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112 Start Point to Land's End
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This rocky coastline is characterised by coves and headlands and possesses an impressive number of important geological exposures, particularly of igneous rocks, variscan rocks, variscan structures, mineralogy, marine Devonian strata and Quaternary features. The Lizard peninsula exposes the largest area of serpentinite in England. Characteristic of this Natural Area is the presence of a succession of drowned estuarine systems or 'rias' with extensive intertidal mudflats, eelgrass Zostera beds and saltmarsh. Many of these areas are of international importance for their wintering birds, notably avocet and black-tailed godwit. The shores of the rias are fringed with ancient sessile oakwoods that are rich in epiphytic lichens and bryophytes.
A number of rare species occur within these estuarine complexes. The maerl deposits of the Fal Estuary are the most southerly and extensive in Britain and a brackish lagoon holds Britain's only population of the trembling sea mat. Plymouth Sound holds many southern Mediterranean/Atlantic species including sea fans and the sunset coral. Salcombe has an important red alga flora and rare fan worms. Inshore waters support important wintering populations of divers, grebes and sea duck. The cliffs support important rock crevice communities, maritime grasslands and heathlands with a diverse flora and fauna containing many rarities. Seabirds are widespread and occur in generally low numbers, but the cliffs support peregrine and are an important landfall site for migrant birds.
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Natural Area profile available - Size 498.8 kb
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