These shores include a nationally important biotope that is rare in the UK.
The resulting preliminary biotope and sub-biotope groups of records were then checked to ensure cohesion of both the environmental and species data.
Their classification can also be structured in a hierarchy (biotopes, biotope complexes, broad habitats ), reflecting degrees of similarity.
For each biotope, the figures show the percentage of core biotope records falling into a given category for a given factor.
The collective term biotope is now in common usage to encompass both of these biotic and abiotic elements.