Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Mapping Biological Resources in the Coastal Zone: An Evaluation of Methods in a Pioneering Study from Norway

  • Review Paper
  • Published:
AMBIO Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

For many years, the planning and management of terrestrial areas has been supported by a detailed knowledge of the distribution of habitats and their associated species. However, the detailed mapping of biological resources in extent coastal areas, such as the Norwegian coastal zone, is unrealistic due to its enormous coastline. Here, we present a useful and feasible approach and a set of simple, cost-effective methods which are suitable for providing a broad-scale overview of marine habitats and fish resources. This approach was developed in conjunction with a pioneer study conducted along the southern coast of the Skagerrak, where we combined knowledge gathered from local fishermen with scientific knowledge of important species and nature types to establish a coastal sea mapping program. GIS modeling tools were used in both the mapping program and to integrate local and scientific knowledge into digital maps made available to local area management. This multi-faceted approach, which combines local knowledge and scientific methods, provides valuable information with respect to marine biodiversity, and has been used extensively by local environmental management.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baden, S., M. Gullström, B. Lunden, L. Pihl, and R. Rosenberg. 2003. Vanishing seagrass (Zostera marina L.) in Swedish coastal waters. Ambio 32: 374–379.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bakke, T., A. Ruus, B. Bjerkeng, J.A. Knutsen, M. Schlabach, J.S. Skaare, and V. Berg (eds). 2006. Monitoring of contaminants in fish and shellfish from Grenlandsfjordene, 2006. Statlig program for forurensningsovervåkning TA-2319/2007 (In Norwegian with english summery).

  • Barnes, H. 1949. A statistical study of the variation in plankton hauls, with special reference to the loss of the catch with divided hauls. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 28: 429–445.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beck, M.W., K.L. Heck, K.W. Able, D.L. Childers, et al. 2001. The identification, conservation, and management of estuarine and marine nurseries for fish and invertebrates. Bioscience 51: 633–641.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bekkby, T., E. Rinde, L. Erikstad, and V. Bakkestuen. 2009. Spatial predictive distribution modelling of the kelp species Laminaria hyperborea. ICES Journal of Marine Science 66: 10. doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsp1195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bergstad, O.A., T. Jørgensen, J.A. Knutsen, and J.A. Berge. 2008. Site fidelity of Atlantic cod Gadus morhua L. as deduced from telemetry and stable isotope studies. Journal of Fish Biology 72: 131–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carlton, J.T. 1996. Pattern, process, and prediction in marine invasion ecology. Biological Conservation 78: 97–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coagen, B.C., B.J. Todd, P. Lawton, and T. Noiji. 2009. The role of marine habitat mapping in ecosystem-based management. ICES Journal of Marine Science 66: 1–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cote, D., S. Moulton, D.A. Scruton, and R.S. McKinley. 2001. Microhabitat use of juvenile Atlantic cod in a coastal area of Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 130: 1217–1223.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dahl, E., F.E. Dahl, and D.S. Danielssen (eds). 1987. Resipientundersøkelser i vedestrandsfjorden 1985. Flødevigen meldinger 1. (In Norwegian).

  • Dahl, E., A. Ervik, S. Iversen, E. Moksness, and R. Sætre. 2008. Reconciling fisheries with conservation in the coastal zones-the Norwegian experience and status. American Fisheries Society Symposium 49: 1519–1531.

    Google Scholar 

  • DN (2007). Kartlegging av marint biologisk mangfold–revidert versjon av 2001 utgaven. DN Håndbok 19-2001—revidert 2007. Trondheim: Direktoratet for naturforvaltning. (In Norwegian).

  • Espeland, S.H., H. Knutsen, E.M. Olsen, and N.C. Stenseth. 2006. Egg retention promotes population structure in Atlantic cod. Journal of Fish Biology 69: 229–236.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Espeland, S.H., A.F. Gundersen, E.M. Olsen, H. Knutsen, J. Gjøsæter, and N.C. Stenseth. 2007. The maintenance of small-scale population structure in coastal cod (Gadus morhua). ICES Journal of Marine Science 64: 920–928.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fotland, Å., A. Borge, H. Gjøsæter, H. Mjanger (eds). 2008. Håndbok for prøvetaking av fisk og krepsdyr. Report from the Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway. (in Norwegian).

