AndreaBozzo/ceres-open-data-index huggingface dataset:
2005 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Firth of Lorn SAC rocky reefs site condition monitoring survey

The Firth of Lorn has been selected as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for the marine feature (reefs) an Annex I habitat under the 1992 Habitats Directive. The chief reason for the selection of this site is that the varied physical environment, with its complex group of islands, sounds and inlets characterised by some of the strongest tidal streams in the UK, is reflected in the great variety of reef types and associated communities and species which are amongst the most diverse in both the UK and Europe. The purpose of the current study was to initiate site condition monitoring of the intertidal and subtidal reef habitats within the SAC, establish a baseline biological data set that would facilitate the assessment of the condition of the reef habitats in the future and allow a judgement to be formed on the current condition of these habitats. A hierarchical biological sampling approach was adopted to achieve these aims. An extensive drop-down video survey of subtidal biotopes (habitats and associated species) was undertaken together with more detailed semi-quantitative and quantitative sampling of intertidal and nearshore subtidal reefs and their associated communities.

Organization: Marine Environmental Data & Information Network
2011 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) biological analyses of Marine Scotland Science (MSS) Little Loch Broom Leptometra celtica benthic camera survey

The purpose of this benthic survey (cruise 1511A) in Little Loch Broom was to improve knowledge of the occurrence and distribution of species and habitats of recognised conservation importance, particularly priority marine features (PMFs). An underwater video and still photograph survey was conducted by MSS for MSS on the 2nd November 2011 to collect detailed biological information on the seabed species and habitat features present. Drop-down video drift tows were undertaken at 9 sites within the loch. The images, analysed under SNH contract by Dr Colin Moore, were used to describe the nature of the seabed in terms of the physical structure and the species assemblages. MSS used the vessel MRV Alba na Mara for this survey - footage was collected from East Shiant Bank and the Little Minch on the same cruise.

Organization: Marine Environmental Data & Information Network
2011 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) biological analyses of Marine Scotland (MS) Southern Trench benthic camera and grab survey

The purpose of this benthic survey in the Southern Trench, Outer Moray Firth, was to identify the presence of any other priority marine features (PMFs) or MPA search features such as burrowed mud biotopes and ocean quahog (arctica islandica) communities in the shelf deep area. An underwater video and still photograph survey was conducted by Heriot-Watt University and SNH for MS between the 6th and 11th September 2011 to collect detailed biological information on the seabed species and habitat features present. Drop-down video drift tows were undertaken at 74 sites within the Southern Trench shelf deep area. The images and infaunal samples, analysed under SNH contract by Heriot-Watt University, were used to describe the nature of the seabed in terms of the physical structure and the species assemblages. An infaunal grab survey was also undertaken on this survey at a subset of 20 drop-down video stations, selected to target areas of historic records of shelf deep habitat and where PMFs were most likely to occur with the overall aim of gaining a broader understanding of the habitat type and assist in biotope assignment. The vessel RV Alba na Mara was used for this survey - samples were also collected from Noss Head on the same cruise.

Organization: Marine Environmental Data & Information Network
2004 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Dornoch Firth cSAC estuarine environments site condition monitoring survey

Grab samples were taken along the length of the Firth from Kincardine to Gizzen Briggs. Drop down video was used, primarily to assess the extent and location of Mytilus edulis. Detailed diver surveys were carried out on areas of mussel bed, and cobble and pebble areas with diverse epifauna. Transects and core samples were carried out in the intertidal.
            9 events and 109 samples are entered in Marine Recorder.

Organization: Marine Environmental Data & Information Network
2005 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Loch Torridon and Inner Sound ROV survey

To help target marine nature conservation in Scotland, SNH and JNCC have generated a focused list of habitats and species of importance in Scottish waters - the Priority Marine Features (PMFs).  A subset of these features (termed MPA search features) will drive the identification of Nature Conservation MPAs. The principal aim of the present investigation was to improve knowledge of the occurrence and distribution of species and habitats of recognised conservation importance in Scottish waters, especially PMFs, but also taking into consideration other importance measures.  This was to be achieved through the analysis of seabed video and still photographic imagery collected during research cruises around Scotland carried out by various organisations between 2000 and 2012. This Marine Recorder record contains an ROV survey of habitats in Loch Torridon and the adjacent region of the Inner Sound in 2005.

Organization: Marine Environmental Data & Information Network
2009 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) biological analyses of Marine Scotland Science (MSS) Kyle Rhea seabed camera survey

The purpose of this benthic survey in the southern region of Kyle Rhea was to improve knowledge of the occurrence and distribution of species and habitats of recognised conservation importance, particularly priority marine features (PMFs). An underwater video and still photograph survey was conducted by MSS for MSS on the 5th October 2009 to collect detailed biological information on the seabed species and habitat features present. Drop-down video drift tows were undertaken at 1 site in the area. The images, analysed under SNH contract by Dr Colin Moore, were used to describe the nature of the seabed in terms of the physical structure and the species assemblages.

