Cumulative Human Impact Scores for Pacific Canada Marine Ecosystems

2022 analysis combines 45 human activities and 38 habitat types into a 1x1 km grid cumulative impact score for Pacific Canada. Fisheries and Oceans Canada produced this map to support Marine Spatial Planning. The dataset provides a spatial vulnerability assessment for marine ecosystem management.

Use Cases

• Analyze spatial correlation between high cumulative impact scores and specific human activities like shipping or fishing.
• Model ecosystem vulnerability by overlaying the 1x1 km impact grid with the 38 habitat type layers.
• Support marine spatial planning decisions by identifying areas with the least cumulative impact for conservation priority.
• Validate the Halpern et al. (2008) methodology by comparing impact scores across different habitat and activity combinations.

Strengths

• Based on a detailed vulnerability assessment incorporating 45 distinct human activities.
• Spatially comprehensive for Pacific Canadian waters using a standardized 1x1 km management grid.
• Integrates data on 38 different marine habitat types for ecosystem-specific impact analysis.
• Follows a peer-reviewed methodology (Halpern et al. 2008, Murray et al. 2015, 2022).

Limitations

• Provides relative impact scores, not absolute measures of ecological damage or loss.
• The underlying vulnerability weights and activity data layers may have inherent uncertainties.
• Spatial resolution is fixed at 1x1 km, which may not capture fine-scale local impacts.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Collection Method

Cumulative impact mapping combining spatial layers of human activities, habitats, and a vulnerability weight matrix.

Time Range

Analysis reflects a 2022 assessment; temporal coverage of input activity data is unspecified.

Freshness

Analysis is based on a 2022 ecosystem assessment; underlying activity data may be older.

Geography

Marine ecosystems in Pacific Canada.