Serpulid worms produce hard calcium carbonate tubes for protection. Though found worldwide, they rarely grow as ‘reefs’: large, bushlike structures analogous to the complex corals of the tropics and offering similar ecosystem benefits on a smaller scale. The largest area of serpulid reefs (Serpula vermicularis) in the world is found in Loch Creran, just a twenty-minutes’ boat ride from Tritonia Scientific. These reefs are Priority Marine Features. Sequential digital reconstructions of these intricate reefs can be used to track growth or decline and are a novel addition to conservation monitoring in temperate waters. Structural complexity metrics may also be applied to quantify habitat provision at different scales.