  • Gotceitas, V., S. Fraser, and J.A. Brown. 1997. Use of eelgrass beds (Zostera marina) by juvenile Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 54: 1306–1319.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hiemstra, W.H. 1962. A correlation table as an aid for identifying pelagic fish eggs in plankton samples. Journal du Conseil Permanent International pour l’Exploration de la Mer 27: 100–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoek, P.P.C., and E. Ehrenbaum. 1911. Tabellen zur Bestimmung planktonischer Eier der Nordsee und benachbarter Gewässer (mit Ausschluss der Ostsee). Rapp. P.-v. Réun. Cons. perm. int. Explor. Mer. 13, Cl & 3 Appendix, 19 pp. Pls I–II.

  • Isæus, M. 2004. Factors structuring Fucus communities at open and complex coastlines in the Baltic Sea. Sweden: Department of Botany, Stockholm University. ISBN 91-7265-846-0, p 40.

  • Jackson, E.L., A.A. Rowden, M.J. Attrill, S.J. Bossey, and M.B. Jones. 2001. The importance of seagrass beds as a habitat for fishery species. Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review 39: 269–303.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johannessen, T., and E. Dahl. 1996. Declines in oxygen concentrations along the Norwegian Skagerrak Coast 1927–1993: A signal of ecosystem change due to eutrophication? Limnology and Oceanography 41: 766–778.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Knutsen, J.A., H. Knutsen, Ø. Paulsen, Ø. Kristensen, and S. Vike. 2003. Biologiske verdier i sjø i Tvedestrand kommune. Fisken og Havet 7, 66 p. (In Norwegian).

  • Knutsen, H., P.E. Jorde, C. André, and N.C. Stenseth. 2003b. Fine-scaled geographic population structuring in a highly mobile marine species: The Atlantic cod. Molecular Ecology 12: 385–394.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Knutsen, H., C. André, P.E. Jorde, M.D. Skogen, E. Thuróczy, and N.C. Stenseth. 2004. Transport of North Sea cod larva into the Skagerrak coastal populations. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B 271: 1337–1344.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Knutsen, H., E.M. Olsen, L. Ciannelli, S.H. Espeland, J.A. Knutsen, J.H. Simonsen, S. Skreslet, and N.C. Stenseth. 2007. Egg distribution, bottom topography and small-scale population structure in a coastal marine system. Marine Ecology Progress Series 333: 249–255.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kroghlund, T., E. Dahl, and E. Oug (eds). 1998. Miljøtilstanden i Tvedestrands kystområder før i gangsetting av nytt renseanlegg. Oksygenforhold, hardbunnssorganismer og bløtbunnsfauna. NIVA-rapport LNR 3907-98. 57 p. (In Norwegian).

  • Myers, R.A., N.J. Barrowman, J.M. Hoenig, and Z. Qu. 1996. The collapse of cod in Eastern Canada: The evidence from tagging data. ICES Journal of Marine Science 53: 629–640.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Næss, K., J. Knutzen, J. Håvardstun, E. Oug, F. Moy, M.C. Lie, and J.A. Knutsen (eds). 2002. Investigations of micro-pollutants in harbours in Telemark, Vestfold, Akershus og Østfold 1999. PAH, PCB, heavy metals and TBT in sediments and organisms. Oslo, Norway: Norwegian Institute of Water Research, TA-1885/2002.

  • Olsen, E.M., H. Knutsen, N.Chr. Stenseth, J. Gjøsæter, and P.E. Jorde. 2004. Life-history variation among genetically different neighbouring populations of coastal Atlantic cod. Journal of Fish Biology 64: 1–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olsen, E.M., H. Knutsen, J. Gjøsæter, P.E. Jorde, J.A. Knutsen, and N.C. Stenseth. 2008. Small-scale biocomplexity in coastal Atlantic cod supporting a Darwinian perspective on fisheries management. Evolutionary Applications 1: 524–533.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orth, R.J., K.L. Heck, and J. van Montfrans. 1984. Faunal communities in seagrass beds: A review of the influence of plant structure and prey characteristics on predator-prey relationships. Estuaries 7: 339–350.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Phil, L., S. Baden, N. Kautsky, P. Rönnbäck, T. Söderquist, M. Troell, and H. Wennhage. 2006. Shift in fish assemblage structure due to loss of seagrass Zostera marina habitats in Sweden. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 67: 123–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rinde. E., B. Rygg, T. Bekkby, M. Isæus, L. Erikstad, S.-E. Sloreid, and O. Longva (eds). 2006. