SUSSEX MARINE SITES OF NATURE CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE

Site: Worthing Lumps						Ref. No. 8
Location: 8 km SSW of Worthing sea front					Other conservation designation?: No
Lat./Long. position of centre of site: 50° 43' 96" N  0° 24' 50" W			OS grid ref. of centre of site: TV 123 857			Author: Robert Irving
Sea bed type: Chalk cliff with small boulders, gravel and sand.			Depth range (below chart datum): 7-12 m			Date identified: November 1995

Summary

The Worthing Lumps consists of two separate northerly-facing chalk cliff exposures, ranging in height from 2-3 m, separated by an area of pebble/gravel/sand approximately 200-300 m wide. The western section (> 350 m in length) and the eastern section (>190 m in length), are thought to be of the same stratum of chalk, and it has been suggested (though not proven) that these exposures are a continuation of the more easterly group of sites (South-West Rocks, Looe Gate and Ship Rock). On a national basis, sublittoral exposures of chalk are rare, though they are relatively common off the Sussex coast. This site probably represents the best exposures of sublittoral chalk cliffs in Sussex.

Biological Description

The eastern cliff runs generally east-west (90°-270°) and has an irregular outline and a pronounced overhang; the western cliff has a more curved plan view and presents a more vertical face. Below the cliff face on both sections is an area of exposed chalk bedrock with small boulders, broken off from the cliff. This gives way to fine sand with some gravel. The upper (top) surface of the cliff is also of horizontal chalk with a number of rock mills and narrow channels present. The relative lack of silt at this site may be due to greater separation from coastal influences and being exposed to stronger currents.

The cliff formation provides a wide range of microhabitats with an associated diversity of marine life. Foliaceous red algae, including Calliblepharis ciliata, Plocamium rubrum and Delesseria sanguinea, dominate the upper horizontal chalk surfaces at the top of the cliff. The vertical cliff face has a general covering of faunal turf, a major component of which is the hydroid Tubularia indivisa. Other conspicuous species include bushy bryozoans Bugula spp., the orange encrusting bryozoan Cellepora pumicosa, the tube worm Filograna implexa and the black tar sponge Dercitus bucklandi. The upper parts of the cliff are bored by piddocks - Wood (1984) records Barnea candida and B. parva from here. The lower half of the cliff is less densely colonised, with some areas of bare chalk apparent (indicating recent falls?). The common piddock Pholas dactylus is present here, though empty holes are more common than occupied ones. Encrusting sponges include Aplysilla rosea, and A. sulfurea, Hemimycale columella and discrete cushions of Dysidea fragilis. A good variety of mobile life occurs here including crabs (Necora puber and Cancer pagurus), lobster Homarus gammarus, leopard­spotted gobies Thorogobius ephippiatus and tompot blennies Parablennius gattorugine.

The sea bed at the base of the cliff consists of a mix of gravel and chalk pebbles with occasional small boulders. Faunal species here are few with dahlia anemones Urticina felina, the whelk Buccinum undatum and the topshell Calliostoma zizyphinum apparent. Lesser spotted dogfish Scyliorhinus canicula have been recorded from this ground in October in large numbers.

References: Irving, R. A. . Report of the West Sussex Seasearch Project, 1994: Littlehampton to Brighton Unpublished Report, Coldwaltham, West Sussex McDonald, K. 1985. Dive Sussex - A Diver Guide Underwater World Publications, London Wood, C. 1992. Sublittoral Chalk Habitats in Southern England Report of the Marine Conservation Society, S.E. Group Chalk Cliffs project 1985-1991. Marine Conservation Society, Ross-on-Wye

Sussex SEASEARCH dive nos.: 94/135-138 & 94/197-200

SEMCS Chalk Cliffs Project, site log nos.:2,3,5,9,22,23,41,45,46 & 49

Sussex Sublittoral Survey site no.: 32

Site Location

Diagrammatic representation of site: Worthing Lumps