EUSeaMap: Development & assessment of a European broadscale seabed habitat map

Natalie Coltman, JNCC, UKProgress meeting: 25 May 2010, Copenhagen

Outline

Work done: work packages & progress

Unexpected difficultiesFeedback from potential usersInformation from other EMODNET

projectsTimetable for rest of project

Prototype portal demonstration

Biologically relevant?Represented in EUNIS?

e.g.Depth

e.g.Seabed salinity

e.g.Sediment type

A reminder!

Work packages and progress

WP1 – methodology WP2 – data preparation finalising layersWP3 – validating thresholds biological

analysisWP4 – modelling & confidence test runs; fuzzy

classifiersWP5 – disseminating data prototype portal

online

WP9 – reporting interim report

Finalising layersData type Baltic North Celtic W

Med

Substrate

Bathymetry Light Wave energy at seabed

* *

Tidal energy at seabed

* *

Salinity at seabed *Dissolved O2

Stratification

Substrate

Received draft EMODNET Geology substrate layer

Continued data collation in W Mediterranean

Standardising substrate layer for W Mediterranean

Substrate – N, Celtic & Baltic

Sediment: EMODNET

Bathymetry

Received draft EMODNET gridded bathymetry

North & Celtic Seas: draft layer prepared in anticipation of EMODNETGEBCO & UK national data

W Med: gridded bathymetry prepared under EMODNET (IEO)

Baltic: BALANCE bathymetry

Light reaching seabed

Baltic based on Secchi disc

measurementswater depth/Secchi disc

depthcomparison to remote

sensing data

North & Celtic Seas, W MedMERIS satellite data1km resolution 250mimproved algorithm for

coastal zones

Light – North, Celtic, W Med

MERIS 1km 250m

Waves – North, Celtic & BalticBaltic & North Seas

DHI model (extent only)

Celtic & North Seas DHI model within 6km

of coast & POL model beyond

25m resolutionBased on fetch

Inshore wave model (Aquabiota SWM)

Tidal energy

Baltic & North Seas – DHI modelCeltic & North Seas – POL models

CS20CS3XNEA

W Med North of 39°N– 1km MENOR modelSouth of 39°N– 6km MFS model

Increasingly coarse models

Energy – W Med

90% maximum bed shear stress for waves and currents combined: December 2008 (Nm-2)

No tides but wind-driven currents and waves

6km resolution

Salinity, O2Baltic

horizontal & vertical salinityO2 to identify a permanent anoxic zone

Celtic & North Seassalinity to identify estuarine areas

W Med no salinity/O2 data required

Thresholds: W Med Infralittoral

Infralittoral zone defined by extent of Posidonia meadows

Mapped extent of healthy meadows used to determine minimum light values

Range of 0.84 – 1.08% surface light reaching the seabed to describe infralittoral zone

Lower limit of Posidonia

Thresholds: BalticNo existing Baltic-wide

habitat classificationStatistical analyses from

dive transects & samples Habitats described in

existing national habitat classification systems

List of preliminary EUNIS habitats for the Baltic Sea

Classified samples available for definition of thresholds

e.g. for algal-dominated habitats: use dive transect data + Secchi disc data

Wave energy

Current energy

Combined wave & current energy

Producing the maps

An example model for the Mediterranean: ArcGIS Model Builder

Producing the maps

Successful test runs in Brittany, W Mediterranean, UK

UK seabed habitats: EUNIS classification

How good are the maps?Confidence in physical input data

Qualitative, based on metadata

Confidence in thresholds Fuzzy boundaries between habitats

Confidence compared to maps from survey Local comparisons

Qualitative confidence: substrate

Confidence in thresholds‘High’‘Low’

Parameter, e.g. salinity, x

AL CL, AH

BL DL,

BH

CH DH

Deg

ree

of

mem

ber

ship

, y

0

1

x2x1

Point with salinity value x1: Membership of ‘Low’ class = 1

Membership of ‘High’ class = 0

Point with salinity value x2: Membership of ‘Low’ class = 0.7

Membership of ‘High’ class = 0.3

0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1

4 salinity classes

Fully marine Brackish

Freshwater-estuarineKattegat

Boundaries clearly shown as lower confidence

Associated fuzzy scores

Feedback from usersHELCOM

EUNIS development using EUSeaMap output

OSPARPresentation to a Working Group and paper to

Biodiversity CommitteeEUSeaMap will support the MSFD assessment

process

ICESDiscussions on confidence methodology

CIESMPoster presented to CIESM in MayPEGASO project interested in extending method

to Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea

Unexpected difficulties

Energy Defining EUNIS energy classes numerically

Standardising W Med substrate dataLack of raw data

Unexpected habitats in W MedFine-scale parameters driving habitat

distribution

Information from other projects

EMODNET Geology Date for next draft?Date for substrate

confidence?Filling gaps in

coverageClarifications on

classification – gravel!!

Harmonising boundaries between EEZs

Information from other projects

EMODNET Hydrography Update of gridded bathymetry this weekExpected dates and format of confidence

information?

WMS registry details for online portals

Timetable for rest of project

Further information

JNCC websitewww.jncc.gov.uk/EUSeaMap

EC website

https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/fpfis/iwt/node/759

+44 1733 866914

natalie.coltman@jncc.gov.uk