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SGIG

HABITAT. Intensive evaluation of the evolution of a protected benthic habitat. Steven Degraer, Vera Van Lancker, Geert Moerkerke, Gert Van Hoey, M. Vincx, J.P. Henriet & P. Jacobs. SGIG. Financed by. Proposed Natura 2000 areas. International importance for waterfowl. Area of interest.

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SGIG

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  1. HABITAT Intensive evaluation of the evolution of a protected benthic habitat Steven Degraer, Vera Van Lancker, Geert Moerkerke, Gert Van Hoey, M. Vincx, J.P. Henriet & P. Jacobs SGIG Financed by

  2. Proposed Natura 2000 areas International importance for waterfowl Area of interest e.g. common scoter Melanitta nigra Special protection area Food resource: macrobenthos Site of Community Interest Importance of benthic habitat

  3. HABITAT Intensive evaluation of the evolution of a protected benthic habitat Steven Degraer, Vera Van Lancker, Geert Moerkerke, Gert Van Hoey, M. Vincx, J.P. Henriet & P. Jacobs SGIG Financed by

  4. Bathymetric-morphological map Schematic presentation of the HABITAT project Sedimentological map Hydrodynamical map Macrobenthic map PRELIMINARY MAPS Selection subarea sampling campaign: spatial variation (macrobenthos, physico-chemical environment) sampling campaign: temporal variation (macrobenthos, physico-chemical environment) HABITAT STRUCTURE MAP DEVELOPMENT OF QUICK AND LOW-COST EVALUATION TOOLS HABITAT-model and Macrobenthic Side-Scan Sonar Interpretation Sampling campaign: test (macrobenthos, physico-chemical environment) DEVELOPMENT OF MONITORINGS STRATEGIES AND METHODOLOGIES TO EVALUATE THE MANAGEMENT PLAN

  5. WESTDIEP SWALE SMAL BANK BROERS BANK TRAPEGEER BANK POTJE SWALE Study area

  6. Part 1. Review of the benthic habitat

  7. Background information Geomorphology Sedimentology Hydrodynamics Macrobenthos No spatial extrapolation possible Detailed investigation necessary

  8. Part 2. Habitat structure map

  9. Ground truthing sampling points Remote sensing tracks Sampling campaigns

  10. Variables taken into account Biology (120 stations) Macrobenthic species composition, density and biomass Macrobenthic community structure Physico-chemical environment (120 stations) Pigment content of the water column and sediment Nutrient content of the water column and sediment Grain-size distribution Temperature, oxygen concentration and salinity Remote sensing (3/5 of area) Side-scan sonar recordings Bathymetry (single- and multibeam) October 1999, March 2000, November 2000 Ground truthing sampling points

  11. Sedimentological map

  12. Bathymetrical settings Digital terrain model from multibeam registrations

  13. Side-scan sonar mosaics

  14. 3D presentation: side-scan sonar & multibeam VHR multiparameter image on the basis of combined multibeam – side-scan sonar imagery

  15. Macrobenthos: composition

  16. Macrobenthos: community structure Ophelia limacina – Glycera lapidum community Abra alba – Mysellabidentata community Magelona mirabilis species association Nephtys cirrosa community

  17. Macrobenthos: spatial distribution Abra alba – Mysellabidentata community Nephtys cirrosa community Ophelia limacina – Glycera lapidum community Magelona mirabilis species association

  18. Habitat structure map

  19. Part 3. Time- and cost-efficient evaluation tools

  20. Part 3a. Macrobenthic side-scan sonar interpretation

  21. CONCEPT SEDIMENTOLOGY Macrobenthic habitat preferences Sedimentological interpretation SIDE-SCAN SONAR RECORDINGS MACROBENTHOS MACROBENTHIC SIDE-SCAN SONAR INTERPRETATION

  22. Abra alba – Mysellabidentata community Nephtys cirrosa community Ophelia limacina – Glycera lapidum community Magelona mirabilis species association Macrobenthic habitat preferences: sedimentology

  23. Fine sands with higher silt-clay % (higher degree of compaction) Fine sands Medium sands Medium sands -2 Medium dunes Coarser grained wave ripples -3 TRAPEGEER POTJE SWALE (northern branch) BROERSBANK -4 -5 Depth (m MLLWS) 500 m 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 Sedimentological interpretation of side-scan sonar recordings

  24. 84 m TRAPEGEER POTJE SWALE (northern branch) -2 Visibility on SSS -4 -6 Sample showing a very high abundance of Lanice conchilega -8 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 m Macrobenthic side-scan sonar interpretation: Bioherm structures

  25. Macrobenthos:Lanice conchilega

  26. Macrobenthic side-scan sonar interpretation: Sedimentological habitat preferences (1) Area representative for A. alba – M. bidentata community Area representative for M. mirabilis species association

  27. Macrobenthic side-scan sonar interpretation: Sedimentological habitat preferences (1) Area representative for N. cirrosa or O. limacina – G. lapidum community • Area representative for • A. alba – M. bidentata community

  28. Interpretation part Descriptive part Macrobenthic side-san sonar interpretation Full-coverage delineation of ecological relevant strata

  29. Part 3b. HABITAT model

  30. HABITAT model CONCEPT Biology MODELING Quantified linking of environmental and macrobenthic parameters using multiple discrimant analysis Physical environment HABITAT model Chemical environment Based on macrobenthic habitat preferences Quantified linking Identification of ecological relevant variables

  31. Part 4. Implications for future management

  32. Strategies for future monitoring 1. Selection of strata, based on remote sensing end-user and budget-dependent 2. Follow-up of monitoring stations Macrobenthos Ecological relevant environmental variables (cf. HABITAT model) 3. Full-coverage monitoring of the benthic environment e.g. side-scan sonar

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