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9.0 Summary of Selected International Marine Classifications and Spatial Frameworks

Part One

Name of system.	1. Interim marine and coastal regionalisation for Australia.	2. Physical classification of Australian Estuaries	3. BioMar-marine biotopes of the NE Atlantic
Date developed.	Version 3.3: 1998	1999	Late 1990's
Geographical coverage.	Australia and offshore territories	Australia	NE Atlantic
Scale of operation.	I: >1000's km II: 100's-1000's km III: 10's-100's km IV: sites	Estuary scale	Detailed for biotopes (these combine habitat & community in smallest unit to give a homogenous assemblage of species)
Classification based on:
1.biogeographical regions.	Yes		No
2. identifying habitats and communities.			Yes- biological communities are used at more detailed/lower levels of the classification
3. physical processes.		Uses biologically important physical factors selected after testing the utility of many physical parameters to explain the distribution of mangroves and saltmarsh.	Yes- major divisions of the most important physical forcing functions drive the upper levels of the classification. Finer distinctions of these functions are used at lower levels.
Coast/marine area covered.
1.coastal terrestrial.	Probably no		Supratidal-Yes
2. estuarine.	Yes	Yes	Yes
3. open coast intertidal.			Yes
4. open coast subtidal inshore.	Yes.		Yes
5. open coast subtidal offshore.	Yes		Yes
Structure of classification.
1. level 1.	i).Demersal Provinces: 9 core provinces and 8 biotones (transitions) on continental shelf. This is based on classification of demersal fish species diversity/richness. Also 4 topographic based (surrogate) classes beyond the shelf break. ii)Pelagic Provinces and Biotones. 2 core provinces and 2 biotones on continental shelf based on classification of pelagic fish species diversity/richness. 9 classes of water type mass beyond the shelf break based on classification of water column properties (surrogate)	Climate zone (5)	A:Major habitats- defined by substrate and zonation (6 broad classes).
2. level 2.	Meso scale regions (60) (based on physical and biological information	Extreme tidal range	B: Habitat complex defined by exposure (3 classes)
3. level 3	Local units	Proportion of total area that is intertidal	C: Biotope complex defined by substrate subcategory-equivalent to community class
4. other levels.	Sites		D: Biotope defined by dominant species -equivalent to community type. E: Subbiotope defined by the interplay of exposure and zonation subcategories.
Original purpose.	To assist with the identification of candidate areas for the nationally representative system of marine protected areas; and to provide a "strategic platform" for sustainable and integrated marine management.	To develop a national classification based on easily quantifiable biologically important physical characteristics.	To develop a classification of benthic marine biotopes which will underpin the management and conservation of coastal ecosystems

Part Two

Name of system.	4. Marine habitat classification for Carribbean coral reefs (Mumby & Harbourne)	5. US Fish and Wildlife Service Wetland Classification (Cowardin et al)	6. Roff and Taylor: marine classification for Canada
Date developed.	1999	1979	2000
Geographical coverage.	Carribbean	USA	Canada
Scale of operation.	Coarse levels -10's-100's m. Fine levels- metres.	Variable depending on level	Variable - depending on level. Suggest that pelagic seascapes are differentiated and protected at a coarser scale than benthic seascapes.
Classification based on:
1.biogeographical regions.	No	No	First level of classification only
2. identifying habitats and communities.	Yes- finer levels of the classification use benthic classes (require field work )	Used partly in 3^rd tier of classification	No
3. physical processes.	Yes-coarse levels of classification use geomorphological structure (can be interpreted using remote sensing and have more distinct boundaries than benthic communities.)	Yes-physical factors important for biological communities.	Classification is based on geophysical features/attributes as a surrogate for biological communities
Coast/marine area covered.
1.coastal terrestrial.	No	No	No
2. estuarine.	Yes	Yes	Yes
3. open coast intertidal.	Yes	Yes	Unclear
4. open coast subtidal inshore.	Yes	Yes	Yes
5. open coast subtidal offshore.	No	No	Yes
Structure of classification.	2 separate classifications run in parallel. Habitats are described by assigning a geomorphological and benthic class to each polygon on a habitat map.	Classification covers freshwater and marine systems.	Hierarchical classification based on enduring geophysical features of the marine environment, which identify habitat types that reflect changes in biological composition.
1. level 1.	Geomorphological component first tier Benthic component first tier	(Hydro) system-marine; estuarine.	Based on geography and temperature(to address the very different conditions in the Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans).
2. level 2.	Geomorphological second tier Benthic second tier	Subsystem-intertidal or subtidal	Division between the benthic and pelagic realms (recognizing the significant difference in the biota and physical /biological processes)
3. level 3	Benthic third tier	Class- uses mixture of substrate type and vegetation structure	Classes based on light and depth
4. other levels.			Level 4: pelagic realm divisions based on whether there is seasonal stratification. Level 4 :benthic realm divisions based on substrate particle size. Level 5:benthic realm divisions based on wave exposure and/or slope on benthic communities.
Original purpose.	To facilitate regional management and mapping of Caribbean coral reefs	To describe homogenous ecological units suitable for mapping; arrange those units in a system to aid resource management decisions; and provide uniformity across USA for concepts and terms.	To develop a national marine classification that will allow the identification of representative and distinctive marine habitats supporting different communities and provide an ecological framework for marine conservation planning at the national (Canada wide) level

