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

1. EUSeaMap: Development & assessment of a European broadscale seabed habitat map Natalie Coltman, JNCC, UK Progress meeting: 25 May 2010, Copenhagen

2. Outline • Work done: work packages & progress • Unexpected difficulties • Feedback from potential users • Information from other EMODNET projects • Timetable for rest of project • Prototype portal demonstration

3. A reminder! e.g. Depth e.g. Seabed salinity e.g. Sediment type Biologically relevant? Represented in EUNIS? Combination A Combination B

4. Work packages and progress WP1 – methodology WP2 – data preparation finalising layers WP3 – validating thresholds  biologicalanalysis WP4 – modelling & confidence  test runs; fuzzy classifiers WP5 – disseminating data  prototype portal online WP9 – reporting  interim report

5. Finalising layers

6. Substrate • Received draft EMODNET Geology substrate layer • Continued data collation in W Mediterranean • Standardising substrate layer for W Mediterranean

7. Substrate – N, Celtic & Baltic • Sediment: EMODNET

8. Bathymetry • Received draft EMODNET gridded bathymetry • North & Celtic Seas: draft layer prepared in anticipation of EMODNET • GEBCO & UK national data • W Med: gridded bathymetry prepared under EMODNET (IEO) • Baltic: BALANCE bathymetry

9. Light reaching seabed • Baltic • based on Secchi disc measurements • water depth/Secchi disc depth • comparison to remote sensing data • North & Celtic Seas, W Med • MERIS satellite data • 1km resolution  250m • improved algorithm for coastal zones

10. Light – North, Celtic, W Med MERIS 1km  250m

11. Waves – North, Celtic & Baltic Baltic & North Seas DHI model  (extent only) Celtic & North Seas  DHI model within 6km of coast & POL model beyond

12. Inshore wave model (Aquabiota SWM) 25m resolution Based on fetch

13. Tidal energy • Baltic & North Seas – DHI model • Celtic & North Seas – POL models • CS20 • CS3X • NEA • W Med • North of 39°N– 1km MENOR model • South of 39°N– 6km MFS model Increasingly coarse models

14. Energy – W Med No tides but wind-driven currents and waves 6km resolution 90% maximum bed shear stress for waves and currents combined: December 2008 (Nm-2)

15. Salinity, O2 • Baltic • horizontal & vertical salinity • O2 to identify a permanent anoxic zone • Celtic & North Seas • salinity to identify estuarine areas • W Med • no salinity/O2 data required

16. 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

17. Lower limit of Posidonia

18. Thresholds: Baltic No existing Baltic-wide habitat classification • Statistical 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

19. Wave energy

20. Current energy

21. Combined wave & current energy

22. Producing the maps An example model for the Mediterranean: ArcGIS Model Builder

23. Producing the maps Successful test runs in Brittany, W Mediterranean, UK

24. UK seabed habitats: EUNIS classification

25. 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

26. Qualitative confidence: substrate

27. Confidence in thresholds ‘High’ ‘Low’ 1 Degree of membership, y 0 x1 x2 AL BL CH CL, AH DL, BH DH Parameter, e.g. salinity, x 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

28. 4 salinity classes 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 Freshwater-estuarine Fully marine Brackish Kattegat

29. Associated fuzzy scores Boundaries clearly shown as lower confidence

30. Feedback from users • HELCOM • EUNIS development using EUSeaMap output • OSPAR • Presentation to a Working Group and paper to Biodiversity Committee • EUSeaMap will support the MSFD assessment process • ICES • Discussions on confidence methodology • CIESM • Poster presented to CIESM in May • PEGASO project interested in extending method to Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea

31. Unexpected difficulties • Energy • Defining EUNIS energy classes numerically • Standardising W Med substrate data • Lack of raw data • Unexpected habitats in W Med • Fine-scale parameters driving habitat distribution

32. Information from other projects • EMODNET Geology • Date for next draft? • Date for substrate confidence? • Filling gaps in coverage • Clarifications on classification – gravel!! • Harmonising boundaries between EEZs

33. Information from other projects • EMODNET Hydrography • Update of gridded bathymetry this week • Expected dates and format of confidence information? • WMS registry details for online portals

34. Timetable for rest of project

35. Further information JNCC website www.jncc.gov.uk/EUSeaMap EC website https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/fpfis/iwt/node/759 +44 1733 866914 • natalie.coltman@jncc.gov.uk