Jncc coastal Directories Project Region 11 The Western Approaches

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Coasts and seas of the United Kingdom
Region 11  The Western Approaches:
Falmouth Bay to Kenfig
edited by
J.H. Barne, C.F. Robson, S.S. Kaznowska, J.P. Doody, 
N.C. Davidson & A.L. Buck
Joint Nature Conservation Committee
Monkstone House, City Road
Peterborough  PE1 1JY
UK
©JNCC 1996
This volume has been produced by the Coastal Directories Project of the JNCC
on behalf of the project Steering Group and 
supported by WWF-UK.

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Project directors Dr J.P. Doody, Dr N.C. Davidson
Project management and co-ordination J.H. Barne, C.F. Robson
Editing and publication S.S. Kaznowska, J.C. Brooksbank, A.L. Buck
Administration & editorial assistance C.A. Smith, R. Keddie, J. Plaza, S. Palasiuk, N.M. Stevenson
The project receives guidance from a Steering Group which has more than 200 members.  More detailed information and
advice came from the members of the Core Steering Group, which is composed as follows:
Dr J.M. Baxter Scottish Natural Heritage
R.J. Bleakley Department of the Environment, Northern Ireland
R. Bradley The Association of Sea Fisheries Committees of England and Wales
Dr J.P. Doody Joint Nature Conservation Committee
B. Empson Environment Agency
Dr K. Hiscock Joint Nature Conservation Committee
C. Gilbert Kent County Council & National Coasts and Estuaries Advisory Group
Prof. S.J. Lockwood MAFF Directorate of Fisheries Research
C.R. Macduff-Duncan Esso UK (on behalf of the UK Offshore Operators Association)
Dr D.J. Murison Scottish Office Agriculture, Environment & Fisheries Department
Dr H.J. Prosser Welsh Office
Dr J.S. Pullen WWF-UK (World Wide Fund for Nature)
N. Hailey English Nature
Dr P.C. Reid Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Dr M.J. Roberts Water Resources and Marine, Department of the Environment
S.L. Soffe Countryside Council for Wales
M.L. Tasker Joint Nature Conservation Committee
R.G. Woolmore Countryside Commission
Recommended citation for this volume:
Barne, J.H., Robson, C.F., Kaznowska, S.S., Doody, J.P., Davidson, N.C., & Buck, A.L., eds.  1996.  Coasts and seas of the
United Kingdom.  Region 11  The Western Approaches: Falmouth Bay to Kenfig.  Peterborough, Joint Nature Conservation
Committee.  (Coastal Directories Series.)
Recommended citation for a chapter in this volume (example):
Davidson, N.C.  1996.  Chapter 4.1  Estuaries.  In: Coasts and seas of the United Kingdom.  Region 11  The Western Approaches:
Falmouth Bay to Kenfig, ed. by J.H. Barne, C.F. Robson, S.S. Kaznowska, J.P. Doody, N.C. Davidson & A.L. Buck, 63-67.
Peterborough, Joint Nature Conservation Committee.  (Coastal Directories Series.)
Region 1: ISBN 1 873701 75 6
Region 10: ISBN 1 873701 84 5
Region 2: ISBN 1 873701 76 4
Region 11: ISBN 1 873701 85 3
Region 3: ISBN 1 873701 77 2
Region 12: ISBN 1 873701 86 1
Region 4: ISBN 1 873701 78 0
Region 13: ISBN 1 873701 87 x
Region 5: ISBN 1 873701 79 9
Region 14: ISBN 1 873701 88 8
Region 6: ISBN 1 873701 80 2
Regions 15 & 16: ISBN 1 873701 89 6
Region 7: ISBN 1 873701 81 0
Region 17: ISBN 1 873701 92 6
Region 8: ISBN 1 873701 82 9
Region 9: ISBN 1 873701 83 7
Set of 17 regions: ISBN 1 873701 91 8
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JNCC Coastal Directories Project Team

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Foreword
5
How to use this book
6
Acknowledgements
7
Chapter 1  Overview
Dr J.P. Doody
9
1.1
The Coastal Directories Project
9
1.2
Introduction to the region
13
Chapter 2  Geology and physical environment
British Geological Survey
19
2.1
Coastal geology
19
2.2
Offshore geology
23
2.3
Wind and water
27
2.4
Sediment transport
31
2.5
Sea-level rise and flooding
34
2.6
Coastal landforms
36
Chapter 3  Terrestrial coastal habitats
39
3.1
Cliffs and cliff-top vegetation
Dr T.C.D. Dargie
41
3.2
Sand dunes
Dr T.C.D. Dargie
45
3.3
Vegetated shingle structures and shorelines
Dr R.E. Randall
49
3.4
Coastal lagoons
Dr R.N. Bamber & Dr R.S.K. Barnes
52
3.5
Wet grassland
Dr H.T. Gee
54
3.6
Saltmarsh
Dr M.I. Hill
58
Chapter 4  Marine and estuarine environments
63
4.1
Estuaries
Dr N.C. Davidson
63
4.2
The sea bed
R.A. Irving
68
4.3
Plankton
M. Edwards & A.W.G. John
76
Chapter 5  Important species
79
5.1
Terrestrial lower plants
N.G. Hodgetts
79
5.2
Flowering plants and ferns
V.M. Morgan
84
5.3
Land and freshwater invertebrates
A.P. Foster & M.S. Parsons
89
5.4
Rare sea-bed species
Dr W.G. Sanderson
98
5.5
Exploited sea-bed species
Dr M.G. Pawson & C.F. Robson
108
5.6
Amphibians and reptiles
Dr M.J.S. Swan
113
5.7
Fish: exploited sea fish
Dr M.G. Pawson & C.F. Robson
118
5.8
Fish: salmon, sea trout and eels
Dr M. Aprahamian & C.F. Robson
124
5.9
Fish: other species
Dr G.W. Potts & S.E. Swaby
127
5.10
Seabirds
M.L. Tasker
130
5.11
Other breeding birds
D.M. Craddock & D.A. Stroud
133
5.12
Migrant and wintering waterfowl
D.M. Craddock & D.A. Stroud
137
5.13
Land mammals
Dr C.E. Turtle & K. Meakin
143
5.14
Seals
C.D. Duck
146
5.15
Whales, dolphins and porpoises
Dr P.G.H. Evans
149
3
Contents

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