Scottish Natural Heritage Sound of Barra (SoB) SAC Site Condition Monitoring
The aim of this SCM work is to improve knowledge of the current condition of the maerl and coarse sediment habitats on the eastern side of the Sound of Barra SAC, following its designation in 2013. The first of a series of SCM work consisted of quantitative drop-down video surveys as well as the collection of 72 infaunal grab samples and granulometry samples for Particle Size Analysis (PSA) in 2016. Sampling locations are randomly selected within nine depth stratified sampling boxes.
series
GB-SCT-SNH-CMEU-SCM-SoB
eng
urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::4326
biota
biota
revision
2008-01-06
revision
2009-11-16
creation
2011-02-16
creation
2011-07-06
creation
2006-08-31
creation
2017-05-12
-7.4434
-7.1947
57.1803
56.9262
creation
2009-06-18
Minches & Western Scotland
creation
2009-05-01
42E2
creation
2009-05-01
43E2
2016-04-19
2022-12-20
publication
2017-12-31
notPlanned
The Sound of Barra Special Area of Conservation (SAC) was designated in 2013 to afford protection for the marine features Sandbanks which are slightly covered by sea water all the time, Reefs, and Harbour seal populations. Survey work has been undertaken to improve knowledge of the habitats and species that occur in these sites and to monitor the features of interest within these sites to allow for temporal analysis of the protected features. In 2016, infaunal grab and Particle Size Analysis (PSA) samples (using a 0.1m2 Day grab) and DDV run data were collected from randomly selected locations - largely dependent on tidal/wind conditions - within nine pre-defined target survey boxes placed inside and outside the Sound of Barra SAC. Sampling was restricted to within the boxes to reduce variability and increase the statistical power for assessing a change in biological communities over time. Note: some of the areas such as S7 and S8 had not been surveyed previously. Therefore this project serves a secondary purpose - to increase our knowledge of the extent and distribution of the subtidal habitats in this area. This series of SCM surveys serves to provide 1) information to underpin future status assessments of the Sound of Barra SAC, and 2) as part of a programme for refining the distribution of Habitat Directive Annex I habitats.
publication
2011-02-02
true
See the referenced specification
publication
2018-01-23
true
See the referenced specification
Not suitable for use in navigation; SNH copyright data which is available for re-use under government licence terms: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/
no restrictions to public access
Data Manager
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Headquaters
Great Glen House, Leachkin Road
Inverness
IV3 8NW
01463 725000
originator
Data Manager
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Headquaters
Great Glen House, Leachkin Road
Inverness
IV3 8NW
01463 725000
custodian
Data Manager
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Headquaters
Great Glen House, Leachkin Road
Inverness
IV3 8NW
01463 725000
pointOfContact
2022-12-20