UKSeaMap 2016 is a broad-scale predictive seabed habitat map for the UK continental shelf, generated by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) as part of EMODnet Seabed Habitats 2013-2016 activities. It includes a roughly 100-meter resolution habitat map and a set of confidence maps. The map classifies habitats using the EUNIS system, MSFD predominant habitats, and the Marine Habitat Classification for Britain and Ireland.
Use Cases
- Predicting seabed habitat distribution based on input layers like substrate type and depth.
- Assessing habitat confidence for conservation planning using the provided confidence maps.
- Classifying marine environments using the EUNIS, MSFD, and Marine Habitat Classification systems.
- Analyzing the influence of physical factors like wave disturbance and light penetration on habitat types.
Strengths
- Includes a set of confidence maps in GeoTIFF format to assess prediction reliability.
- Uses multiple established classification systems: EUNIS, MSFD, and the Marine Habitat Classification for Britain and Ireland.
- Derived from multiple input data layers including seabed substrate, depth, light, and wave/tidal energy.
Limitations
- Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
Provenance
- Source
- Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) and the EMODnet Seabed Habitats 2013-2016 consortium.
- Collection Method
- Predictive modeling using input data layers (seabed substrate, depth, light, wave disturbance, kinetic energy).
- Time Range
- 2016
- Freshness
- Last updated 2026-04-14 09:48:05.618460; freshness should be verified.
- Geography
- UK continental shelf.