Identification

Title

2004 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Loch nam Madadh marine features Site Condition Monitoring inaugeration survey

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to initiate Site Condition Monitoring (SCM) of the Loch nam Madadh SAC qualifying features: large shallow inlet and bays, saline lagoons, intertidal and sublittoral reefs, intertidal sediment flats, and subtidal sandbanks. This survey was done to: (1) establish a baseline biological data set that would facilitate the assessment of the condition of the habitats in the future; and (2) to allow a judgement to be formed on the current condition of these habitats. The main approach taken to achieve these objectives was to perform a drop-down video survey of the biotopes of the SAC, concentrating on the sublittoral sediments, to characterise the infauna of the main sediment biotopes by means of grab and core sampling, and to perform surveys of the epibiota of rock, lagoon, maerl and Zostera biotopes along relocatable transects.

Resource type

dataset

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

GB-SCT-SNH-CMEU-000097-LM

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::4326

Additional information source

Moore, C.G., Saunders, G., Mair, J.M. and Lyndon, A.R. (2006). The inauguration of site condition monitoring of marine features of Loch Maddy Special Area of Conservation. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 152 (ROAME No. F02AA409).

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

biota

biota

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Keyword set

keyword value

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0

reference date

date type

revision

effective date

2008-01-06

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

SeaDataNet P021 parameter discovery vocabulary

reference date

date type

revision

effective date

2009-11-16

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

INSPIRE THEMES

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2011-02-16

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

GEMET

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2011-07-06

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

Global Change Master Directory Science Keywords V5

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2006-08-31

Keyword set

keyword value

originating controlled vocabulary

title

INSPIRE

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2017-05-12

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

-7.2517

East bounding longitude

-7.0745

North bounding latitude

57.6715

South bounding latitude

57.5877

Extent

Extent group

authority code

title

Charting Progress 2 Sea Areas

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2009-06-18

code identifying the extent

Minches & Western Scotland

Extent group

authority code

title

ICES Rectangles

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2009-05-01

code identifying the extent

44E2

Extent group

authority code

title

International Hydrographic Bureau, Limits of Oceans and Seas

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

1954-01-01

code identifying the extent

Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland

Extent group

authority code

title

ICES Statistical Areas

reference date

date type

creation

effective date

2014-05-16

code identifying the extent

VIa

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

2004-05-25

End position

2004-08-05

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2006-01-01

Frequency of update

notPlanned

Quality and validity

Lineage

Drop-down video, grab and core sampling, and relocatable transects were the three main methods used in this SCM baseline survey of Loch nam Madadh SAC features - sublittoral sediments, sediment biotope infauna, and epibiota of rock, lagoon, maerl, and Zostera biotopes. The fieldwork was performed in two phases: 25th May to 5th June and 17th July to 5th August 2004. Transect work was performed at 6 lagoon sites in a band 2m either side of the tape by two surveyors, one on each side, intertidally and subtidally. Transects were split into a series of zones defined by differences in composition of the biological community/substrate type. Within each zone the MNCR scale of abundance was used to record substrate type and biota within each zone. Video footage and digital stills were taken intertidally and subtidally to make representative visual recordings of the transect zones, with five replicate photoquadrats (0.25m2) taken intertidally. Mudflats were surveyed at two sites using the same method as described for lagoons. Additionally, at each survey station along the transect, eight replicate core samples of 10.3cm diameter and 20cm length were taken at random and pooled. Four replicate pooled samples were taken at one station of particular interest on each transect. Sediment was sieved and macrobenthos preserved for laboratory analysis. 1m2 dig-overs were used to supplement the abundance of macrobenthic infauna from core samples in-situ. At five rocky reef sites, transect surveys were performed from the top of the shore to subtidal sediment plains using the same methodology as for lagoons. Diving was carried out from the SNH RIB Aphrodite. At some sites the densities of Swiftia pallida and Caryophyllia smithii was determined. At tidal narrows, surveys were performed along transects at three tidal rapid sites. Drop-video work was done by SNH from the RIB Aphrodite at 73 sites to provide information on the distribution and diversity of the subtidal biotopes in the non-lagoonal region of the SAC. At each station the video was deployed from a drifting vessel for approximately 3 minutes. Time, depth, and precise start and end positioning were recorded for each drift. Video material from each station were processed in the laboratory, using the SACFOR scale of abundance where possible, and notes made on substrate and biota. Surveys of maerl beds at 4 sites were based on drop-down video survey footage and preliminary dives. At each site divers conducted a detailed examination of the area using a slightly modified MNCR phase 2 methodology. A hand-held digital video camera and still photographs were taken of the maerl and associated community to supplement real-time visual records and collections. Four replicate core samples were taken in areas of living maerl using a 10.3cm diameter corer to a depth of 20cm. The sediment was sieved and infauna extracted. An additional 20cm sediment core was taken for PSA analysis. A detailed examination of a Zostera bed was carried out using the same methodology as described for maerl beds. A subtidal sediment infaunal survey was conducted at 30 stations within the SAC. A single 0.1m2 van Veen grab sample was collected using the vessel RV Serpula at deeper stations. A subsample of each grab was taken for PSA. At shallower stations the SNH RIB Aphrodite was used to deploy divers who collected eight replicate core samples for infaunal analysis and one long sediment core for PSA analysis.

Conformity

Conformity report

specification

title

MEDIN data guideline for sediment sampling by grab or core for benthos

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2011-02-02

degree

true

explanation

See the referenced specification

Conformity report

specification

title

MEDIN data guideline for video surveys of species and benthos.

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2018-01-23

degree

true

explanation

See the referenced specification

Data format

name of format

version of format

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Use constraints

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/

Constraint set

Limitations on public access

no restrictions to public access

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

Consultant

organisation name

email address

c.g.moore@hw.ac.uk

responsible party role

originator

Responsible party

contact position

Data Manager

organisation name

Scottish Natural Heritage, Inverness

email address

data_supply@nature.scot

responsible party role

custodian

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact

contact position

Data Manager

organisation name

Scottish Natural Heritage, Inverness

email address

data_supply@nature.scot

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata date

2019-08-07

Metadata language

eng