BOMEC 15Class

Distributional data for eight taxonomic groups (asteroids, bryozoans, benthic foraminiferans, octocorals, polychaetes, matrix-forming scleractinian corals, sponges, and benthic fish) have been used to train an environmental classification for those parts of New Zealand's 200 n. mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) with depths of 3000 m or less.

A variety of environmental variables were used as input to this process, including estimates of depth, temperature, salinity, sea surface temperature gradient, surface water productivity, suspended sediments, tidal currents, and seafloor sediments and slope.

These variables were transformed using results averaged across eight Generalised Dissimilarity Modelling analyses that indicate relationships between species turnover and environment for each species group. The matrix of transformed variables was then classified using k-meDOIds clustering to identify an initial set of 300 groups of cells based on their environmental similarities, with relationships between these groups then described using agglomerative hierarchical clustering.

Groups at a fifteen group level of classification appropriate for use at a whole-of-EEZ scale are described; the classification can also be used at other levels of detail, for example when higher levels of classification detail are required to discriminate variation within study areas of more limited extent. Although not formally tested in this analysis, we expect the analytical process used here to increase the biological discrimination of the environmental classification.

That is, the resulting environmental groups are more likely to have similar biological characteristics than when the input environmental variables are selected, weighted, and perhaps transformed using qualitative methods. As a consequence, they are more likely to be reliable when used as "habitat classes" for the management of biological values than groups defined using alternative approaches.

 
Citation proposal
(2012) . BOMEC 15Class. https://dc.niwa.co.nz:/niwa_dc/srv/api/records/950d5e4b-a681-47f9-87d4-4e32a3dece5f
 

INSPIRE

Identification

File identifier
950d5e4b-a681-47f9-87d4-4e32a3dece5f   XML
Hierarchy level
Dataset
Online resource
Resource identifier
Metadata language
English
Spatial representation type
Vector
Encoding
Format
SDE Feature Class
Version
SDE 10
Projection
code
0
 

Classification of data and services

Topic category
  • Biota
  • Oceans
 

Classification of data and services

Coupled resource
Coupled resource
 
 

Classification of data and services

Coupled resource
Coupled resource
 
 

Keywords

Keywords
  • Downloadable Data
Other keywords
Keywords
  • BOMEC
  • Benthic-optimised
  • marine
  • environment
  • classification
  • environmental
  • layers
  • biological faunal groups
  • New Zealand EEZ
  • generalised
  • dissimilarit
  • y modelling
 
 

Geographic coverage

N
S
E
W


 

Temporal reference

Temporal extent
Temporal extent
Date ( Publication )
2012-01-01
 

Quality and validity

 

Conformity

Conformity
Conformity
 

Conformity

Conformity
Conformity
 

Restrictions on access and use

Use limitation
Crown Copyright (published at NIWA, 2012) - see credits for required citation
 

Restrictions on access and use

 

Responsible organization (s)

Contact for the resource
 

Responsible organization (s)

Contact for the resource
 

Metadata information

Contact for the metadata
Organisation name
NIWA
Email
[email protected]
Date stamp
2021-10-18T11:55:56
Metadata language
English
Character set
UTF8
 
 

SDS

Conformance class 1: invocable

Access Point URL
Endpoint URL
Technical specification
 

Conformance class 2: interoperable

Coordinate reference system
 
Quality of Service
 
Access constraints
Limitation
 
Use constraints
Limitation
 
Responsible custodian
Contact for the resource
 
 

Conformance class 3: harmonized

 
 

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