Compilation of 17 anthropogenic pressure gradients and 18 benthic indicators in the Baltic Sea, Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

Compilation of 17 benthic datasets that sampled benthic ecosystems over gradients of commercial bottom trawling intensity (n=14), eutrophication (n=1), oxygen depletion (n=1) and pollution (n=1) (Table 1).

Compilation of 18 benthic indicators that were calculated for each gradient dataset. The indicators estimated were community biomass, abundance, richness, relative Margalef diversity, Shannon index, Simpson index, Inverse Simpson,  AZTI’s Marine Biotic Index (AMBI), Multivariate AMBI (M-AMBI), BENTIX Biotic Index (BENTIX), Danish Quality Index (DKI), Trawling Disturbance Index (TDI), Modified TDI (mTDI), Modified vulnerability index (mT), Median longevity (Lm), Partial TDI (pTDI), Sentinels of Seabed (SoS), Long-lived fraction (Lf).

The dataset has information on: 1) indicator outputs per sampling station; 2) combined data tables with gradient, station, and species information; 3) individual gradient information with replicate samples and the environmental variables reported in the original study.

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NOTE: The dataset was updated in February 2025 due to incorrect description of units used for two gradients (Silver Pit and Thames) in the "Individual Gradient Studies" folder.

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Table 1. Overview of anthropogenic gradient datasets

Location
Sampling method
Pressure gradient

Adriatic Sea – Italian EEZ (sand)
Rapido trawl
Bottom trawling

Adriatic Sea – Italian EEZ (mud)
Rapido trawl
Bottom trawling

North Sea - Dutch EEZ
Box core
Bottom trawling

North Sea - Dogger Bank
Hamon grab
Bottom trawling

North Sea - Fladen Ground
Day grab
Bottom trawling

North Sea - Long Forties
Hamon grab
Bottom trawling

North Sea - Silver Pit
Box core
Bottom trawling

North Sea – Thames
Box core
Bottom trawling

Northern Iberian Coast (sand)
Otter trawl
Bottom trawling

Northern Iberian Coast (mud)
Otter trawl
Bottom trawling

Baltic Sea - Gotland
van Veen grab
Bottom trawling

Baltic Sea – Polish EEZ
Box core
Bottom trawling

NW Atlantic - Flemish Cap
Otter trawl
Bottom trawling

Irish Sea - Sellafield
Day grab
Bottom trawling

Gulf of Finland
van Veen grab
Oxygen depletion

Saronikos Gulf
Box core
Eutrophication

Vigo Estuary
Box core
Contaminants