Shetland Islands Dominant Marine Biotope Map

The Shetland Islands Dominant Marine Biotope Mapping project develops a high-resolution (50m) predictive map of dominant marine biotopes within Shetland’s waters out to 12 nautical miles. This broadscale assessment of subtidal biotopes supports local marine management, conservation planning, and sustainable resource use.

The project employs MaxEnt, a machine-learning approach for predictive habitat mapping. MaxEnt uses occurrence data and environmental variables to model and predict biotope distribution.

An adaptive approach ensures the model is continuously refined using the latest available environmental and species distribution data. By integrating new records and addressing data gaps, the predictive accuracy improves over time. This method helps address challenges such as limited records, spatial bias, and dependency on historical data.

The resulting high-resolution map provides researchers, policymakers, and marine stakeholders with a tool for informed decision-making in managing Shetland’s marine environment.