EMODnet Seabed Habitats news
The EUSeaMap technical report is out!
23rd June 2017
Read all about the EMODnet broad-scale habitat map for
Europe (EUSeaMap) and its confidence layers.
The technical report (Populus et
al., 2017) includes:
- The method used in the EUSeaMap model to predict the
distribution of physical habitats in all European seas;
- A list of all the datasets used to create each
habitat descriptor layer as input into the EUSeaMap model;
- All threshold values used to classify
the habitats descriptor layers and
how each threshold value was obtained;
- The confidence assessment method.
The Excel annex (Manca
et al., 2017) to the technical
report contains the tables used to create the MSFD
Benthic Broad Habitat Types from EUSeaMap 2016.
Map of MSFD Benthic Broad Habitat Types
14th June 2017
We have updated our MSFD harmonised habitat map to reflect the
changes to the MSFD benthic broad (or predominant) habitat types
classification brought by the recent EU
Commission Decision (17 May 2017).
The EMODnet Seabed Habitats MSFD Benthic Broad Habitat Types
map is derived from the EUSeaMap 2016 broad-scale predictive habitat
map. It covers all European seas at roughly 250m
resolution. Its coverage is being extended to the Barents
Sea by 2019.
View and Download the data using our Interactive
Map.
A new phase for EMODnet Seabed Habitats
5th May 2017
EMODnet Seabed Habitats has entered its third phase with a
successful kick off meeting of the partners in Cambridge.
New activities include:
- The collation of habitat point data from all over Europe;
- The review of single habitats modelling in Europe; and
- The collation of modelled single habitats maps, for
selected habitats.
In the next two years we will also be working on:
- Collating new habitat maps from survey;
- Producing new kinetic energy layers from waves and currents, in
some areas;
- Extending the coverage and improving the broad scale habitat
map (EUSeaMap); and
- Improving the interactive map for end users.
Watch this space!
EUSeaMap 2016 now available
28th October 2016
Get the new broad-scale habitat map for Europe from
the EMODnet
Seabed Habitats portal.
The European Marine broad-scale habitat map
(EUSeaMap) 2016 uses the most up to date physical and biological
information for European waters to produce a predictive map of
physical habitats covering European waters. Regions covered include
the Mediterranean, Black Sea, Baltic Sea, as well as the
north-eastern Atlantic and Arctic oceans from Norway to the Canary
Islands.
Seabed habitats are classified according to the EUNIS
classification system (up to level 4) as well as the predominant
habitat types from the EU’s Marine Strategy Framework
Directive.
EUSeaMap 2016 is, for the first time, accompanied by a
confidence assessment; an easy to use and transparent qualitative
assessment of the input data and model process.
For more details on EUSeaMap 2016 see the 2016 final report.
Habitat maps from survey - individual downloads
18th October 2016
We have updated our download framework for our "Other"
and "EUNIS"
habitat maps from surveys datasets, you to download individual
maps (if they are made publicly available by their data owner) as
zip packages should you wish to access only a specific dataset.
This can be performed through our download page by selecting the map(s) in the
relevant dropdown list, or by checking the "select all" box to
download the entire map holdings as a single zip file.
When viewing the layers on the
interactive map, the right click query menu now also brings up
the option to download the map in question. This will take you to
the download page with the specific map already checked for
download.
2015 OSPAR habitats dataset available for viewing and
download
1st July 2016
The 2015 international dataset of
OSPAR Threatened and/or Declining Habitats is now
available to
view on the interactive map and download.
The dataset is compiled on behalf of the OSPAR Commission by
JNCC, working with representatives from each of the OSPAR
contracting parties.
New 2016 light layers now available from the EMODnet seabed
habitats mapper
26th May 2016
Datasets showing the amount of light reaching the seabed around
Europe are now available to download from the EMODnet
Seabed Habitats interactive map.
Light at the seabed data has been incorporated into the spatial
model used to create the EUSeaMap phase 2 habitat map, which will
be published in September 2016. Anyone wishing to use these
light layers for research or commercial purposes can now do so, as
long as the originators are credited in any publications.
Newly available datasets are:
Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) at the sea surface
Coefficient of light attenuation in water (KDPAR)
PAR at the seabed
Fraction of surface PAR reaching the seabed
Number of satellite images for each pixel of KDPAR
Values of surface PAR and KDPAR have been derived from data
collected by the European Space Agencies MEdium Resolution Imaging
Spectrometer (MERIS) between 2005 and 2009.
EMODnet Seabed Habitats at the ICES Annual Science
Conference
29th September 2015
EMODnet Seabed Habitats colleagues attended the ICES Annual
Science Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark last week to discuss
current issues in marine science.
