ALBERT

Description: We used environmental niche modelling along with the best available species occurrence data and environmental parameters to model habitat suitability for key cold-water coral and commercially important deep-sea fish species under present-day (1951-2000) environmental conditions and to forecast changes under severe, high emissions future (2081-2100) climate projections (RCP8.5 scenario) for the North Atlantic Ocean (from 18°N to 76°N and 36°E to 98°W). The VME indicator taxa included Lophelia pertusa , Madrepora oculata, Desmophyllum dianthus, Acanela arbuscula, Acanthogorgia armata, and Paragorgia arborea. The six deep-sea fish species selected were: Coryphaenoides rupestris, Gadus morhua, blackbelly Helicolenus dactylopterus, Hippoglossoides platessoides, Reinhardtius hippoglossoides, and Sebastes mentella. We used an ensemble modelling approach employing three widely-used modelling methods: the Maxent maximum entropy model, Generalized Additive Models, and Random Forest. This dataset contains: 1) Predicted habitat suitability index under present-day (1951-2000) and future (2081-2100; RCP8.5) environmental conditions for twelve deep-sea species in the North Atlantic Ocean, using an ensemble modelling approach.  2) Climate-induced changes in the suitable habitat of twelve deep-sea species in the North Atlantic Ocean, as determined by binary maps built with an ensemble modelling approach and the 10-percentile training presence logistic (10th percentile) threshold. 3) Forecasted present-day suitable habitat loss (value=-1), gain (value=1), and acting as climate refugia (value=2) areas under future (2081-2100; RCP8.5) environmental conditions for twelve deep-sea species in the North Atlantic Ocean. Areas were identified from binary maps built with an ensemble modelling approach and two thresholds: 10-percentile training presence logistic threshold (10th percentile) and maximum sensitivity and specificity (MSS). Refugia areas are those areas predicted as suitable both under present-day and future conditions. All predictions were projected with the Albers equal-area conical projection centred in the middle of the study area. The grid cell resolution is of 3x3 km.

Description: This data is showing the outcomes of the analysis done by ATLAS researchers on the environmental status of nine deep-sea areas in the northeast Atlantic. These results are part of the ATLAS work facilitating the implementation of the European Commission's Marine Strategy Framework Directive in the deep waters of the North Atlantic. The nine study areas that were examined are: 1) LoVe Ocean Observatory, 2) Faroe-Shetland Channel, 3) Reykjanes Ridge, 4) Rockall Bank, 5) Mingulay Reef Complex, 6) Porcupine Seabight, 7) Bay of Biscay, 8) Azores, 9) Gulf of Cádiz. The analyses were carried out using the Nested Environmental status Assessment Tool (NEAT). The environmental status outcomes are shown for the total study area, the designated spatial assessment units (SAUs), the ecosystem components ("Benthic invertebrates", "Fish", "Benthos") and the habitats ("Aggregations of L. pertusa & M. oculata on soft sediments", "Aggregations of sea pens & alcyonaceans on soft sediments", "Aggregations of L. pertusa & M. oculata on hard substrates", "Aggregations of Antipatharians and alcyonaceans on hard substrates", "Benthic", "Rocky", "Sedimentary").