Laminaria hyperborea kelp forest model in Troms

Laminaria hyperborea kelp forest is modelled for the Troms coast of northern Norway (Bekkby et al. 2013). The model was carried out in the projection UTM zone 33N. Kelp forest was defined as the dense kelp forest (see Bekkby et al. 2009), not the scattered occurrences. The model was developed based on 431 data points and GAM analyses of presence and absence points (presence being kelp forest, absence being absence of kelp at all other densities). Data were collected 2008-2009 by Akvaplan-niva, the model was run in 2011 by NIVA. The distribution model is based on depth, slope(log), wave exposure and median current speed, wave exposure being the most important variable (see Bekkby et al. 2009 for explanation of the GIS environmental layers). The input depth, slope and wave exposure models had a spatial (horizontal) distribution of 25 m, the current speed model was resampled from 500 m resolution. The output model has a spatial (horizontal) distribution of 25 m. The work was part of the National program for mapping biodiversity – coast, a program that is funded by the Ministry of Climate and Environment and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries. The Norwegian Environment Agency is leading the project and NIVA is the scientific coordinator.