title: Biotope map of the German Baltic Sea.
abstract: Full-coverage maps on the distribution of marine biotopes are a necessary basis for Nature Conservation and Marine Spatial Planning. Yet biotope maps do not exist in many regions. We are generating the first full-coverage biotope map for the German Baltic Sea according to the HELCOM Underwater biotope and habitat classification system (HUB). Species distribution modelling is applied to create full-coverage spatial information of biological features. The results of biomass modelling of twelve target taxa and presence/absence modelling of three target taxa enabled the identification of biological levels up to HUB level 6. Environmental data on bathymetry, light penetration depth and substrate are used to identify habitat levels. HUB biotope levels were combined with HUB habitat levels to create a biotope map. Altogether, 68 HUB biotopes are identified in the German Baltic Sea. The new biotope map combining substrate characteristics and biological communities will facilitate marine management in the area.
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde, Seestr.15, 18119 Warnemünde, Germany. Electronic address: kerstin.schiele@io-warnemuende.de.
authors.forename: Kerstin S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Schiele
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde, Seestr.15, 18119 Warnemünde, Germany. Electronic address: alexander.darr@io-warnemuende.de.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Darr
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde, Seestr.15, 18119 Warnemünde, Germany. Electronic address: michael.zettler@io-warnemuende.de.
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Zettler
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde, Seestr.15, 18119 Warnemünde, Germany. Electronic address: rene.friedland@io-warnemuende.de.
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Friedland
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde, Seestr.15, 18119 Warnemünde, Germany. Electronic address: franz.tauber@io-warnemuende.de.
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tauber
authors.affiliation: State Agency for Environment, Nature Conservation and Geology Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (LUNG), Goldberger Strasse 12, D-18273 Güstrow, Germany. Electronic address: mario.von.weber@lung.mv-regierung.de.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: von Weber
authors.affiliation: State Agency for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Areas Schleswig-Holstein (LLUR), Hamburger Chaussee 25, 24220 Flintbek, Germany. Electronic address: Joachim.Voss@llur.landsh.de.
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Voss
mesh_terms: D001454:Baltic States; D018533:Biomass; D017753:Ecosystem; D004777:Environment; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005858:Germany; D009792:Oceans and Seas
keywords: Baltic Sea; Biotope map; HELCOM Underwater biotope and habitat classification system – HUB; Macrozoobenthos; Random forests; Species distribution modelling