​​​The benthic substrate of the Greater North Sea is predominantly characterized by soft sediments (from muds to gravel beds). Sediments from mobile muds to coarse sands are present throughout the region. Gravel beds are mainly distributed in the English Channel and the southern North Sea. The North Sea contains limited biogenic and geogenic reefs, except for patches of Sabellaria spinulosa reefs and scattered boulder fields. The shores consist mainly of mobile sediment types, i.e. mud, sand, and boulder beaches, while rocky shores are mostly found in the northern North Sea and the English Channel. The North Sea benthic habitats are impacted by bottom trawling, sand and gravel extraction, and recently also the growing introduction of offshore renewable energy structures such as wind farms, leading to pressures of abrasion, smothering, habitat loss, and selective extraction of non-living resources. Artificial hard substrates, such as hydrocarbon production platforms, wind turbines, and ship wrecks may act as new hard substrate habitat types that increase local biodiversity.