Organization: Marine Environmental Data & Information Network
2003 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Berwickshire and North Northumberland Coast littoral and sublittoral cave survey

The shore and inshore waters from St Abbs Head to Alnmouth, including the Farne Islands, comprise an area of unusually high marine habitat diversity which is of international importance under Annex I of the Habitats Directive. The site has been selected for its extensive and diverse reef habitats, range of littoral mudflat and sandflat communities, and submerged and partly submerged sea caves. It is a mandatory requirement of SACs that monitoring of a site is carried out (site condition monitoring) to identify deterioration in the condition of the feature(s) for which the cSAC has been established.
          The purpose of this survey was to initiate site condition monitoring of the Submerged or Partly Submerged Sea Caves feature of the Berwickshire and North Northumberland Coast cSAC. Under a Memorandum of Agreement with English Nature the survey included specified sublittoral cave locations throughout the cSAC, but the littoral component of the monitoring work was to only cover the Scottish sector of the site. The approach taken was to establish a series of relocatable profile stations within selected cave or tunnel sites, reflecting the biological and environmental diversity of the cave feature. The aim being to build on previous Berwickshire and North Northumberland cave studies, with the main emphasis on establishing re-locatable monitoring stations and gathering field data from each station at a Phase 2 level.

Organization: Marine Environmental Data & Information Network
2003 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Papa Stour Reef and Cave Site Condition Monitoring Survey

The purpose of this survey was to establish re-locatable monitoring stations and gather baseline field data from each station at a Marine Nature Conservation Review (MNCR) Phase 2 level of recording. The two principle objectives being to gather sufficient data to form judgement on the current condition of the interest features of the sites, and to establish a baseline biological dataset that will facilitate future site condition monitoring surveys of the Papa Stour caves and reefs features. To achieve this goal, the survey methodology included several elements: 1) marking and measurement of reef and cave transects, to facilitate their re-location and the production of near-scale transect diagrams; 2) recording of epibiota to MNCR Phase 2 level within defined re-locatable areas representative of each habitat identified at the transect; 3) production of a video and/or photographic stills record of: a) the extent and distribution of substrata and habitats within the transect, and b) the extent and distribution of epibiota and biotopes within each transect; 4) a remote video survey using a drop-down camera system to record the extent and distribution of substrata, habitats, epibiota and biotopes at survey stations. The outcome of this work was a total of five cave transects (all sublittoral) and ten reef transects (ten littoral and nine sublittoral) surveyed, in addition to which five sublittoral sites were sampled remotely using the drop-down video system.

Organization: Marine Environmental Data & Information Network
2003 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Vadills lagoon cSAC site condition monitoring survey

The Vadills is a complex of interconnected lagoonal basins on the west coast of Shetland at the head of Brindister Voe, some 10km to the east of Papa Stour.  At the time of the survey the site was a candidate Special Area of Conservation (cSAC) under the EC Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) on the basis of its Annex 1 habitat lagoons. The cSAC also encompasses The Vadills SSSI, notified for its lagoonal shores and tidal rapids.
            The aim was to initiate the monitoring of the Vadills cSAC, with the main emphasis being on establishing re-locatable monitoring stations and gathering field data from each station at a Marine Nature Conservation Review (MNCR) Phase 2 level of recording.
            The survey included the following elements:
            In situ recording using divers or intertidal surveyors to:
            establish re-locatable transects to cover both lagoonal and tidal narrows features as a basis for survey and monitoring;
            record epibiota to MNCR Phase 2 level within spatially defined biological zones identified along the length of the transect;
            obtain a video and stills photographic record of: a) the extent and distribution of substrata and habitats within each transect site, and b) the extent and distribution of epibiota and biotopes within the same sites.
            Survey work took place in August 2003, and eleven transects were established and surveyed (7 Lagoon Transects and 4 Tidal narrows transects.  Where possible, each transect extended across the littoral zone into the sublittoral, and sheltered lagoonal transects as well as tidal narrows transects were studied.  All of which were easily re-locatable and with evenly sloping terrain, extending for up to 100m from the supralittoral start point to the sublittoral end point.

