Sublittoral Habitat Map of the Sound of Barra, Scotland

The Sound of Barra, Scotland, was surveyed in August 2001 to map sublittoral habitats for conservation assessment. The map synthesizes data on biotopes like eelgrass beds and maerl beds, collected by a collaborative research group from several universities and Scottish Natural Heritage. It was commissioned to support the area's designation as a possible Special Area of Conservation.

Use Cases

• Identify and monitor conservation-priority habitats like eelgrass (Zostera marina) beds based on the biotope classification.
• Analyze the distribution of tide-swept maerl beds (Phymatolithon calcareum) for habitat connectivity studies.
• Support marine spatial planning and Special Area of Conservation (pSAC) management based on the synthesized habitat maps.
• Study the relationship between physical seabed features and biological communities in a shallow sandbank environment.

Strengths

• Data is based on a dedicated biotope mapping survey conducted in August 2001.
• The survey was a collaborative effort involving multiple universities and Scottish Natural Heritage.
• The map synthesizes existing knowledge with new survey data for the proposed Special Area of Conservation.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• The primary survey data is from 2001; habitat conditions may have changed.
• Row count and spatial resolution are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Joint Nature Conservation Committee

Collection Method

Biotope mapping survey supplemented by existing knowledge, synthesized into classification maps.

Time Range

Primary survey conducted in August 2001.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-14 09:45:54.862743; freshness should be verified.

Geography

The Sound of Barra, at the south-eastern end of South Uist, Scotland.