Intro
• Co-Work with GEO / GEUS and Orbicon
• Objectives: To map and verify nature types in the North Sea
and inner Danish waters (app. 100 smaller and larger
areas)
• Methods:
o Side scan sonar
o Seismic (chirp and sparker)
o Areal photos
o Satellite photos
o ROV (remotely operated vehicle with video)
o Diving with UV-photo or UV-video
o Bottom sampling with haps sampler or van Ween grab sampler
• Facts
o Over 18.000 km side scan survey
o Over 1.200 ROV verifications with video sequences
o Several hundred dives, and a large number of bottom sampling
Jan Nicolaisen
Salinity (surface) in Danish Waters
Forecast example
Substrate types:
• 1a: fine sand and mud: Homogenous bottom
• 1b: Sand: Homogenous firm sand bottom - dynamic –
often with ripples
• 2: Sand, gravel and up to 10 % stones: Bottom
dominated by sand with various amounts of gravel and
scattered stones (op to maximum 10 % coverage)
• 3: Sand, gravel and 10-25 % stones: Bottom with sand,
gravel and scattered stones (10-25 % coverage)
• 4: Larger stones covering > 25 % (stone reef): Bottom
dominated by larger stones, but also with varying
amounts
of
sand and gravel
Associated with the different substrate types, a
variety of different biological communities can
be observed (nature types)
Useful experiences
The combination of geophysical and biological survey methods gives a
good base of knowledge in regard to:
• Overall nature type mapping in large areas
• Detailed mapping in smaller areas
•Designation and delineation of potential vulnerable nature types – such
as stone reefs or bubbling reefs
•Input to international directives (Habitat, Water Frame, Marine Strategy
Framework….)
• Management and administration of marine areas (protected or not…)
• Verification data can be used in different models
Scaling
The methods can be adjusted to different requirements in regard to
resolution and level of detail
Substrate type: Stone reefs / bubbling reefs
Solid bedrock – low salinity – Photic zone
Solid bedrock – low salinity – non photic zone
Stone reef – medium low salinity – Photic zone
Stone reef – medium low salinity – Photic zone
Stone reef – medium low salinity – non photic zone
Stone reef – medium salinity – Photic zone
Stone reef – medium salinity – deep photic zone
Stone reef – high salinity – photic zone
Stone reef – high salinity – medium photic zone
Stone reef – high salinity – deep photic zone
Stone reef – high salinity – non photic zone
Stone reef – The North Sea – deep photic zone
Stone reef – The North Sea – non photic zone
Bubbling reef – The North Sea – non photic zone - deep
Wreck – The North Sea – Wolf Fish
Wreck – The North Sea - Cod
Spiny Dogfish
Thank you for your attention