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Metadata: NatureScot Sound of Arisaig SAC Site Condition Monitoring
Abstract:
The principal purpose of the study was to carry out site condition monitoring of the of the inshore sublittoral sediment habitats of the Sound of Arisaig SAC, in order to identify any deterioration in the condition of the subtidal sandbank feature and to form a judgement on its current condition. The approach taken to achieve this aim is to perform an extensive drop-down video survey and a grab survey of the component habitats of the feature. Characterisation of the subsurface fauna and sediment composition of the main sediment biotopes is performed by means of grab sampling. Detailed surveying of the sea bed and subsurface communities at selected maerl bed sites is carried out using diving techniques.
Data holder:
NatureScot (HQ Inverness)
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| Other details | ||
| Internal code | Internally assigned metadata identifier | 11458 |
| 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. | NatureScot Sound of Arisaig SAC Site Condition Monitoring |
| 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. | 96287cc08c593be3646f68c87183a22c |
| Resource Identifier | This is the code assigned by the data owner. | GB-SCT-SNH-CMEU-SCM-SoA |
| 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. | series |
| Start date | This describes the date the resource starts. This may only be the year if month and day are not known | 2003-07-05 |
| Spatial resolution | This describes the spatial resolution of the dataset or the spatial limitations of the service. | 500 |
| Spatial resolution unit | This describes the unit of spatial resolution which for distance must be metres. | urn:ogc:def:uom:EPSG::9001 |
| 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 principal purpose of the study was to carry out site condition monitoring of the of the inshore sublittoral sediment habitats of the Sound of Arisaig SAC, in order to identify any deterioration in the condition of the subtidal sandbank feature and to form a judgement on its current condition. The approach taken to achieve this aim is to perform an extensive drop-down video survey and a grab survey of the component habitats of the feature. Characterisation of the subsurface fauna and sediment composition of the main sediment biotopes is performed by means of grab sampling. Detailed surveying of the sea bed and subsurface communities at selected maerl bed sites is carried out using diving techniques. |
| Lineage | Lineage includes the background information, history of the sources of data, data quality statements and methods. | The SCM work is divided into three stages: 1) Dropdown Video: Knowledge of the distribution, diversity and extent of biotopes was gained by performing a stratified random sampling drop-down video survey, supplemented by a limited amount of focussed sampling. To promote adequate coverage of the different regions within the cSAC, the survey area between the 0m and 20m contours was split up into 20 strata. 150 stratified random sampling stations were selected. At each station the video is deployed briefly from a drifting vessel, noting the times, depths and precise positions at the start and end of the drift. The runs averaged 4 minutes duration and 50m in length. In addition to the 150 stratified random sample sites, a farther 53 drop-down video sites are worked to provide coverage of the deeper areas, to fill in any perceived geographical gaps in the random samples, and to position sites in the vicinity of locations previously surveyed by others. At a small number of sites where navigation was difficult, the dropdown system is replaced by diver-held video. 2) Grab Survey: Following categorisation of sample stations on the basis of biotope, sample stations representative of the different sedimentary biotopes are selected for analysis of the infauna and sediment composition by grab sampling at 20 stations. At each station a single 0.1m2 van Veen grab sample was collected using the vessel RV Serpula. A subsample of c.150ml sediment was taken from the surface of the grab contents for particle size analysis and the remaining material sieved on a 1mm mesh screen, the sievings being retained in borax-buffered 5% formalin. 3) Maerl Survey: Five maerl sites were selected for detailed examination of the infauna and epibiota by diver using MNCR phase 2 survey methodology along a 25m belt transect. A band 2m either side of the tape was surveyed by two divers, one on each side, who noted the presence, and where possible, estimates of the abundance of conspicuous biota, collecting material which needed to be identified in the laboratory. To supplement the real-time visual records and collections, the transect band was videoed using a hand-held digital video camera (Sony DCR-TRV900 in an Amphibico Navigator 900 housing) and at some sites still photographs taken of the maerl and associated community using two digital still cameras. In areas of living maerl, 4 replicate core samples using a 10.3cm diameter corer to a depth of 20cm are taken (using MNCR Phase II methods) for infaunal analysis, and an additional 20cm sediment core of 5cm diameter was taken for grain size analysis. The areal extent of these maerl beds beyond the 25m transect is also assessed by performing drop-down video surveys at stations along lines radiating out from the station marker. |
| 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 | Species distribution | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Fauna abundance per unit area of the bed | |
| 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 | 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 | 56.9024 |
| East | The eastern-most limit of the data resource in decimal degrees | -5.6665 |
| South | The southern-most limit of the data resource in decimal degrees | 56.7328 |
| West | The western-most limit of the data resource in decimal degrees | -5.967 |
| Regional sea | Minches and Western Scotland | |
| 42E4 | ||
| 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 | NatureScot (HQ Inverness) | |
| Position name | NatureScot Data Manager | |
| 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 | NatureScot (HQ Inverness) | |
| Position name | NatureScot Data Manager | |
| data_supply@nature.scot | ||
| 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 suitable for use in navigation; 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 |
| 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. | 2004-05-31 |
| 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. | 2025-06-10 |
| 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 |