Nearshore Benthic Habitat Survey of Bras d'Or Lake 2008

2008 survey data from the Bras d'Or Lake nearshore habitat assessment, focusing on Chapel Island. The dataset includes observations of substrate types, macrophyte canopy, and eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) coverage from depths less than 1 meter to 10 meters. It was collected using a towfish platform with camera and sidescan sonar and compiled into a Geographic Information System by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Use Cases

• Map the distribution of eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) beds using substrate type and depth data to assess habitat health.
• Analyze the relationship between water depth (from less than 1 m to 10 m) and macrophyte canopy coverage to identify primary growth zones.
• Use substrate type proportions to distinguish and classify different shoreline characteristics within the survey area.
• Establish a baseline of nearshore benthic conditions for long-term change detection and habitat management planning.

Strengths

• Survey data spans a defined depth gradient from less than 1 meter to 10 meters, capturing the critical nearshore zone.
• Includes multiple data types (e.g., substrate, macrophyte canopy, eelgrass coverage) integrated into a Geographic Information System for spatial analysis.
• Data is part of a published technical report (Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 3183) providing methodological context.

Limitations

• Specific row count, column count, and sample size are unknown, limiting assessment of statistical power.
• Spatial coverage is focused on the northern half of Bras d'Or Lake and Chapel Island, not the entire lake system.
• Data is from a single year (2008), limiting temporal analysis without companion datasets from other years.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Coastal Ecosystems Science Division.

Collection Method

Collected using a towfish platform equipped with camera and sidescan sonar for nearshore benthic surveying.

Time Range

2008

Freshness

Data was collected in 2008; the metadata record was last updated in March 2026.

Geography

Bras d'Or Lake, specifically the Chapel Island area and the northern half of the lake, Nova Scotia, Canada.