management requirements, particularly where fragile communities might be exposed to enviromental impacts from mariculture activities within the loch. The 1984 survey work had the following objectives: - to describe the littoral communities: reported in Rostron and Hiscock (1985) - to moniter the enviromental impact of fish and shell fish farming in the loch: for incorporation into general fish farming assessments. - to further investigate sublittoral habitats and communities: covered in this report. Surveys were undertaken of the sills at the entrance to Linne Mhuirich and Caol Scotnish. The composition and distribution of the habitats and communities at these sites, respectively Linne Mhuirich Rapids and Caol Scotnish Narrows, are described in the report. Similar comparative studies were carried out in these two arms of the loch, looking primarily at the epibenthic sediment communities. An additional investigation of circalittoral bedrock communities in the main loch was made. The results emphasise the scientific interest of the individual areas. The differences observed between sill and sub-loch systems are significant and inclusion of the variants is shown to enhance rather than duplicate the range of habitats and community types present. No seperate assessment of scientific interest and conservation importance is made in this report. Records currently considered sensitive have been removed from this dataset.斯韦恩湾（Loch Sween）位于苏格兰西南部的朱拉海峡（Sound of Jura）东侧，朝向西南开口，湾口由小型麦科迈格群岛（MacCormaig Isles）部分遮蔽。该湾主体相对平直，沿岸带以岩石或砾石滩为主，向外过渡为沙质或泥质海床。湾内分布有多条支湾，极大丰富了区域生境多样性。其中，林恩·穆里奇湾（Linne Mhuirich）为西侧支湾，其与斯韦恩湾相连的入口狭窄，形成潮汐急流区域；主湾顶端的支湾则包括设有岩槛的考尔·斯科特尼什水道（Caol Scotnish）。 斯韦恩湾因湾内生境与生物群落具备极高科研价值与保护重要性，已被英国自然保护委员会（NCC）提议设立为海洋自然保护区。作为长期开展海洋生物记录与研究的区域，英国自然保护委员会于1982年委托开展了大规模系统性潮间带（littoral）与亚潮带（sublittoral）调查（Smith, 1982; Earll, 1982, 1984）。彼时亟需补充现有潮间带与亚潮带生境、群落的分布与类型信息，以评估各区域的相对重要性及整个海湾的整体保护价值，同时需相关信息来评估海湾的管理需求——尤其是针对可能受湾内海水养殖活动环境影响的脆弱生物群落。 1984年的调查工作设定了如下目标： 1. 描述潮间带群落：相关成果已发表于Rostron与Hiscock（1985）的报告中； 2. 监测海湾内鱼类与贝类养殖产生的环境影响：相关数据将纳入渔业养殖综合评估体系； 3. 进一步调研亚潮带生境与群落：本报告即涵盖该部分调研内容。 本次调查针对林恩·穆里奇湾与考尔·斯科特尼什水道的入口岩槛展开，本报告详细描述了这两处地点——即林恩·穆里奇湾急流区与考尔·斯科特尼什水道狭窄段——的生境与群落组成及分布情况。研究团队还针对该湾的这两支区域开展了类似的对比研究，重点关注底上沉积物群落（epibenthic sediment communities），此外还针对主湾内的周潮带（circalittoral）岩底群落开展了补充调查。 本次调查结果凸显了各区域的科研价值。岩槛系统与支湾系统间存在显著差异，纳入这些变异生境类型非但不会重复覆盖现有生境与群落范畴，反而能进一步丰富其多样性。本报告未单独评估各区域的科研价值与保护重要性，且本数据集已移除当前判定为敏感的相关记录。