GeoHab Meeting
Background
As part of the ICES Workshop on
Deep-Seabed Survey Technology (WKDSST) held in Bergen, Norway from
January 31 to February 2, 2001, a Steering Committee was established
to prepare a preliminary document on a pilot project to link acoustic
seabed mapping to marine biology. Tom Noji, chair of the ICES Workshop,
circulated a final report dated March 27, 2001. Anthony Grehan, Chair
of the Steering Committee, circulated to committee members a document
outlining the scope of a possible project. (Please refer to Appendix
1).
A follow-up meeting was held on May 31, 2001 at the Geological Survey
of Canada (Atlantic) in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada. The attached
table lists the members of the Steering Committee, as well as the
attendees at the Dartmouth meeting. The Dartmouth attendees decided to
adopt the pseudo-acronym “GeoHab” for “geological habitat
mapping”.
This document outlines the topics and discussion at the 2001 GeoHab
Meeting. The next GeoHab meeting is scheduled to be hosted at the Moss
Landing Marine Laboratories, Monterey Bay, California at the beginning
of May, 2002. Our contact person for this meeting is Gary Greene.
GeoHab meeting objectives
The objective of the GeoHab meeting was to bring together scientists
interested in the development of new thematic maps linking acoustic
mapping and geological sampling to marine biology in a GIS environment
to underpin sustainable ocean management. The specific topics of
discussion were:
1.
New thematic maps - useful for fisheries management,
biodiversity management, and the assessment of future marine protected
areas (MPAs)
2.
Standardization of
maps through the creation of a glossary of terms
3.
Provide management performance measures for MPAs, etc.
4. Technological development, standards, quality control, etc.
5.
Identify existing metadata sources relevant to habitat mapping
Meeting
discussion
1. Review results of the ICES Workshop in
Bergen
At ICES meetings in general, the need for geoscience in understanding
marine habitat is recognized, but marine biology is, understandably,
the predominant topic. The Bergen workshop added a strong geoscience
component which was welcomed by the GeoHab attendees.
2. Metadata bases
Alan and Terje described EU-SEASED (http://www.eu-seased.net), the
internet database of metadata on sea floor sediment samples held at
European institutions. Gary supported the idea of stronger
international links through awareness of databases. Scott described an
Australian website concerned with metadata. An inventory of data
sources useful to GeoHab needs to be assembled. ACTION:
It was concluded that any databases or websites that GeoHab members
consider applicable should be brought to Alan’s attention and he
will establish a link through EU-SEASED. Terje suggested that the
marine biological community should consider establishing a similar
metadata base and that it be linked with EU-SEASED. He noted that the
establishment of EU-SEASED was conducted as a “concerted action”,
and that 100% funding is available for such projects.
3. Mapping
terminology and standards
Both Gary and Dick suggested that, prior to GeoHab 2002, a glossary of
terms related to habitat mapping be prepared for critical review at
the meeting. Paramount is a discussion among GeoHab members of our
working definition of the word “habitat”. The glossary is
envisioned as being pictorial with accompanying text, suitable for
web-based distribution. The glossary developed by GeoHab could become
widely used in the mapping community, as well as legislatively. ACTION:
Gary, Vlad, Scott and Brian will develop a habitat mapping glossary
and distribute it to GeoHab members by April, 2002 for discussion at
the May, 2002 meeting.
Guidelines for mapping methodology, encompassing the process from
project design to map products, should be tabled for discussion. The
scale of mapping is an important and possibly contentious issue. The
marine geological and biological sciences work at different scales and
resolutions; this must be reconciled. ACTION:
Brian and David will produce these guidelines by March, 2002 and will
circulate the documentation to the GeoHab membership for opinions and
suggestions.
4. Proposal for
international project
Appendix 1 provides two possible titles for an international habitat
mapping project, namely:
a)
Development of new thematic maps linking acoustic mapping to
biology in a GIS environment to underpin sustainable management, or
b)
Application of acoustic mapping as a tool for ocean management.
Chris
Cogan pointed out in an e-mail message prior to the meeting that
mapping should not be considered the central focus of any proposal
arising from GeoHab; he prefers the longer title because it specifies
using mapping as a tool to achieve certain objectives. Other
suggestions were to use the word “integration”, “sea floor”
instead of “acoustic”, and “ocean management and sustainable
development”. Terje cautioned that “ocean management” may be too
general a term for the EU. Another suggestion was that the word
“resources” be added to the title.
Alan pointed out that any EU proposal will require letters of support
from industry, based on previous experience.
5. Summary of present habitat mapping-related projects
a) Canada
SeaMap is Canada’s proposed national mapping strategy (seamap.bio.ns.ca).
Data sets include multibeam bathymetry, backscatter, sediment
distribution and thickness, and benthic assemblages. Map products are
bathymetry, surficial geology and habitat.
b) European Community
The European Marine Sediment Information Network (EUMARSIN) project
aims to provide a tool to assist integrated management of the European
coastal and marine environment (www.eu-seased.net).
The information will be based on the marine sediment metadata banks of
the Geological Surveys of the EU countries and Norway. The
metadatabase will consist of sedimentological, bathymetric and
analytical data. One of the many objectives of the projects is to
develop the marine sediment data and their geochemical,
sedimentological and bathymetric analyses into meta‑data banks
and to organize a system for disseminating these data products to
potential users.
c) Norway
The MAREANO project has been submitted to the Norwegian government (http://www.ngu.no/prosjekter/mareano).
