Intertidal zonation of animals and plants on rocky shores in the Bristol Channel and Severn Estuary-the northern shores

The vertical distribution of common species of macroalgae and fauna on rocky shores extending through the length of the estuary is described. In the west, the shores are fully marine and exposed to Atlantic waves. In an eastward direction, greater shelter and an increasing tidal range occur along a gradient of salinity and turbidity. The flora and fauna change along this gradient. No single biological feature signals a transition from the Bristol Channel to the Severn Estuary but four arbitrary regions are recognized: a ‘marine’ section eastwards to Swansea, a ‘transitional’ section between Swansea and Cardiff, an ‘estuarine’ section up to Newnham, and the tidal river Severn.