2011 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) biological analysis of Marine Scotland (MS) Orkney benthic survey

The purpose of this MPA assessment benthic survey in Orkney waters (Rousay to Copinsay, including Eday Sound, and points in Scapa Flow) was to improve knowledge of the occurrence and distribution of species and habitats of recognised conservation importance, particularly priority marine features (PMFs). This survey is part of the SNH and MS MPA assesment of Scotland 2011. Underwater video tows and day grab sampling were conducted by Heriot-Watt University for MS from the 1st to 11th September 2011 to collect detailed biological information on the seabed species and habitat features present and aid biotope assignments to each station. Diver MNCR surveys were conducted at sites where healthy Modiolus modiolus and Mearl beds were observed on video, and diver core samples taken to investigate infauna and PSA. Analyses of the seabed video and still photographic imagery were used to describe the nature of the seabed in terms of the physical structure and the species assemblages.本次奥克尼海域（从劳赛岛（Rousay）至科普森赛岛（Copinsay），涵盖伊代海峡（Eday Sound）及斯卡帕湾（Scapa Flow）内多处点位）的海洋保护区（Marine Protected Area, MPA）底栖生物调查，旨在加深对具有公认保护价值的物种与栖息地——尤其是优先海洋保护特征（Priority Marine Features, PMFs）——的出现情况与分布格局的认知。本次调查是2011年苏格兰地区SNH与MS开展的MPA评估工作的组成部分。2011年9月1日至11日，赫瑞-瓦特大学（Heriot-Watt University）受MS委托开展水下视频拖曳采样与日间采泥器采样，以收集研究区域内海底物种与栖息地特征的详细生物学信息，并辅助为每个调查站位完成生物栖境归类。针对在视频中观测到健康偏顶蛤（Modiolus modiolus）与骨屑滩的点位，研究团队开展了潜水员MNCR（Marine Nature Conservation Review）调查，并采集潜水员岩心样本以探究底内动物与PSA相关特征。研究人员通过对海底视频与静态摄影影像的分析，从物理结构与物种群落组成两个维度刻画了研究区域的海底环境特征。