Identification of Sublittoral Rock, Littoral Sediment and Littoral Rock Biotopes from Community Analysis Results

Contract Title: Identification of Sublittoral Rock, Littoral Sediment and Littoral Rock biotopes from community analysis results • Project Aim • The aim of this work is to ensure new or revised sublittoral rock, littoral sediment and littoral rock biotopes have been correctly identified from data and represent real communities that occur in the field. Biotopes should meet set criteria outlined in the 'Distinguishing and defining types' section of Connor et. al (2004) . • Background JNCC is undertaking a project, in collaboration the CNCB s, the Environment Agency, Agri Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBINI) and Cefas to improve coverage of the Marine Habitat Classification for Britain and Ireland (JNCC, 2015). We have analysed new and old survey data together to identify new biotopes and existing ones in need of revision. JNCC are revising existing sections of the classification in turn. Having recently completed a draft update to the Sublittoral Sediment section we are now ready to move on to Sublittoral Rock, Littoral Sediment and Littoral Rock. To date for these sections, we have collated data for analysis, and identified communities using cluster analysis and ordination using R. JNCC now wish to contract one or more benthic experts to review the results of community analysis, match the community clusters with biotopes in the classification and identify and describe the clusters that represent new biotopes. Depending on contractors' expertise, JNCC may select a single contractor to work on Sublittoral Rock, Littoral Sediment and Littoral Rock, or different contractors for each of these three broad habitats. In addition, (for Sublittoral Rock, only), over the years since the last classification revision, new biotope proposals have been submitted to JNCC by users who have recorded a community they don't think is represented in the classification. JNCC would like the contractor to compare these biotope proposals with the community clusters from analysis and decide whether they represent true communities that should be included in the classification.