Organization: Marine Environmental Data & Information Network
2012 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) biological analyses of Marine Scotland Science (MSS) south-west Islay benthic camera survey

The purpose of this benthic survey (cruise 1012S) south-west of the island of Islay was to improve knowledge of the occurrence and distribution of species and habitats of recognised conservation importance, particularly priority marine features (PMFs), because this area is one of the sites of interest to the development of marine renewables. The installation of tidal energy devices off Islay was proposed at the time of this survey. A further aim was to assess the implications of this planned renewable energy development on the features of importance. An underwater video survey were conducted by MSS for MSS on the 18-31st August 2012 to collect detailed biological information on the seabed species and habitat features present. Drop-down video drift tows were undertaken at 40 sites. Analyses on the seabed video and still photographic imagery, commissioned by SNH, were used to describe the nature of the seabed in terms of the physical structure and the species assemblages. MSS used the vessel FRV Scotia for this survey.

Organization: Marine Environmental Data & Information Network
2010 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Ullapool Approaches benthic survey

The purpose of this benthic survey of the Ullapool Approaches was to carry out a validation survey of the multiple priority marine features (PMFs)previously recorded within the area, to record new instances of PMFs and to detect unrecorded PMFs within the area. The survey area of Ullapool Approaches extends from the southern entrance to Loch Gairloch to Loch an Altain Duibh in the north. The study area consisted the four main loch systems - Loch Gairloch, Loch Ewe, Loch Broom and Little Loch Broom. An underwater video and still photograph survey was conducted by Heriot-Watt University (HWU) for SNH between the 20th July and 24th of August 2010 to contribute to a broad scale assessment of the distribution and extent of PMFs, in combination with more detailed, localised surveys of maerl, flameshell, seagrass, oyster, blue mussel, horse mussel and sea loch egg wrack beds. Drop-down video drift tows were undertaken at 245 sites in the area mainly from the vessel RV Serpula but also from a faster vessel MV Rebecca Ann to survey more distant offshore sites and the Summer Isles. The images, analysed under SNH contract by Heriot-Watt University, were used to describe the nature of the seabed in terms of the physical structure and the species assemblages. An infaunal and multi-grab survey were also undertaken in the area at 28 sites and 24 sites, respectively. Localised surveys were undertaken at a number of sites using mini-video, spot dives and MNCR phase 2 survey methods.

Organization: Marine Environmental Data & Information Network
2012 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Luce Bay benthic camera and grab survey of marine features within the SAC

The purpose of this benthic survey in the Luce Bay was to conduct a targeted survey on the extent, distribution and quality of  benthic habitats in the Luce Bay and Sands SAC. A drop-down video survey at 138 locations was undertaken in stages between 10th July and 10th September 2012, to investigate benthic habitats, together with a foot based intertidal survey on 4th August 2012 to map the extent of Sabellaria alveolata reefs. Areas where existing evidence suggested the presence of Modiolus and maerl communities were also investigated. Sampling was also undertaken across the site where no previous seabed data has previously been acquired to enhance the existing knowledge base. A benthic grab survey was undertaken on 9th â 10th June 2013 at 16 stations to determine the biotopes of some of the soft sediment areas identified during the drop down camera survey. This survey work in 2012 and 2013 was undertaken by Seastar Survey Ltd, contracted by SNH, from Seastar Survey's own vessel SV Otarie (drop-video) and from a local fishing vessel (grab).

Organization: Marine Environmental Data & Information Network
2007 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Luce Bay (Scotland) sublittoral broad-scale mapping survey

Luce Bay and Sands SAC is a broad, shallow embayment on the south-west coast of Scotland. The site has been designated for four qualifying Annex I habitat types Large shallow inlets and bays, Sandbanks which are slightly covered by seawater at all times, Intertidal mudflats and sandflats and Reefs. The aim of this project was to derive broadscale maps for the intertidal and subtidal Annex 1 habitats within the SAC. Because of the size of Luce Bay, it was decided that remote sensing supported by ground truthing of the data would be the most cost-effective way of mapping the habitats within the site. The intertidal would be surveyed using satellite imaging and the sublittoral environment would be surveyed using acoustic survey. Ground truthing would be undertaken by direct observation, where access allowed, in the intertidal and by a combination of video observation and grab sampling in the sublittoral.

Organization: Marine Environmental Data & Information Network
2007 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) broad-scale mapping and development of site condition monitoring protocols at five west coast of Scotland intertidal sites

