Habitat mapping in Finland Shallow areas with benthic vegetation and sessile invertebrates Ari Laine, Metsähallitus / Parks & Wildlife Finland 2nd Meeting of the HELCOM Intersessional Network on Benthic Habitats and Biotopes Warnemünde 26.-27.9.2018
Finnish inventory programme of underwater habitats and species • General mapping in 2004-2015, since 2016 focus on threatened and rare habitats and species, and areas affected by antropogenic pressures • Data consist of > 96 000 video point observations and > 2000 dive transects • Video data analysis: coverage of algae, vascular plants, epibenthic invertebrates and substrate -> habitat classification (HUBs and N2000 habitats) • Dive transect data: species-level diversity in photic zone
VELMU methods • Bottom topography, geology • Vegetation • Invertebrates • Fish spawning areas Scuba diving Algal lines Drop video ROV Parks & Wildlife Finland Geol. Surv. Fin. Benthic sampling / H. Kutvonen Geological Sampling of fish larvae echosounding methods SYKE
Data available in VELMU Map Service
Data shows well large-scale distribution but still gaps in waters closest to mainland Vascular plants HELCOM HUB Macroalgae (community-level) Epibenthic bivalves
Findings published as a book in 2017 • Habitats and species described with fresh pictures and distribution maps • 581 pages • To be translated in English
Recent application of data : Modelling of biotope distribution, analysis of protection level and human pressures https://seagis.org/
Current challenges • Validation of species and habitat models, restricted access to high resolution depth and substrate data • Habitat Directive reporting & status assessment criteria for hard bottom communities • No monitoring program exist (except aphotic soft bottom habitats)
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