The Horizon Europe MSP4Bio project used EMODnet multidisciplinary marine in situ data, including from Bathymetry, Biology and many other thematic data, to inform an Ecological-Socio-Economic (ESE) management framework used for science-based MSP to safeguard and restore biodiversity in a coherent European MPA network.
Croatian Geological Survey used EMODnet Geology, Bathymetry and Seabed Habitats data to develop the seabed substrate and geology maps within a project that aims to map the marine habitats of the coastal area of the Adriatic Sea up to a depth of 40 m and up to 200 m in protected areas.
Energinet uses EMODnet Geology data products as background data in the development of offshore wind farms and energy islands.
Collaboration between EMODnet Biology, EMODnet Seabed Habitats and OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System) has facilitated richer dataset publication and ensured the greatest volume of high-quality species and habitat data are available for reporting, assessments and informed decision making.
Outcomes: Researchers were able to model the suitable habitat for European hake, Merluccius merluccius, in their first year of life (0-group) in the Mediterranean Sea. The results show that hake nurseries require stable bottom temperatures, low bottom currents and a frequent occurrence of productive fronts in low chlorophyll-a areas in order to support successful recruitment, with conditions occurring recurrently in outer shelf and shelf break areas. This prediction explains the role of unfavourable environmental conditions on low recruitment in past years.
Outcomes:Based on the study of morphological species diversity and distribution, authors were able to re-defined the circalittoral zone in the Azores islands.
How EMODnet Seabed Habitats helped the user: EMODnet provided the best data source to represent marine benthic habitats in the Azores.
Who used it:
ISPA – Instituto Universitãrio
When was it used: 2019
Outcomes:Authors used an Ecological Niche Model to identify previously overlooked areas of the Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic, as areas containing soft coral habitats. The model could then be used for future surveys to target areas predicting presence of coral habitats and identify new priority conservation areas.
How EMODnet Seabed Habitats helped the user: EUSeaMap provided information on the distribution of rocky bottomed habitats across the study area.
Outcomes:. Authors were able to identify that differences in diet of grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) reflect regional differences in physical habitat features.
How EMODnet Seabed Habitats helped the user: Sediment and depth data were derived utilising output of the EUSeaMap 2016.
Who used it:
UCC – University College Cork
When was it used: Published January 2019
Outcomes: Assessors highlighted environmental covariates with the greatest influence on porpoise density distribution models. Resulting distribution maps were then used to propose areas suitable for protection of these marine mammals in Swedish waters.
How EMODnet Seabed Habitats helped the user: EUSeaMap provided some of the data used in the habitat distribution models
Who used it:
Outcomes: Authors were able to quantify the effects of the invasive polychaete Marenzelleria spp on sediment nutrient cycling in the Baltic Sea. The results identified that an overall reduction in the self-cleaning capacity of the basin would create a higher cost to stakeholders to meet international commitments such as the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.