Service Description: These polygons define Significant Benthic Areas as regional habitat that contains sponges (Porifera), large and small gorgonians (Alcyonacea, formerly classed as Gorgonacea) and/or sea pens (Pennatulacea) as a dominant and defining feature. These habitats are structurally complex, characterized by higher diversities and/or different benthic communities, and provide a platform for ecosystem functions/processes closely linked to these characteristics. The enclosure of the significant benthic areas were accomplished by kernel density estimation (KDE), Species Distribution Modelling (SDM) using Random Forest (RF) and observations of these taxa.
The study area for this analysis is the entirety of Atlantic Canada and portions of the Eastern Arctic, which corresponds to five major Canadian biogeographic units: the Scotian Shelf, the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Newfoundland and Labrador Shelves, and portions of the Eastern Arctic and Hudson Bay Complex (DFO 2009). The species distribution models (SDMs) were performed using DFO Marine Protected Area (MPA) planning regions which are similar but not identical to the DFO Regions.
Full detais of the approaches employed, are provided in the following CSAS document: Delineation of Coral and Sponge Significant Benthic Areas in Eastern Canada Using Kernel Density Analyses and Species Distribution Models (2016) http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas-sccs/Publications/ResDocs-DocRech/2016/2016_093-eng.pdf
A summary of the Significant Benthic Areas of coldwater corals and sponges identified in eastern Canada:
- Maritimes Region (For more details, please refer to page 98 of the report above)
* Sponges: Significant Benthic Areas as determined from KDE analyses.
* Sea pens: Significant Benthic Areas as determined from KDE analyses and RF predicted presence prevalence.
* Large gorgonian corals: Significant Benthic Areas as determined from KDE analyses and RF predicted presence prevalence.
* Small gorgonian corals: Significant Benthic Areas a
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Spatial Reference: 4326 (4326)
Initial Extent:
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