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Biotope Assignment of Grab Samples from Four Surveys Undertaken in 2011 Across Scotland's Seas (2012) 2014

Abstract

In 2012, JNCC commissioned Gardline Caledonia Ltd to undertake analysis of benthic grab data collected during four surveys in order to assign biotope classifications and identify potential features of conservation interest. These surveys were commissioned to provide new data to enhance our understanding of the distribution of MPA search features across Scotland’s seas.

The four surveys were conducted between July and November 2011 in the Firth of Forth Banks Complex area, the northern North Sea, North East Atlantic shelf area and from within the Windsock fisheries restriction area and were designed to target habitats for which our understanding could be improved. These included areas that have been identified by the predictive habitat mapping project UKSeaMap 2010 (McBreen et al. 2011) as sandy gravel habitats which are not well documented in Scottish waters.

Resource type Publication

Topic category Environment

Reference date 2014·08·01

Citation
Pearce, B., Grubb, L., Earnshaw, S., Pitts, J. & Goodchild, R. 2014., Biotope Assignment of Grab Samples from Four Surveys Undertaken in 2011 Across Scotland's Seas (2012), JNCC Report No. 509, JNCC, Peterborough, ISSN 0963-8091.

Lineage
A number of research projects have been commissioned to collate existing data on the distribution of MPA “search features” and a number of surveys have been carried out to provide new data in areas where there are gaps in understanding. These include areas that have been identified by UKSeaMap 2010 as being sandy gravel habitats which are not well documented in Scottish waters. Data from four of these surveys have been used in this study.

Responsible organisation
Communications, JNCC publisher

Limitations on public access No limitations

Use constraints Available under the Open Government Licence 3.0

Metadata date 2020·01·31

Metadata point of contact
Communications, JNCC

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