© OpenStreetMap contributors
- Add External Layer
- Upload Shapefile
- Layer Tutorial
- Close
Use the checkbox () to show or hide a layer.
Use the radio buttons () to select a layer to use with the identify function.
- Layers
- Opacity
Available layers
(ctrl+c)
Search for marine data across UK organisations
- API
- How-To
- About
- Contact MEDIN
- Share
Metadata: 2005 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Firth of Lorn SAC rocky reefs site condition monitoring survey
Abstract:
The Firth of Lorn has been selected as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for the marine feature (reefs) an Annex I habitat under the 1992 Habitats Directive. The chief reason for the selection of this site is that the varied physical environment, with its complex group of islands, sounds and inlets characterised by some of the strongest tidal streams in the UK, is reflected in the great variety of reef types and associated communities and species which are amongst the most diverse in both the UK and Europe. The purpose of the current study was to initiate site condition monitoring of the intertidal and subtidal reef habitats within the SAC, establish a baseline biological data set that would facilitate the assessment of the condition of the reef habitats in the future and allow a judgement to be formed on the current condition of these habitats. A hierarchical biological sampling approach was adopted to achieve these aims. An extensive drop-down video survey of subtidal biotopes (habitats and associated species) was undertaken together with more detailed semi-quantitative and quantitative sampling of intertidal and nearshore subtidal reefs and their associated communities.
Data holder:
NatureScot (HQ Inverness)
Click on the red button for resource contact details:
- Click on the red button for resource contact details
| Other details | ||
| Internal code | Internally assigned metadata identifier | 11400 |
| Title | The title is used to provide a brief and precise description of the dataset such as 'Date', 'Originating organisation/programme', 'Location' and 'Type of survey'. All acronyms and abbreviations should be reproduced in full. | 2005 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Firth of Lorn SAC rocky reefs site condition monitoring survey |
| File Identifier | The File Identifier is a code, preferably a GUID, that is globally unique and remains with the same metadata record even if the record is edited or transferred between portals or tools. | 6aa35138f97081a89e8bdf75d0a3bb13 |
| Resource Identifier | This is the code assigned by the data owner. | GB-SCT-SNH-ME-000106-MRSNH00200000002-LORN |
| Resource type | The resource type will likely be a dataset but could also be a series (collection of datasets with a common specification) or a service. | dataset |
| Start date | This describes the date the resource starts. This may only be the year if month and day are not known | 2005-07-08 |
| End date | This describes the date the resource ends. This may only be the year if month and day are not known | 2005-08-24 |
| Spatial resolution | This describes the spatial resolution of the dataset or the spatial limitations of the service. | inapplicable |
| Frequency of updates | This describes the frequency with which the resource is modified or updated i.e. a monitoring programme that samples once per year has a frequency that is described as 'annually'. | notPlanned |
| Abstract | The abstract provides a clear and brief statement of the content of the resource. | The Firth of Lorn has been selected as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for the marine feature (reefs) an Annex I habitat under the 1992 Habitats Directive. The chief reason for the selection of this site is that the varied physical environment, with its complex group of islands, sounds and inlets characterised by some of the strongest tidal streams in the UK, is reflected in the great variety of reef types and associated communities and species which are amongst the most diverse in both the UK and Europe. The purpose of the current study was to initiate site condition monitoring of the intertidal and subtidal reef habitats within the SAC, establish a baseline biological data set that would facilitate the assessment of the condition of the reef habitats in the future and allow a judgement to be formed on the current condition of these habitats. A hierarchical biological sampling approach was adopted to achieve these aims. An extensive drop-down video survey of subtidal biotopes (habitats and associated species) was undertaken together with more detailed semi-quantitative and quantitative sampling of intertidal and nearshore subtidal reefs and their associated communities. |
| Lineage | Lineage includes the background information, history of the sources of data, data quality statements and methods. | Drop-down and remotely operated video survey Drop-down video or ROV recordings were made at 219 stations in six sampling transects and two trench study areas. Each block transect was divided into a series of depth bands 0-20m, 20-50m, 50-80m and 80+ metres. The maximum number of tows to be carried out in each depth zone was set at 15 as a practical limit for the time available. Where no reef was discovered within a depth band or the area surveyed was homogeneous, then fewer deployments would be undertaken. A series of random positions within each depth band was generated for each transect prior to the survey. Video tows of 100m length were attempted where possible at pre-determined positions. Blocks were considered to be complete once there was acceptable geographic coverage within the block and no new biotopes were recorded. During the course of fieldwork an initial assessment of biotopes based on species visible and seabed type was made. Subsequent more thorough review of tapes took place and on this basis biotopes were assigned to samples. N.B. species recorded are not entered as species records in Marine Recorder, they are in the Sample Description. The video survey was carried out between the 9th and 21st July 2005. Intertidal and subtidal transect surveys Relocatable survey transects were established at seven intertidal sites and eight subtidal sites. Additionally four sites were dived as spot dives and no transects established as target feature not found or unfavourable tidal conditions (FL05SD01 to FL05SD04). Three sites had contiguous intertidal and subtidal transects, two were submerged reefs with nearby intertidal transects, and two were on subtidal rock, but had intertidal transects on adjacent shores. Each transect was approximately 100m long and 4m wide and was surveyed using semi-quantitative Phase II and quantitative quadrat recording techniques, with the aim of describing biotopes along the transects and establishing their species complement and the abundance of the constituent species. Subtidal transects extended to 30m below sea level or 100m distance, whichever was reached first. For intertidal transects a permanent marker was placed at the top of the transect, and