Identification

Title

Broadscale habitat (EUNIS level3) for the Mid St George's Channel recommended Marine Conservation Zone (rMCZ)

Abstract

Feature class depicting broadscale habitat features at the Mid St George’s Channel rMCZ. The map is a result of an integrated analysis of newly acquired and previously available acoustic data together with ground-truthing data collected by a dedicated survey of the site in 2013. Habitat classes observed at each ground-truthing station were used to inform a semi-automated process of map production using object-based image analysis (OBIA). The map shows the seabed at the site to be characterised largely by ‘A5.1 Subtidal coarse sediment’ and ‘A5.4 Subtidal mixed sediments’, which are mapped together as a complex due to difficulty in separating the two from the underlying acoustic data. Smaller patches of ‘A5.2 Subtidal sand’ and ‘A4.2 Moderate energy circalittoral rock’ are also found within the site. Additional information source: Downie, A., Eggleton, J., Schinaia, S. 2015. Mid St George's Channel rMCZ Post-survey Site Report http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx?Document=12842_MidStGeorgesChannelrMCZSiteReport_V5.pdf

Resource type

dataset

Resource locator

http://data.jncc.gov.uk/data/b94b3664-3066-40d7-afc7-4094558560a3-GB001503.zip

name: GB001503.zip

Unique resource identifier

code

b94b3664-3066-40d7-afc7-4094558560a3

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

Additional information source

Downie, A., Eggleton, J., Schinaia, S. 2015. Mid St George's Channel rMCZ Post-survey Site Report http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx?Document=12842_MidStGeorgesChannelrMCZSiteReport_V5.pdf

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

biota

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Marine

Seabed Habitats and Geology

GB001503

Corpulent

EUNIS

Data Provider Agreement not required - FULL ACCESS

Nature Conservation

Drop camera

Grabs

Multibeam echo sounder

Particle size analysis

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

-5.466667

East bounding longitude

-5.013583

North bounding latitude

52.816745

South bounding latitude

52.533334

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

2012-03-17

End position

2013-05-01

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2014-09-22

Frequency of update

Quality and validity

Lineage

A new habitat map for the Mid St Georges Channel Marine recommended Marine Conservation Zone (rMCZ) was produced by analysing and interpreting newly acquired and previously available acoustic data together with ground-truthing data collected by a dedicated survey of the site. Full coverage multibeam echosounder (MBES) data covering 70% of the Mid St George’s Channel rMCZ was collected in 2012 by Osiris Projects. An additional block of full coverage MBES data was collected by RV Cefas Endeavour on CEND05/13, adding a further 5% area coverage of the site. The remaining 25% of the rMCZ has partial coverage (31%) MBES data collected under the Mid Irish Sea Project. More detail on the acoustic data used, and references to the aquisitieon reports can be found in the Mid St Georges Channel Marine rMCZ Post-Survey Site Report (Defra Contract Reference: MB0129; Report Number 29) Ground-truth sampling for the site was planned using a standard MCZ ground-truthing sampling grid, applied to different habitat types identified from the processed bathymetry and backscatter layers. Station positions were then modified to target features of interest, in particular suspected reef features. The survey was carried out between 1-6th May 2013 on the RV CEFAS Endeavour cruise CEND0513. Ground truth samples were collected from 130 stations. Benthic grab samples were recovered at 115 stations, video transects at 71stations and short (2 minute) deployments of the drop camera were carried out at a further 49 grab stations. Station metadata are presented in Appendix 1 of the Mid St George’s Channel rMCZ Post-Survey Site Report (Defra Contract Reference: MB0129; Report Number 29) and further detail on ground-truth sample collection can be found in the Site Report and the Mid St George’s Channel rMCZ Survey Report. The new habitat map was produced via a combination of object-based image analysis (OBIA) of the acoustic data, implemented in the software package eCognition® v8.7.2, and expert judgement aided by statistical analysis, linking the ground truth observations to the acoustic and topographic properties. Full methodology for production of the broadscale habitat layer, with appropriate references for methods used, can be found in the Mid St George’s Channel rMCZ Post-Survey Site Report.

Conformity

Data format

name of format

Geospatial (vector polygon)

version of format

Unknown

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Use constraints

Available under the Open Government Licence v3

Limitations on public access

None

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

organisation name

Digital and Data Solutions, JNCC

email address

data@jncc.gov.uk

responsible party role

owner

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact

organisation name

Digital and Data Solutions, JNCC

email address

data@jncc.gov.uk

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata date

2018-06-14

Metadata language