Surveys of Sea Caves in Welsh Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)
Inventorial survey as a first step for former Countryside Council for Wales (CCW), now part of Natural Resources Wales (NRW), to develop sensitivity management and monitoring for submerged or partially submerged caves. Submerged or partially submerged caves are an Annex 1 habitat listed under the Habitats directive. Caves vary in size, from only a few metres to more extensive systems, which may extend hundreds of metres into the rock. There may be tunnels or caverns with one or more entrances, in which vertical and overhanging rock faces provide the principal marine habitat. Sea cave communities vary considerably depending on the structure and extent of the cave system, their degree of submergence and of exposure to sand scour and wave-surge, and their geology. Caves are typically colonised by encrusting animal species but may also support shade-tolerant seaweeds near their entrances. Physical conditions, such as inclination, wave surge, scour and shade, change rapidly from cave entrance to the inner parts of a cave, and this often leads to a marked gradation in the communities present. Surveys were set up to identify a baseline and trial survey methodologies in order to establish surveillance and monitoring programmes for the feature. 24 caves (and tunnels) were described. They include caves that are wholly Intertidal, wholly subtidal and ones with both littoral and sublittoral elements. They range from caves that extend 1-3 meters into the cliff to ones that extend up to 100 meters into the cliff. Inventorial survey as a first step for CCW to develop sensitivity management and monitoring for submerged or partially submerged caves. 24 caves across Pembrokeshire Marine Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Cardigan Bay SAC, Pen Llyn a'r Sarnau SAC and Menai Strait and Colwyn Bay SAC. All measurements were taken to a standard protocol as described in the CCW Marine Monitoring Report no. 6. Specimens were fixed and preserved.
- Identification
- Extent
- Distribution
- Quality
- Keywords
- Spatial Reference System
- Content
- Constraints
- Maintenance
- Metadata
Identification
- Identifier
- NRW_DS110463
- Alternative Title
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- 2000-01 CCW /Marine Seen survey of sea caves in Welsh SACs JNCCMNCR40000961
- 2002 - CCW/Marine Seen survey of sea caves in Welsh SACs MRCCW3000000001C
- Arolygon o ogofau mor yn Ardaloedd Cadwraeth Arbennig Cymru
- Metadata Language
- English
- Lineage
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Phase 2 survey methods were used to describe habitats and communities. Measurements were taken and diagrams produced to show approximate dimensions of the caves and the distribution of the biotopes within them. The caves were marked with pitons or eye bolts to facilitate future monitoring programmes. Cave location was determined by GPS. Video footage was taken in selected caves.
- Dataset Reference Date (Publication)
- 2003-04-30
Temporal Extent
- Begin date
- 2000-09-28
- End date
- 2002-07-26
- Topic category
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- Biota
Extent
Extent
- Geographic Extent
- Wales (WLS)
))
Vertical Extent
- Medin Extent Keyword
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benthic boundary layer
Vertical Extent
- Minimum value (metres)
- 12
- Maximum value (metres)
- -9.5
- Vertical CRS
Distribution
- Format Type and Description
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Database
Database
()
- Specification
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[A] Report in word format [B] Site location in excel spreadsheet [C] Site location in MapInfo layer. [D] Species data in Marine Recorder (JNCCMNCR40000961, MRCCW3000000001C), [E] Species data on original forms in paper format. [F] Videos as mini DV tapes [G] Photos as Tiffs and JPGS.
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Database
Database
()
Quality
Data quality
- Quality Scope
- Dataset
- Lineage
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Phase 2 survey methods were used to describe habitats and communities. Measurements were taken and diagrams produced to show approximate dimensions of the caves and the distribution of the biotopes within them. The caves were marked with pitons or eye bolts to facilitate future monitoring programmes. Cave location was determined by GPS. Video footage was taken in selected caves.
Keywords
Keywords
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Publication)
- 2008-06-01
Keywords
- NRW Thesaurus
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- Sea Caves
- cave fauna
- caves
- marine monitoring (see also marine surveys)
- Special Area of Conservation Monitoring
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Publication)
- 2023-12-31
Keywords
- SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary
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- Habitat extent
- Habitat characterisation
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Revision)
- 2021-01-06
Spatial Reference System
Content
Content Information
NRW Profile
Custom Elements
- NRW Related Title
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Surveys of sea caves in Welsh special areas of conservation
Constraints
Constraints
Limitations on Public Access and Use
- Restriction type
- Other restrictions
Access Constraints Directive
- Limitations
- no limitations
Access Constraints Text
- Other constraints
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Part of this dataset is sensitive and restricted. The sensitive data is as follows; Ostrea edulis. Sensitive data must be kept confidential; general release is not permitted due to risk of harm to the environment or third parties. Sensitive data may only be released under an appropriate NRW Licence. Requests should be referred to NRW's Access to Information Officer. Data may be released freely if the sensitive records are removed in advance, or shown only at a coarser scale.
Use Constraints
- Use constraints type
- Other restrictions
- Other constraints
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© CNC/NRW 2002 Recipients may only re-use sensitive data in strict confidence under the terms of an appropriate NRW Licence. No publication or dissemination is permitted, except if sensitive records are removed in advance, or shown only at a coarser scale.
Metadata
Metadata
- File Identifier
- 4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-313130343633 XML
- Metadata Language
- English
- Parent Identifier
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Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Marine Benthic Species and Habitat Collation Held in Marine Recorder
NRW_DS114501
- Resource type
- Dataset
- Metadata Date
- 2024-05-31T09:22:23.504Z
- Metadata Standard Name
- NRW
- Metadata Standard Version
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1.0