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Appendix One: Structural Detail for Selected International Spatial Frameworks/Classification Systems
1.NOAA Benthic Habitat Classification for Puerto Rico and US Virgin Is
ZONES-Level 1
- Shoreline intertidal
- Lagoon
- Back reef
- Reef crest
- Fore reef
- Bank/shelf
- Bank/shelf escarpment
- Unknown
HABITATS-Level 2
- Unconsolidated sediments (<10% submerged vegetation)
- Sand
- Mud
- Submerged vegetation
- Seagrass
- Continuous
- Patchy(70-90% cover)
- Patchy(50-70% cover)
- Patchy (30-50% cover)
- Patchy (10-30% cover)
- Macroalgae
- Continuous
- Patchy(50-90% cover)
- Patchy (10-50% cover)
- Coral Reef and Hardbottom
- Coral Reef and Colonised Hardbottom
- Linear reef
- Spur and groove
- Patch reef
- Patch reef (aggregated)
- Scattered coral/rock in unconsolidated sediment
- Colonised pavement
- Colonised bedrock
- Colonised pavement with sand channels
- Uncolonised hardbottom
- Reef rubble
- Uncolonised pavement
- Uncolonised bedrock
- Uncolonised pavement with sand channels
- Other Delineations
- Land
- Mangove
- Artificial
- Dredged
- Unknown
2. British Columbia Marine Ecological Classification
Two classifications:
1. Bioregional framework (1:2,000,000)
| Ecozone | Ecoprovince | Ecoregion | Ecosection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific | NE Pacific |
Subarctic Pacific Transitional Pacific |
Subarctic Pacific Transitional Pacific |
| Pacific | Pacific Shelf and Mts. |
Outer Pacific Marine Shelf |
Continental Slope Vancouver Is Shelf Queen Charlotte Sound Dixon Entrance Hecate Strait |
| Pacific | Pacific Shelf and Mts |
Inner Pacific
Marine Shelf |
Nth Coast Fjords Queen Charlotte Strait Johnston Strait |
| Pacific | Georgia -Puget Basin | Georgia Basin |
Juan de Fuca Strait
Strait of Georgia |
2. Ecounit Classification (1:250,000 scale)
65 repetitive classes with minimum area of 15 sq km based on digitised data for wave exposure, depth, subsurface relief, currents, substrate.
| Theme | Subclass | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Wave exposure |
High Moderate Low |
Fetch>500km Fetch50-500km Fetch <50km |
| Depth |
Photic Shallow Deep Abyssal |
0-20m 20-200m 200-1000m >1000m |
| Subsurface relief |
High
Low |
Irregular topography, large elevation range Smooth, small elevation range |
| Currents |
High Low |
Max currents >3K Max currents<3K |
| Substrate |
Hard Sand Mud Unknown |
Bedrock, boulders, cobbles, some sand Sand,gravel/sand, some mud Mud, sandy mud Not sampled |
3. Marine Habitat Classification for Caribbean Coral Reefs (Mumby & Harbone, 1999)
Habitats are defined using two parallel hierarchical sub-classification systems addressing the following attributes:
- geomorphic structure
- benthic cover
These attributes were chosen because they could be interpreted using various forms of remote sensing with the more detailed levels of the classifications requiring imagery with higher spatial resolution
Geomorphic structure sub-classification
This used categories from Holthus & Maragos(marine ecosystem classification for the tropical Pacific). There are 3 tiers that provide increasingly finer levels of detail.
Benthic classes sub-classification
This uses a quantitative approach to defining the classes as follows:
- % cover data was collected using replicate 1mē quadrats at 200 sites and semi-quantitative data was collected from >1500 plotless transects;
- similarity of benthic assemblages was measured using the Bray-Curtis Similarity Coefficient; and
- agglomerative hierarchical classification was used to classify field data
3 tiers of classification provide increasingly finer levels of detail
Habitats are described by assigning a geomorphic class and a benthic class to each polygon on a habitat map. Eg: Low relief spur and groove + branching corals.
The advantages of this classiification system are:
- It is systematic because benthic cover and geomorphic classes are not mixed or used interchangably
- It provides flexibility because it can use different tiers in each of the 2 sub-classification systems
4.BioMar Biotope Viewer, Version 2.0
This is a CD presentation of the implemented habitat classification for the BioMar project in Ireland. It contains:
- Map linked database information on marine sites, habitats and species recorded during field surveys of the seashore and seabed in the Republic of Ireland by the BioMar Group at Trinity College, Dublin and Ulster Museum Zoology Department in Belfast.
- Descriptions and photographs of the BioMar classification of marine biotopes in Britain and Ireland developed by: the Marine Nature Conservation Review of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee as part of the BioMar project.
- Photographs and descriptions of some species
Information on the CD can be searched by any combination of:
- geographical location
- habitat
- biotope
- species
The BioMar classification divides the marine environment into hard and soft subtrate each with 3 biotope complexs:
Table 1: Rocky substrate classification
| Zonation | Exposure | Habitat type | Community class | Dominant species | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky shore categories |
Intertidal Infralittoral Circalittoral |
Exposed Moderately exposed Sheltered |
Stable rock Caves Overhangs |
Many options | Many options |
| Level1 |
Level 2
Biotope complex |
Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | Level 6 |
Table 2: Soft sediment classification
| Zonation | Sediment size | Offshore sediment | Dominant species | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soft sediment shore catgories |
Shore
Infralittoral Circalittoral |
Mixed
Muds Sands Gravels and sands |
||
| Level 1 |
Level 2
Biotope complex |
Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 |