Mapping benthic conservation values in the Gulf of Bothnia

AquaBiota performed mapping of benthic marine conservation values in the entire Swedish marine spatial planning area in the Gulf of Bothnia and adjacent coastal waters.

AquaBiota mapped benthic marine conservation values in the entire Swedish marine spatial planning area in the Gulf of Bothnia and adjacent coastal waters for the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management.

In the project, which was performed in 2016 and 2017, maps were created for benthic species and species groups as well as conservation values using spatial modelling. The mapping was performed in 250 m resolution and was based on large amounts of biological field data. This included data from both earlier surveys and from surveys that were performed within a collaborative project during the summer 2016 aiming to complete existing biological field data for this purpose. Abiotic maps of environmental variables needed in the modelling work were also compiled and adjusted.

The mapping resulted in comprehensive maps of benthic species, and species groups as well as conservation values in the Swedish marine spatial planning area in the Gulf of Bothnia and adjacent coastal zones. Since such comprehensive maps had not been created on this scale earlier, the project resulted in a new overall picture of benthic conservation values in the area.

Report (in Swedish): Florén, K., Wijkmark, N., Fyhr, F., Tano, S., Beltrán, J. 2018: Kartering av bentiska naturvärden i Bottniska viken. Havs- och vattenmyndighetens rapport 2018:29.