Monday, March 05, 2007

Europe’s first Marine Nature Reserve

Lough Hyne, south west of Skibereen in West Cork, was designated Europe’s first Marine Nature Reserve in 1981, thus also making it Ireland’s first Marine Nature Reserve. Cormorant and seagulls at Lough Hyne, West Cork, Ireland

This marine lake is both unusual and important due to its extraordinary diversity of species in its relatively small area – over 1000 species in less than 1 sq km. Some of its plants and animals are more commonly found in the deeper ocean. Others are historically of Mediterranean origin. The site contains several rare species including two fish; the Red-mouthed Goby and Couch’s Goby and two sea slug. One of these sea slugs, the 2cm long Facelina dubia, is only found in Lough Hyne, the Mediterranean and one site in the Bay of Biscay.

Lough Hyne’s biodiversity is partly due to its variety of habitats – including cliffs, boulders, gravel and mud slopes which experience varying exposure to waves and tidal currents. The average depth of water is around 25 metres increasing to 45 metres in places. It is fed from the sea by a narrow tidal channel known as 'The Rapids'.

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The island of ireland

Once upon a time, and for 15000 years, ice a mile high blanketed Ireland. When the lingering Ice Age finally released and the Irish ice departed it left a landscape scoured. Across land bridges linking Ireland, Britain and mainland Europe plants and animals arrived to colonise the new lowlands, mountains and valleys. The world’s ice continued to melt, the sea levels to rise, and some 8000 years ago Ireland became the island we now know, accounting for just 0.01% of the world's total land area and the most westerly point of Europe.

Though at Alaskan latitudes, the country's climate is tempered, due partly to the neighbouring waters of the Gulf Stream and partly the prevailing southwesterlies that veering and backing make landfall on our sodden coast. These offerings from the Atlantic mean it is never too hot, never too cold. But without doubt it is wet. Rain lingers year round, never far away, though is most frequent in winter, the western counties and, inevitably, on the day of your parade.