Study provides unprecedented assessment of seabed diversity off the Isles of Scilly

The new findings are the result of work by experts in marine conservation and monitoring from the University of Plymouth
Researchers at the University of Plymouth used a range of techniques to monitor the ocean sediments around the Isles of Scilly and to explore the diversity of species living within them

Study provides unprecedented assessment of seabed diversity off the Isles of Scilly

The new findings are the result of work by experts in marine conservation and monitoring from the University of Plymouth
Scientists have conducted an unprecedented assessment of the seabed around the Isles of Scilly, revealing complex mosaics of sediments that support a wide range of habitat-building species. The research, led by the University of Plymouth, used a range of techniques to monitor the ocean sediments around the archipelago and to explore the diversity of species living within them.
Working with local fishers and conservation managers, the study team carried out a series of towed and baited video surveys at 10 locations outside of any existing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Those surveys uncovered an array of different sediment habitats – from sandy bedforms to boulders and cobbles over sand – located at depths of up to 90 metres below the ocean surface.
The habitats were found to support more than 90 species of seabed animals, ranging from corals and sponges to varieties of worms, sharks, rays and starfish. Many upright species on the seabed, such as sponges, could provide refuge for other species and increase habitat sensitivity while these habitats can create nursery and feeding areas for species of commercial and conservation importance.
However, further analysis has shown this diversity in sediment habitats is not fully captured by habitat classifications within the European Nature Information System (EUNIS). Marine EUNIS classifications are designed to describe habitats and the species living in particular parts of the ocean. They can be used to inform decisions and policies on human activities for conservation management.
The new findings have led the study team to suggest that classifications for sediment habitats around the UK are potentially being based on shifted baselines, information based on how a habitat can appear following decades of human activities, rather than the best-case scenario for its composition and health.
The new study has been published in the Journal of Applied Ecology and is part of an ongoing project by researchers from the University’s Centre for Marine Biology and Conservation Science (CMACS). Its lead author is PhD researcher Mrs Rebecca Turley and she is part of a research team led by Professor of Marine Ecology Professor Emma Sheehan, one of the UK’s leading experts in the assessment of marine conservation zones and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

Many of the sediment habitats around the Isles of Scilly have not been trawled or dredged for over a decade.

So, it provides a really good example of what a recovering seabed can look like. Our study has filled significant gaps in knowledge about the diverse species that can thrive in sediment habitats unimpacted by bottom-towed fishing gear for more than 10 years. However, where shifting baselines affect habitat classifications, they will need updating to ensure that marine habitats are appropriately protected in the future.

Rebecca TurleyMrs Rebecca Turley
PhD researcher

Based on their findings, the researchers have made three recommendations which they believe could improve future decisions concerns the Isles of Scilly and other UK locations. They are:
  • that marine management shifts away from a reliance on rigid EUNIS classification frameworks, and that classifications and sensitivity assessments are reviewed to capture new evidence, or we risk MPA integrity and efficacy;
  • that robust monitoring – despite the fact it can be costly and time consuming – is put in place to determine ecological baselines and recovery;
  • that MPAs should be managed based on the habitats and species found within the whole site, rather than focusing on individual habitat features, as a means to better protect marine ecosystems.

The new understanding of sediment habitats confirms that current marine management policies, such as EUNIS classifications, reflect shifted baselines.

For MPAs to be effective tools for marine conservation, we need to address any uncertainties in existing habitat classifications and sensitivity assessments, amend marine habitat condition targets and update spatial measures in conservation planning. Through our recommendations, we could move closer to an ecosystem approach that properly enhances the recovery and conservation of both habitats and species.

Emma SheehanProfessor Emma Sheehan
Professor of Marine Ecology

Researchers at the University of Plymouth used a range of techniques to monitor the ocean sediments around the Isles of Scilly and to explore the diversity of species living within them
Researchers at the University of Plymouth used a range of techniques to monitor the ocean sediments around the Isles of Scilly and to explore the diversity of species living within them
Researchers at the University of Plymouth used a range of techniques to monitor the ocean sediments around the Isles of Scilly and to explore the diversity of species living within them
  • The full study – Turley et al: Ocean Sediments and Shifting Baselines – a call to revise European habitat classifications – is published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.70562.
 

Read more information related to this article

More related news

Researchers at the University of Plymouth used a range of techniques to monitor the ocean sediments around the Isles of Scilly and to explore the diversity of species living within them
Bleached corals 90m under the surface of the Central Indian Ocean

Centre for Marine Biology and Conservation Science (CMACS)

The Centre for Marine Biology and Conservation Science (CMACS) unites the University of Plymouth's long-standing and internationally recognised research in marine biology and marine conservation science.
By providing an inclusive and supportive atmosphere for knowledge exchange and relationship development, CMACS drives ambitious, innovative, interdisciplinary, world-class marine research.
BSc (Hons) Ocean Science and Marine Conservation students on an international diving trip to Bali

Study marine and ocean science

Join a university with an international reputation for providing courses associated with the sea.
Working on projects addressing climate change, ocean health, and sustainable marine management, you can play your part in making a difference to our marine world.