Sublittoral Habitat Map of the Sound of Barra, Scotland, 2001 Survey

August 2001 survey data synthesizing marine habitat distributions in the Sound of Barra, Scotland. The dataset was created by a collaborative research group from the University of St Andrews, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh University, and Scottish Natural Heritage. It maps biotopes like eelgrass and maerl beds to support the area's designation as a possible Special Area of Conservation.

Use Cases

• Modeling habitat suitability for species like common seals based on mapped biotope distributions.
• Assessing conservation value of sandbank habitats based on the presence of eelgrass and maerl beds.
• Synthesizing baseline data for marine spatial planning based on the 2001 biotope classification maps.

Strengths

• Data synthesis integrates a dedicated 2001 survey with existing knowledge for the pSAC.
• Focuses on habitats of documented conservation value, specifically eelgrass Zostera marina and maerl Phymatolithon calcareum.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Last updated 2026-04-14 09:45:56.247562; freshness should be verified.

Provenance

Source

Joint Nature Conservation Committee

Collection Method

Biotope mapping survey conducted in August 2001 by a collaborative university and SNH research group.

Time Range

2001

Freshness

Survey conducted in August 2001; metadata last updated in 2026.

Geography

The Sound of Barra, north of the sound at the south-western end of South Uist, Scotland.