2014 NERC Marine Renewable Energy Knowledge Exchange Project. Ecosystem services mapping in the Severn estuary and inner Bristol Channel
The study aimed to assess and map the delivery of key ecosystem services (ES) within the greater Severn estuary and Bristol Channel. The project aimed to provide a tool for stakeholders, regulators and the marine renewable industry to support decision making in the region. Identification of hotspots for key ES was intended to provide developers with an insight into locations with a high consenting risk.
dataset
DASSHDT00000075
eng
urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::4326
structure
elevation
geoscientificInformation
biota
biota
transportation
revision
2008-01-06
revision
2009-11-16
-3.9840
-2.3031
51.8340
51.0672
creation
2009-06-18
Western Channel and Celtic Sea
2014-09-01
2019-08-08
publication
2014-12-01
notPlanned
Six ecosystem services and related benefits were selected for supply level mapping, chosen by the project steering group from the known services provided by the Severn estuary and the inner Bristol Channel: Carbon sequestration (regulating service) Food alleviation (regulating service) Fish - migratory fish (provisioning service) Wet archaeology (cultural service) Sense of place (cultural service) Port and shipping (carrier service) Levels of supply were then established based on those described in "Potts, T., Jackson, E., Burdon, D., Saunders, J., Atkins, J., Hastings, E. and Langmead, O. 2013. Marine Protected Areas and Ecosystem Services â Linking Conservation and Human Welfare? Unpublished report of the NERC-funded Valuing Nature Network, January 2013, UEA, Norwich.29pp" and "Potts, T., Burdon, D., Jackson, E., Atkins, J., Saunders, J., Hastings, E., Langmead, O., 2013a. Do marine protected areas deliver flows of ecosystem services to support human welfare? Marine Policy 2013." 5 - Significant contribution 4 - moderate contribution (literature referenced) 3 - moderate contribution (expert opinion) 2 - low contribution (literature referenced) 1 - low contribution (expert opinion) GIS mapping - completed using ESRI ArcGIS 10. The region was divided into 10km2 hexagonal "planning" cells. Habitat, species presence and bathymetry were the key environmental variables responsible for determining the delivery of environmental benefits. Habitat and species data were supplied from MESH, JNCC and Natural England, and a habitat / species confidence score assigned to each cell based on data availability: 1 - Least detailed. Data provided from JNCC UKSeaMap. Broad-scale predicted (modelled) substrate types derived in the absence of full surveys. 2 - Next most detailed. Data provided actual substrate type from derived surveys. 3 - Most detailed level. Data derived from surveys containing sediment type, tidal information and species presence. Bathymetry data - derived from admiralty charts from EDINA. Less than 2m, 5m and more than 5m contours were digitised.
Acknowledgement of report reference must be given: Ashley, M.C. Ecosystem service mapping in the Severn estuary and inner Bristol Channel. Report for NERC Marine Renewable Energy Knowledge Exchange Project. September 2014, RSPB and Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth 99pp
Public access but acknowledgement must be given.
Post Doctoral Researcher
Plymouth University Marine Institute
originator
Data Manager
Data Archive for Seabed Species and Habitats (DASSH)
Marine Biological Association of the UK, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill
Plymouth
PL1 2PB
01752 633102
01752 633291
custodian
Data Manager
Data Archive for Seabed Species and Habitats (DASSH)
Marine Biological Association of the UK, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill
Plymouth
PL1 2PB
01752 633102
01752 633291
pointOfContact
2019-08-08