Many of the notified marine features of SSSI lie outwith the current suite of marine SAC and have yet to be subject to marine condition monitoring assessments. The principal aim of this research was to formulate cost-effective and pragmatic solutions to the future monitoring of SSSI along with other intertidal marine features of interest that would meet the requirements of agreed monitoring standards. Specific objectives of the research were to:
     • derive biotope maps of each site to show the location of features, biotopes and species
     of interest;
     • establish an appropriate baseline biological dataset that will permit an assessment of
     current site condition, and be a basis for comparison with future monitoring surveys;
     • develop simple cost-effective survey methods and guidance that could be used in the
     future by non-specialist staff, and which would be suitable for each of the study sites
     and any specific features therein;
     • in addition to the designated features within each site, develop guidance for monitoring
     egg wrack Ascophyllum nodosum ecad mackaii and beds of eel grass Zostera noltii
     and Zostera angustifolia.
     Five SSSI and one SAC with marine interest features were chosen by SNH for study; these were Taynish Woods SSSI, Ulva, Danna and the McCormaig Isles SSSI, Mòine Mhór SAC, Bridgend Flats SSSI, Gruinart Flats SSSI and Gribun Shore and Crags SSSI. These sites covered a wide range of intertidal features for which sites around Scotland have been notified or designated. Survey work was undertaken in August 2007, with a short break due to movement restrictions imposed on agricultural land during the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease.

Organization: Marine Environmental Data & Information Network
2010 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) biological analyses of Marine Scotland Science (MSS) Tiree seabed camera survey

The purpose of this benthic survey to the northwest of Tiree was to improve knowledge of the occurrence and distribution of species and habitats of recognised conservation importance, particularly priority marine features (PMFs), and to ground-truth multibeam data. An underwater video and still photograph survey was conducted by MSS for MSS between the 14th and 16th of May 2010 to collect detailed biological information on the seabed species and habitat features present. Drop-down video drift tows were undertaken at 16 sites in the area. The images, analysed under SNH contract by Dr Colin Moore, were used to describe the nature of the seabed in terms of the physical structure and the species assemblages.

Organization: Marine Environmental Data & Information Network
2010 onwards Natural Resources Wales Skomer MCZ Zooplankton Time Series

Time series of consistent plankton samples taken using a Zooplankton net (200um mesh) from a single point on the North side of Skomer Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ). The net is hauled vertically from 40m and the methods used are designed to replicated the methods used by PML at the L4 plankton sampling station.

Organization: Marine Environmental Data & Information Network
2010 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) biological analyses of Marine Scotland Science (MSS) West Mainland Orkney seabed camera survey

The purpose of this benthic survey off the west of mainland Orkney was to improve knowledge of the occurrence and distribution of species and habitats of recognised conservation importance, particularly priority marine features (PMFs), and to ground-truth multibeam data. An underwater video and still photograph survey was conducted by MSS for MSS between the 9th and 11th of September 2010 to collect detailed biological information on the seabed species and habitat features present. Drop-down video drift tows were undertaken at 25 sites in the area. The images, analysed under SNH contract by Dr Colin Moore, were used to describe the nature of the seabed in terms of the physical structure and the species assemblages.

Organization: Marine Environmental Data & Information Network
2004 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) North-West Scotland subtidal seagrass beds survey

Survey to determine the scale of the subtidal seagrass resource present along the north-west coast of Scotland (within the SNH North Highland area).  The results of work will support the on-going delivery of SNHâs statutory marine nature conservation remit.
            The study area extends from Greenstone Point in Gruinard Bay to Sheigra near Kinlochbervie.  Predominantly rocky, rugged coastline interspersed with large embayments, sealochs and scattered small islands.  Open outer coast is exposed to considerable wave action, sealochs are protected by sills or narrows and are very sheltered. 
            A series of 28 areas were targetted during the survey.
            - Bathyscope (Glass-bottomed bucket) was used for rapid assessment of presence of seagrass in clear shallow waters (~4-5m max.) where visability was such that a rapid assessment of benthic habitats could be made over the side of the survey vessel.
            - Drop-down video equipment was used in water depths greater than 5m or where sea conditions precluded the use of a bathyscope. A total of 56 separate drop-down video drops/ short tows were taken of between 1-3 minutes duration. Footage was recorded onto miniDV tapes. Field notes detailing site number, position, depth, time and conspicuous habitat features were taken for all drop-video sampling sites on standardised recording forms. Video footage was logged. Video footage was analysed using freeze-frame, slow motion and standard play speed to identify as many conspicuous species as possible and a determination of broad substrate type. Species abundance was measured to SACFOR or percentage cover where practicable. Species determination referenced Howson and Picton (1997). Records were tagged with biotopes with reference to MNCR biotope classification version 04.05  for subtidal sediments an infralittoral rock (97.06 version for other habitats).
            - Still photography was an integral part of the survey and surface digital photographs were taken throughout. A small number of sublittoral habitat shots were taken whilst snorkelling. Photography was logged. Two still images were also extracted from each sample site.
            - Snorkelling was undertaken where vessel access was restricted.
            Positional information was recorded from dGPS in the field as British National Grid format (OSGB36 datum) and validated against downloaded Latitude and Longitude coordiante pairs (WGS84 datum).
            The data is structured into 4 Events and 56 Samples

Organization: Marine Environmental Data & Information Network