df89eaed-836f-451f-83bb-6286bb34dfa9

Predicted Broadscale EUNIS Habitats Atlantic area

Through the development of the EUNIS marine habitat classification, key environmental variables have been identified which are known to drive the distribution of biological communities, and thus EUNIS habitat types in our seas.
Environmental variables are used to define EUNIS habitat types; the upper part of the
classification hierarchy (EUNIS levels 1, 2 & 3) is divided based on environmental variables (commonly referred to as the top-down approach). In order to identify habitat types falling beneath these upper levels in the EUNIS hierarchy (EUNIS levels 4, 5, 6, 7), information about biological communities is necessary. Statistical analysis of species records was used during the development of the classification to identify more detailed habitat types than those identified by classification of environmental variables (commonly referred to as the bottom-up approach). At EUNIS level 3 the classification is split using seabed characteristics in the following three
groupings: Seabed substrate (e.g. mud, sand, rock) Biological zone (e.g. infralittoral, circalittoral)
Energy Wave action (e.g. extremely exposed, sheltered), Tidal currents (e.g. >6 kn, 3-6 kn)
As part of the development of the EUNIS classification each habitat type has been defined by its unique combination of environment variables, referred to as the habitat envelope, together with its associated biological community for EUNIS levels 4 and below. The aim of the current study was to use these habitat envelopes to predict the distribution of EUNIS types in the upper levels of the classification hierarchy across the MESH study area, using the available environmental variables.

2015-08-09 07:36:23

2013-11-30T11:00:00

2013-11-30T11:00:00

as needed

Marine Institute

ckan

en