Part Three

Name of system	7. U.S. National Marine Sanctuary Classification System	8. Classification of wetlands in Victoria, Australia (Department of Conservation and Natural Resources)	9. Geomorphological classification for South African Estuaries (Cooper, Ramm, Harrison)
Date developed	1982	1996	1994
Geographic coverage	USA	Victoria, Australia	Natal, South Africa
Scale of operation	Various depending on level	Various depending on level	Whole estuary scale
Classification basis:
1.biogeographic units	Levels 1, II	No	No
2.identifying habitats and communities	Areas of value for particular characteristics are identified in level III	No	No
3.physical processes		Yes	Yes
Coastal/marine area covered:
1.coastal terrestrial	No	No	No
2.estuarine	Yes	Yes	Yes
3.open coast intertidal	Yes	Yes	No
4.open coast subtidal inshore	Yes	?	No
5. open coast subtidal offshore	Yes (general)	No	No
Structure of classification		Classification for freshwater and marine systems	Identified factors that controlled geomorphic variation between estuaries (ie factors that influenced all of Natal's estuaries were excluded)
1.level 1	Zoogeographic region (6)	I-System(inland/marine)	A hierarchical cluster analysis of 7 variables resulted in identification of 7 groups and 4 subgroups of estuaries Variables used: % year outlet closed, average floodplain width, % catchment granitoid rocks(gravel yielding),% catchment tillite/quartzite(fine sand),% catchment shales (fine mud), barrier length, catchment size)
2.level 2	Coastal biotic province (11)	II-Geomorphic unit/subunit:equivalent to land systems
3.level 3	Areas of exceptional resource value eg areas with listed ecologically important marine species. (many classes which can overlap)	III-Wetland morphology-(marine)tidal flat, estuary
4. other levels	Areas of exceptional human use value, eg area of importance for recreational fisheries (many classes which can overlap)	IV-wetland origin-(marine)-rocky reef, mudflat, estuary V-water regime (frequency/duration of flooding) VI-salinity/conductivity VII-pH
Original purpose	To consolidate, code and facilitate analysis of data on marine sites being evaluated as possible marine sanctuaries.	A wetland classification for Victoria- intention is to classify wetlands as a whole.	To facilitate the application of an estuarine health index to a wider range of estuaries

Part Four

Name of system	10. British Columbia Marine Ecological Classification	11. California Marine System Classification (University of California)	12. NOAA National Ocean Service Habitat Classification for Puerto Rico & US Virgin Islands
Date developed	1990's (in stages)	?	2000
Geographic coverage	British Columbia, Canada	California ,USA	Puerto Rico, US Virgin Is
Scale of operation	Various depending on level- ecosections 1:2,000,000; ecounits 1:250,000	Various depending on level	Detailed
Classification based on:
1.biogeographical regions	Yes-first 4 levels	No	No
2.identifying habitats and communities		Yes- habitats at coarser levels and dominant species (communities) at lower levels.	Yes (levels 2 and 3)
3.physical processes	Yes- finest level only	Yes-uses physical parameters to define most classification levels	Yes (level 1)
Coast/marine area covered:
1.coastal terrestrial	No	No	No
2.estuarine	Probably	No	?
3.open coast intertidal	Yes	Yes	Yes
4.open coast subtidal inshore	Yes	Yes	Yes
5.open coast subtidal offshore	Yes	No?	No
Structure of classification:		Builds on the marine component of Cowardin et al which addresses freshwater and marine systems.	Produces a benthic habitat map (in GIS using scanned aerial photos)
1.Level 1	Ecozones (Pacific)	System -marine	Zones (benthic community location eg back reef, reef crest)
2.level 2	Ecoprovinces (3)	Subsystem-intertidal,subtidal	Broad habitat classes (4) eg submerged vegetation
3.level 3	Ecoregions (5)	Class (6)-basic habitat eg: rocky bottom, reef	Detailed habitat classes (27) which include class of vegetation, patchiness of some features, and substrate (minimum area that can be mapped using best aerial photo interpretation). Can be expanded where there is more detailed information.
4.other levels	Ecosections (12)- boundaries verified using ecounit information. Ecounits-based on digitised class data for: wave exposure, depth, subsurface relief, currents, seabed substrate. Minimum unit area is 15 sq. km. 65 repetitive classes.	Subclass Water regime category Water chemistry category Hydrogeomorphic unit eg; shores, beaches, benches Dominance type (dominant substrate/species )
Original purpose	Developed for marine and coastal planning, resource management, a provincial marine protected areas strategy and a national monitoring network.	To better understand the richness of marine wetland types; their many ecosystem functions and processes; extent of impacts on, and losses of, marine wetlands.	To enable a GIS marine habitat map to be prepared. This is to assist with resource management decisions including habitat protection.