Data sets will include bathymetry, sediment distribution and thickness,
benthic assemblages, sedimentary processes and geochemistry. Products
will be available as web-based GIS spatial databases.
d) United Kingdom
The JNCC habitat mapping covers the 12 to 200 mile limit. The existing
1:250,000 geological maps are used to produce habitat maps and a
database. The ICZ mapping focuses on coastal issues, ranging up to 5
to 20 km offshore.
e) United States
NOAA and the USGS have a long-standing marine habitat mapping
collaboration. Recently, the Pilot Census of Marine Life project (http://www.whoi.edu/marinecensus/)
is focusing on the Gulf of Maine. On the California coast, Moss
Landing Marine Laboratory has developed habitat mapping techniques
with the long-term goal of applying the methodology to the American
west coast.
With the endorsement of the Gulf of Maine Council for the Marine
Environment a joint USA-Canadian initiative (GoMAP) for the complete
ocean mapping of the Gulf of Maine is under consideration. Partners in
this initiative include GSC, DFO, USGS and NOAA, as well as state and
provincial agencies.
f) Australia
The National Oceans Office has instituted regional marine planning to
study and preserve biodiversity on the continental margin to the 200
nautical mile limit. Environment Australia has a marine protection
program for identifying relatively small areas.
6. Recommendations for Monterey 2002
A number of aspects of the next annual GeoHab meeting in Monterey in
2002 were discussed. The consensus was that the meeting be two days in
duration and that Wednesday, May 1 was agreed as the likely start date.
The format of the first day of the meeting would encompass a number of
20 minute-long presentations of habitat mapping examples. The business
meeting would be held on the second day. There is an array of local
sites/institutions that are of great interest to GeoHab members, and
pre- or post-meeting visits will be investigated over the winter
months.
The need to include key individuals, not presently associated with
GeoHab, from a variety of countries was discussed. The following is an
informal list:
Ireland - Deepak Inmandar, Geological Survey of Ireland
?, Irish Marine Institute
Australia
- Roland Pilcher, CSIRO
- Rudy Kloser, CSIRO
UK
-
Brian Bett, Southampton Oceanography Centre
- Craig Brown, CEFAS
USA
- Peter Barnes, US Geological Survey
- Jim Gardner, USGS
- Mary Yoklavitch, NOAA
- Waldo Wakefield, NOAA
It
is worthwhile noting that there was also discussion about keeping the
GeoHab numbers small and manageable. With the possibility of a
GeoHab-sponsored scientific meeting in two years time, a wider group
of people could then be targeted to contribute. In the interim, it was
agreed that GeoHab should be present on the World Wide Web. ACTION:
A web presence for
GeoHab will be developed through the assistance of Terje and the
Geological Survey of Norway.
Appendix 1
EU Concerted Action (support for
networking) or Full blown RTD proposal for Final Marine Ecosystem Call.
Possible
titles?
Development
of new thematic maps linking acoustic mapping to biology in a GIS
environment to underpin sustainable management.
or
Application
of acoustic mapping as a tool for ocean management
Steering
Committee
Cogan, Christopher
ccogan@awi-bremerhaven.de
Cutter,
Randy
gcutter@hopper.unh.edu
Davies, Jon
Fossa,
Jan Helga
jan.helge.fossaa@imr.no
Geoghegan, Michael geoghegm@tec.irlgov.ie
Green,
Gary
greene@mlml.calstate.edu
Grehan, Anthony anthony.grehan@nuigalway.ie
Longva, Oddvar
Pickrill, Dick
pickrill@agc.bio.ns.ca
Santos, Ricardo
ricardo@horta.uac.pt
Thorsnes,
Terje
Terje.Thorsnes@ngu.no
Todd,
Brian
todd@agc.bio.ns.ca
Valentine,
Page
pvalentine@usgs.gov
Objectives
1)
New thematic maps useful for management in:
-
fisheries
- biodiversity
2)
Standardisation through creation of a glossary of terms
3)
Provide management performance measures for MPA’s etc.
4)
Technological development, standards, quality control, etc.
5)
Identify existing meta-data sources relevant to habitat mapping
Apply
thematic maps to different physiographic zones
Refer
to COSTA strategy identifying physiographic zones.
Depth
-
Fjord
- Coast
- Shelf
- Slope
- Deep-Sea
Latitudinal
1.
High
2. Temporal
3. Tropical
4. Mediterranean
Types of Maps
Basic
Thematic Map Types
1. Bathymetry
- Sedimentary environments
- Predictive benthic habitat/biology
Important Biology Control Parameters
1.
Hydrographic – temp., current
(energy)
2.
Depth
3.
Substrate
4.
Organic material flux/particle transport (nutrients)
Static/dynamic
raw data and interpretative data levels
2.
Static Raw Data Levels
5.
Bathymetry
Recent
advances in remote sensing technologies facilitate the production of
high resolution bathymetric maps.
Data Generation
1)
Data mining
2)
Shallow water remote sensing techniques
3)
Deeper water acoustic remote sensing techniques
Development
of map interpretation standards -
educational need
2. Remote Sensing using Acoustic Backscatter
Remote
sensing techniques used for bathymetric mapping also generate
additional useful information (e.g. multi-beam backscatter)
3.
Ground Truthing
Required
for both sediment and biology
B) Interpreted
Data Levels
1.
Morphological map
2. 3-D backscatter
representation
3.
Substrate map
-
Combine Map 2 with other geological/geophysical survey techniques
4.
Major geological features
5.
Mesoscale Biology
- Gross biological characterisation at level of visible megafauna
C)
Dynamic Levels
1.
Hydrography
2.
Sediment transport
6.
Nutrient flux
Types of
Products
1.
Hazard maps
2.
Essential fish habitat maps
3.
MPA designation
Note:
Predator-prey relationships can be mapped out.
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