2006 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Loch Sunart marine features site condition monitoring survey

The principle purpose of this benthic survey in Loch Sunart SAC and SSSI was to design and initiate a hierarchical monitoring programme for the features of interest within the SSSI and SAC; subtidal and intertidal rocky reefs, Ascophyllum nodosum ecad mackaii (A.mac) beds, and seagrass beds. To achieve this, a combination of remote drop-down video, diver transects, intertidal transects, mapping methodologies, a limited grab survey and diver coring and quadrat sampling techniques were used. Sampling was conducted by Aquatic Survey and Monitoring Ltd. (ASML) for SNH between the 2nd and 20th July 2006 to collect detailed biological information on the seabed species and habitat features present. The video and still photograph images were used to describe the nature of the seabed in terms of the physical structure and the species assemblages.本次在桑纳特湾（Loch Sunart）特别保育区（Special Area of Conservation, SAC）及具特殊科学价值地点（Site of Special Scientific Interest, SSSI）开展的底栖生物调查，核心目标是为该保护地内的关注生境设计并启动分层监测方案，关注生境涵盖潮下带与潮间带岩礁、麦克艾氏生态型泡叶藻（Ascophyllum nodosum ecad mackaii，简称A.mac）床以及海草床。为达成该目标，本次调查综合运用了遥控水下投放摄像系统、潜水员水下样带调查、潮间带样带调查、生境制图方法、限量抓斗采样以及潜水员取芯与样方采样等技术手段。本次采样工作由水生调查与监测有限公司（Aquatic Survey and Monitoring Ltd.，简称ASML）受苏格兰自然遗产署（Scottish Natural Heritage，简称SNH）委托，于2006年7月2日至20日期间完成，旨在采集研究区域内海底物种与栖息地特征的详细生物学信息。调查获取的摄像与静态摄影影像，被用于从物理结构与物种组合两方面刻画海底环境的特征。