Scottish Natural Heritage Loch Moidart and Shiel Woods (LMSW) SAC Site Condition Monitoring

The principle purpose of this project is to carry out site condition monitoring (SCM) of the intertidal sediment flats of Loch Moidart and Shiel Woods SAC site. SCM was inaugurated at this SSSI site in 2003, providing a baseline for future SCM surveys. The study approach taken aims to enable re-surveying of 16 relocatable stations along 5 transects that are representative of the biological and environmental diversity of the sediment flats in the SAC in order to 1) establish a baseline biological dataset to facilitate future assessment; 2) identify any deterioration in the condition of the mudflat feature; and 3) to form a judgement on its current condition.本项目的核心宗旨是对莫伊达特湾（Loch Moidart）与希尔伍德（Shiel Woods）特别保护区（Special Area of Conservation, SAC）范围内的潮间带滩涂开展场地状况监测（Site Condition Monitoring, SCM）。该SSSI站点的场地状况监测工作于2003年正式启动，为后续的场地状况监测调查提供了基线参照。本研究采用的方案旨在对沿5条样带布设的16个可重置监测点位开展复测，这5条样带可充分代表该特别保护区内潮间带滩涂的生物与环境多样性特征，具体目标包括：1）建立基线生物数据集，以支撑后续的生态评估；2）识别潮滩生境的任何状况退化情况；3）对该生境当前的健康状况作出科学研判。