Mapping Marine Benthic Biodiversity in Wales
The UK is committed through international agreements and European obligations to the establishment of an ecologically coherent network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to conserve marine ecosystems and biodiversity. The identification of areas of high biodiversity may be helpful for planning both Marine Protected Areas and for Marine Spatial Planning and can contribute to an ecosystem-based approach to the management of our seas. Furthermore, identifying which areas are most important for biodiversity not only yields benefits for the maintenance of ecosystem structure and functioning but can also enable cost effective prioritisation of areas for marine protection.
Each data layer produced in relation to this project has its own metadata entry. The main objective of the project is to provide maps indicating different levels of biodiversity in Welsh waters (including the intertidal). The data covers the Welsh coastline from mean high water to 12 nautical miles offshore.
- Identification
- Extent
- Distribution
- Quality
- Keywords
- Spatial Reference System
- Content
- Constraints
- Maintenance
- Metadata
Identification
- Identifier
- NRW_DS111816
- Alternative Title
-
- Identifying marine biodiversity hotspots in Wales
- Metadata Language
- English
- Lineage
-
A method was developed specifically for application to the territorial waters of Wales. This comprised four key stages: 1) data collation and quality assessment; 2) assessment of appropriate scale of grid cells; 3) analysis and generation of biodiversity measures; and 4) validation measures and confidence assessment. This project builds on previous studies at a UK-wide and regional level (Hiscock and Breckels 2007, Langmead et al. 2008) to develop an approach for identifying marine biodiversity hotspots and apply it to Wales' sea area. Confidence rating were applied in the final analysis, based on the quality and quantity of the data used and confidence GIS layers produced.
- Dataset Reference Date (Publication)
- 2010-03-31
Extent
Extent
- Geographic Extent
- Wales (WLS)
))
Vertical Extent
- Medin Extent Keyword
- benthic boundary layer
Distribution
Distribution
- Format Type and Description
-
-
Geographic Information System
(
)
- Specification
-
[B] A series of MapInfo GIS layers.
-
Documents
(
)
- Specification
-
A report in word and pdf format
-
Geographic Information System
(
)
Quality
Data quality
- Quality Scope
- Dataset
- Conformity
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services
- Explanation
-
This dataset has not been assessed for conformance to the referenced INSPIRE regulation.
- Degree
- false
- Lineage
-
A method was developed specifically for application to the territorial waters of Wales. This comprised four key stages: 1) data collation and quality assessment; 2) assessment of appropriate scale of grid cells; 3) analysis and generation of biodiversity measures; and 4) validation measures and confidence assessment. This project builds on previous studies at a UK-wide and regional level (Hiscock and Breckels 2007, Langmead et al. 2008) to develop an approach for identifying marine biodiversity hotspots and apply it to Wales' sea area. Confidence rating were applied in the final analysis, based on the quality and quantity of the data used and confidence GIS layers produced.
Keywords
Keywords
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Publication)
- 2008-06-01
Keywords
-
NRW Thesaurus
-
- Wales (see also specific counties)
- marine conservation (see also specific geographical areas or sites eg Skomer-marine protected areas,marine nature reserves)
- marine (maritime)
- biodiversity hotspots (or coldspots)
- marine protected areas(marine consultation areas)(sensitive marine areas)seealso marine conservation&marine nature reserve
- benthic species
- marine conservation zones (mcz)
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Publication)
- 2025-01-08
Keywords
-
SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Publication)
- 2024-06-19
Keywords
-
IPSV Subjects List
-
- Biodiversity
- Type
- Theme
Citation
- Date (Publication)
- 2020-11-18
Spatial Reference System
Content
Content Information
NRW Profile
Custom Elements
- NRW Related Title
-
Mapping marine benthic biodiversity in Wales
Constraints
Constraints
Limitations on Public Access and Use
- Restriction type
- Other restrictions
Access Constraints Directive
- Limitations
- no limitations
Access Constraints Text
- Other constraints
-
Part of this dataset is sensitive and restricted. The sensitive data is as follows; records of the species Ostrea edulis and Palinurus elephas. 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 2010. 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.
Attribution Statement
- Other constraints
-
Contains Natural Resources Wales information © Natural Resources Wales and Database Right. All rights Reserved.
Metadata
Metadata
- File Identifier
- 4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-313131383136 XML
- Metadata Language
- English
- Resource type
- Dataset
- Metadata Date
- 2026-03-03T12:00:29.031Z
- Metadata Standard Name
- NRW
- Metadata Standard Version
-
1.0