extended by tape measure down a constant bearing into the intertidal where the end was attached to a buoyed shot line. The transect bearing was approximately perpendicualr to the shore. For transects wholly in the subtidal a buoyed shotline was dropped following dive reconaissance. The position of all markers was recorded by GPS and photographs were taken to aid future relocation. All information relating to positioning of the transect line and markers was entered into a transect relocation form in the field. Transects were split into zones based on biological community or substratum changes. Zone boundaries were recorded as distances along the tape and vertical height relative to the station marker. In the subtidal, water depth was measured at zone boundaries and at 5m distances along the tape. A band 2m either side of the tape was surveyed by two workers recording the habitat and the biota using the MNCR sacle of abundance, with collection of material for laboratory examination where in situ determination was not possible. Abundance was assessed over the zone asa a whole, unless stated otherwise. Video and still imagery made representative recordings of the transect zones in both the intertidal and subtidal. Data collected in each zone along the transect were subsequently allocated to each zone using the MNCR 04.05 classification scheme. One biotope on each trasect was selected for quantitative quadrat recording to supplement the semi- quantitative data. The percentage cover or count of each species within each quadrat was recorded on the appropriate proforma. The quadrats used in most cases were 0.25m2. Quadrats were sampled and photographed. The diving and intertidal fieldwork was carried out by a team of seven divers over a 12 day period 12th to 24th August 2005. |
| Additional information | This describes relevant references to the data e.g. reports, articles, websites plus other useful information not captured elsewhere. | Howson, C.M., Mercer, T. and Moore, J.J. (2006). Site Condition Monitoring: survey of rocky reefs in the Firth of Lorn marine Special Area of Conservation. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 190. (ROAME No. F05AC701). |
| Related keywords | ||
| Keyword | General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Marine Environmental Data and Information Network |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | NDGO0005 | |
| Keyword title | data.gov.uk | |
| Keyword | General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Habitats and biotopes |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Habitat characterisation | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Habitat extent | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Macroalgae and seagrass taxonomy-related counts | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Zoobenthos taxonomic abundance | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Zoobenthos taxonomy-related counts | |
| Geographical coverage | ||
| North | The northern-most limit of the data resource in decimal degrees | 56.3556 |
| East | The eastern-most limit of the data resource in decimal degrees | -5.5173 |
| South | The southern-most limit of the data resource in decimal degrees | 56.0891 |
| West | The western-most limit of the data resource in decimal degrees | -5.9738 |
| Regional sea | Minches and Western Scotland | |
| Responsible organisations | ||
| Role | The point of contact is person or organisation with responsibility for the creation and maintenance of the metadata for the resource. | pointOfContact |
| Organisation name | NatureScot (HQ Inverness) | |
| data_supply@nature.scot | ||
| Role | The owner is the person or organisation that owns the resource. | owner |
| Organisation name | Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Headquaters | |
| Individual name | Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) | |
| Position name | Data Manager | |
| Phone | 01463 725000 | |
| data_supply@nature.scot | ||
| Role | The custodian is the person or organisation that accepts responsibility for the resource and ensures appropriate care and maintenance. If a dataset has been lodged with a Data Archive Centre for maintenance then this organisation is be entered here. | custodian |
| Organisation name | NatureScot (HQ Inverness) | |
| Position name | NatureScot Data Manager | |
| data_supply@nature.scot | ||
| Role | The originator is the person or organisation who created, collected or produced the resource. | originator |
| Organisation name | Aquatic Survey & Monitoring Ltd. | |
| Position name | Data manager | |
| tom@aquatic-environments.co.uk | ||
| Role | The distributor is the person or organisation that distributes the resource. | distributor |
| Organisation name | Data Archive for Seabed Species and Habitats (DASSH) | |
| Individual name | Esther Hughes | |
| Position name | Data Manager | |
| Phone | 01752 633102 | |
| dassh.enquiries@mba.ac.uk | ||
| Dataset constraints | ||
| 20.1 Limitations on Public Access - Access constraints | This states `otherRestrictions` from ISO vocabulary RestrictionCode and is an INSPIRE/GEMINI requirement. | otherRestrictions |
| 20.2 Limitations on Public Access - Other constraints | This states any limitations on access to the data. Multiple occurences are allowed here. One entry shall be from the INSPIRE Metadata registry and the other free text should be part of the resource `Have specific limitations`. | Not for navigational use; SNH copyright data which is available for re-use under government licence terms: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/ |
| 21.1 Conditions for Access and Use - Use constraints | This states `otherRestrictions` from ISO vocabulary RestrictionCode and is an INSPIRE/GEMINI requirement. | otherRestrictions |
| 21.2 Conditions for Access and Use - Other constraints | This states any constraints on use of the data. Multiple conditions can be recorded for different parts of the data resource. If no conditions apply, then `No condtions apply` is recorded. This uses free text. | no restrictions to public access |
| Available data formats | ||
| Data format | Format in which digital data can be provided for transfer | Database (Marine Recorder) |
| Format in which digital data can be provided for transfer | Documents (Published report) | |
| Format in which digital data can be provided for transfer | Geographic Information System (shapefile) | |
| Version info | ||
| Date of publication | The publication date of the resource or if previously unpublished the date that the resource was made publicly available via the MEDIN network. | 2006-01-25 |
| Harvest date | The date which this record has been (re)harvested from the provider. | 2026-04-19 |
| Metadata date | The date when the content of this metadata record was last updated. | 2025-06-03 |
| Metadata standard name | The name of the metadata standard used to create this metadata | MEDIN |
| Metadata standard version | The version of the MEDIN Discovery Metadata Standard used to create the metadata record | 3.1.2 |