Staff from JNCC (UK), Ifremer (France), NIVA-DK & GEUS
(Denmark) attended the conference to liaise with peers over
relevant mapping topics, and investigate ways in which EMODnet SBH
can aid the scientific community in its research on our oceans.
Eleonora Manca (JNCC) and Mickaël Vasquez (Ifremer) presented on
EMODnet Seabed Habitat's broad-scale mapping products "EUSeaMap", and how
they are currently being used in a variety of projects and
assessments across European seas.
The extended abstract for the presentation is available on our
project
outputs page.
2014 OSPAR threatened/declining habitats dataset
17th August 2015
The updated 2014 OSPAR dataset of threatened/declining habitats
in the North-East Atlantic is now available to
view and download through our webGIS.
The OSPAR dataset, hosted by EMODnet Seabed Habitats, is a
publicly available composite data product combining submissions
from OSPAR
contracting parties concerning surveyed records of
habitats within the
OSPAR list of threatened and/or declining species and
habitats.
The dataset is updated annually with new submissions and is used
as a source of data in a wide variety of marine management
projects.
EMODnet SBH Meeting April 2015 - Bucharest, Romania
3rd May 2015
EMODnet Seabed Habitats held the first of its two
annual meetings for 2015 in Bucharest, Romania.
Hosted by our Romanian partners GeoEcoMar, the meeting covered a wide
variety of topics and discussions relevant to the portal.
Topics high on the agenda included
the upcoming expansion (and update) of
our broadscale predictive habitat maps (EUSeaMap), refinement
of the processes that underly the creation of the broadscale maps,
updates on our sister portals, and the
continued collation of habitat maps from specific surveys or
external projects.
We would like to thank GeoEcoMar for their hospitality.
Our next meeting will be at the general EMODnet
Jamboree on the week commencing 21st October in
Oostende, Belgium.
We want your maps!
27th March 2015
EMODnet Seabed Habitats is seeking to collect and collate
seabed habitat maps from third parties wishing to increase the
use for their data products.
As well as being the home of the "EUSeaMap" broad-scale
predictive habitat maps, EMODnet Seabed Habitats also holds and
publishes a large number of habitat maps collected from external
surveys and projects which can be both viewed on our Interactive Map and downloaded.
We are seeking to increase the coverage of our data holdings to
provide the public and organisations the best available evidence on
which to base decisions, as well as providing curious minds with an
insight into what's down there on the sea floor!
If you have habitat maps that you feel are relevant to EMODnet
Seabed Habitats, please visit our Contributing Data
webpage and
- we'd
be happy to include your habitat map within the dataset.
New publication: EUSeaMap: a broad-scale physical habitat map
for European Seas
9th September 2014
A new booklet
EUSeaMap: a
broad-scale physical habitat map for European Seas has now been
published and it is available on the Project Outputs
section of the website.
It contains a description of the EUSeaMap
phase 1 products and achievements, as well as the plans
for the second phase of EUSeaMap (2013-2016). It summarises
the benefits of predictive maps and the principles
behind creating such maps. Examples of how EUSeaMap products have
been applied in marine research and management are also given.
A new portal is launched!
9th September 2014
The new EMODnet portal for Seabed Habitats has been
launched. The portal's main feature is an interactive map, which consolidates the
former MESH and EUSeaMap portals to provide a single place to
view both broad-scale predictive habitat maps, such
as EUSeaMap, and more detailed habitat
maps from survey, such as those produced under the MESH and
MESH Atlantic projects.
As the MESH and MESH Atlantic projects have come to an end, this
new portal allows the MESH projects' data to remain
accessible to the public. Furthermore, popular products, such as
the MESH mapping guide or the MESH Confidence Assessment Tool for
example, will still be available in the MESH section of the EMODnet
Seabed Habitats website.
The portal and its interactive map allows users to view and
download for free over 2000 square km of seabed habitat maps. The
map layers include:
- Detailed seabed habitat maps from surveys;
- EUSeaMap harmonised and regional broad-scale predictive habitat
maps;
- Input layers of physical variables at the seabed (such as
energy, light and depth);
- Confidence maps.
Layers can be exported directly to the user’s personal GIS
desktop applications using the Web Map Service (WMS). Metadata
associated with the layers is accessible through the portal in
collaboration with the ICES Spatial Facility. The mapper help
manual is designed to help users discover all functionalities
of the interactive map.
The portal will continue to be updated with new maps as they are
produced and collated by the EMODnet Seabed Habitats project. In
the future the portal's functionality will be improved to
account for the increased volumes of data expected.
All publications produced by the EUSeaMap projects can be
accessed through the dedicated product output pages.
User feedback on the new portal is appreciated!
.
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