4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-313032303336 English NRW_DS114501 Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en 2026-03-03T16:37:26.852Z NRW 1.0 wel British National Grid (EPSG::27700) Intertidal Monitoring of Eelgrass (Zostera noltii) Beds in Carmarthen Bay 2004 Intertidal Monitoring of Eelgrass (Zostera noltii) Beds in Carmarthen Bay 2004 Monitro Rhynglanwol: Zostera noltii ym Mae Caerfyrddin yn 2004 2009-01-31 NRW_DS102036 The seagrass Zostera is a flowering plant typically found in sheltered areas with a muddy / sandy substratum. Zostera beds are of significant ecological importance in that they support a diverse community of infaunal and epibenthic species, algal and epiphytic species and provide refuge and feeding sites for fish and crustaceans (particularly juveniles). Furthermore, Zostera beds are an important food source for wildfowl (e.g. Brent geese). Zostera beds can be an important factor in coastal defence. The root networks stabilise the sediment, while the plants encourage sedimentation through sediment particle trapping and a certain degree of wave attenuation. This together with their role in supporting commercially valuable fish and crustacean species means that Zostera beds are also of economic importance. However human activity in the coastal zone (pollution, dredging boat mooring etc) can affect its distribution or even destroy the beds completely. The purpose of this data capture was to determine and map the extent, density and condition of Zostera noltii identified in previous years at Llanrhidian Sands and Penrhyn Gwyn in the Burry Inlet, record any damage or disease of the Zostera, record the presence of epiphytes and ephemeral algal species on the beds, record the presence of mussel crumble, and develop an index of damage. The seagrass Zostera is a flowering plant typically found in sheltered areas with a muddy / sandy substratum. Zostera beds are of significant ecological importance in that they support a diverse community of infaunal and epibenthic species, algal and epiphytic species and provide refuge and feeding sites for fish and crustaceans (particularly juveniles). Furthermore, Zostera beds are an important food source for wildfowl (e.g. Brent geese). Zostera beds can be an important factor in coastal defence. The root networks stabilise the sediment, while the plants encourage sedimentation through sediment particle trapping and a certain degree of wave attenuation. This together with their role in supporting commercially valuable fish and crustacean species means that Zostera beds are also of economic importance. However human activity in the coastal zone (pollution, dredging boat mooring etc) can affect its distribution or even destroy the beds completely. The purpose of this data capture was to determine and map the extent, density and condition of Zostera noltii identified in previous years at Llanrhidian Sands and Penrhyn Gwyn in the Burry Inlet, record any damage or disease of the Zostera, record the presence of epiphytes and ephemeral algal species on the beds, record the presence of mussel crumble, and develop an index of damage. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) Countryside Council for Wales, Maes y Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresourceswales.gov.uk/splash?orig=/ Hull University. Institute Of Estuarine And Coastal Studies The University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX iecs@hull.ac.uk http://www.hull.ac.uk/iecs/ Coastal Assessment Liaison and Monitoring (CALM) Ti Cara, Point Lane, Cosheston, Pembrokeshire, SA72 4UN, Wales jon@ticara.co.uk <!--No website --> Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en Species distribution GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 2008-06-01 geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.httpinspireeceuropaeutheme-theme sediment flats Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) - SAC monitoring Llanrhidian Sands,Burry Inlet Carmarthen Bay and Estuaries SAC marine biology (subtidal biology) (littoral biology) (sublittoral biology)(intertidal biology)(see also seashore) Penrhyn Gwyn Burry Inlet zostera noltii NRW Thesaurus 2025-01-08 geonetwork.thesaurus.local.theme.converted_nrw-keywords Macroalgae and seagrass infection and damage SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary 2024-06-19 geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.rdf+xml There are no access restrictions to this data. NRW may release, publish or disseminate it freely. no limitations © CNC/NRW 2009. There are no use restrictions on this data. Recipients may re-use, reproduce, disseminate this data free of charge in any format or medium, provided they do so accurately, acknowledging both the source and NRW's copyright, and do not use it in a misleading context. It is the recipient's responsibility to ensure the data is fit for the intended purpose, that dissemination or publishing does not result in duplication, and that it is fairly interpreted. Advice on interpretation should be sought where required. To avoid re-using old data, users should periodically obtain the latest version from the original source. 100 English biota SeaVoX Vertical Co-ordinate Coverages 2021-01-06 benthic boundary layer Wales (WLS) -4.246302878 -4.104366981 51.61654647 51.6713407 2004-09-13 2004-09-15 Intertidal monitoring of eelgrass Zostera noltii in the Burry Inlet, Carmarthen Bay and estuaries SAC in 2004 Documents [A] Digital versions of the contract report: Microsoft Word document(s); and an equivalent Adobe Portable Document Format version. [B] MapInfo GIS layer in MapInfo Native format (Tables): - Positions of transects and quadrats in the Burry Inlet. - Translations from the above MapInfo Tables are retained in ESRI Shapefile and MapInfo Interchange formats. [C] Excel spreadsheet of transect and quadrat data. [D] Photographs of the survey sites and quadrats. [E] Marine Recorder file: MRCCW31600000006 Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services 2010-12-08 This dataset has not been assessed for conformance to the referenced INSPIRE regulation. false Sites were chosen as broad areas where Zostera noltii had previously been recorded. At each site transect lines (100 m apart) were chosen to correspond with specific northing lines and sampling was carried out at 25 m intervals due west or due east of these transect lines. At each sample position, a GPS coordinate and photograph was taken and a 50 cm x 50 cm quadrat was used for recording percentage cover of Z. noltii, cover of Enteromorpha sp., mussel crumble (small aggregations of mussels, cockles and shell debris) and the associated faunal species (visible on the surface). A brief description of the substratum was also noted and the presence and severity of wasting disease (Labyrinthula zosterae) recorded, based on a scale produced by Burdick et al. (1993). The CCW intertidal phase 1 survey recorded the Zostera noltii in the Burry Inlet during the year 2000. IECS surveys provide a further understanding of the resource in the Burry Inlet. Sites were chosen as broad areas where Zostera noltii had previously been recorded. At each site transect lines (100 m apart) were chosen to correspond with specific northing lines and sampling was carried out at 25 m intervals due west or due east of these transect lines. At each sample position, a GPS coordinate and photograph was taken and a 50 cm x 50 cm quadrat was used for recording percentage cover of Z. noltii, cover of Enteromorpha sp., mussel crumble (small aggregations of mussels, cockles and shell debris) and the associated faunal species (visible on the surface). A brief description of the substratum was also noted and the presence and severity of wasting disease (Labyrinthula zosterae) recorded, based on a scale produced by Burdick et al. (1993). The CCW intertidal phase 1 survey recorded the Zostera noltii in the Burry Inlet during the year 2000. IECS surveys provide a further understanding of the resource in the Burry Inlet.