2006 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) Sound of Barra broad-scale mapping survey

The purpose of this broad-scale mapping survey in the Sound of Barra and in the Sound of Eriskay in the vicinity of the causeway was to: extend the coverage of subtidal biotope mapping to encompass the central and western parts of the Sound; to conduct intertidal biotope mapping over the whole of the Sound including those areas surveyed subtidally in 2001 and to produce comprehensive biotope maps; and to assess biological changes occurring in the Sounf of Eriskay. This study utilised satellite imagery, underwater acoustic sensing techniques and biological ground surveys to develop a biotope distribution map of the area and relate this distribution to prevailing environmental conditions. The work was undertaken for SNH by the Universities of Heriot-Watt (HWU) and Edinburgh (EDU) between the 9th July and 12th August 2006 and acoustic data was supplied under subcontract by Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI). To collect this detailed biological information on the seabed species and habitat features present, records were acquired from a total of 204 subtidal stations. Of these, 137 were surveyed by drop-down video and 67 by diver. A total of 46 shore locations were visited and records acquired from 258 shore zones. Sediment infauna samples were collected from 56 locations (40 subtidal and 16 intertidal). 5 sites, previously surveyed in 2001 around the Eriskay causeway, were revisited and resurveyed by divers recording details of substrate, environmental conditions and biological communities. The images, analysed under SNH contract by Heriot-Watt University, University of Edinburgh and Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Belfast, were used to describe the nature of the seabed in terms of the physical structure and the species assemblages and assess anthropogenic induced change.

本次在巴拉声域及厄里斯凯声域附近的堤道附近进行的广泛范围的测绘调查旨在：扩展亚潮带生境测绘的覆盖范围，涵盖声域的中心和西部区域；在整个声域内进行潮间带生境测绘，包括2001年已测绘的亚潮带区域，并制作综合性的生境图；以及对厄里斯凯声域内发生的生物变化进行评估。本研究利用卫星图像、水下声学传感技术和生物地面调查，开发该区域的生境分布图，并将这种分布与当前的环境条件相联系。该研究由赫瑞瓦特大学（HWU）和爱丁堡大学（EDU）于2006年7月9日至8月12日为苏格兰自然遗产局（SNH）执行，声学数据由农业食品和生物科学研究所（AFBI）分包提供。为了收集关于海底物种和栖息地特征的详细生物信息，从总共204个亚潮带站点获取了记录。其中，137个站点通过投放式视频进行了调查，67个站点由潜水员进行了调查。共访问了46个岸线位置，并从258个岸带区域获取了记录。从56个位置（40个亚潮带和16个潮间带）收集了沉积物底栖动物样本。在厄里斯凯堤道周围之前于2001年调查过的5个地点，潜水员对这些地点进行了回访和重新调查，记录了底质、环境条件和生物群落的具体细节。图像由赫瑞瓦特大学、爱丁堡大学和贝尔法斯特的农业食品和生物科学研究所根据苏格兰自然遗产局的合同进行分析，用于描述海底的性质，包括物理结构和物种群落，并评估人为因素引起的改变。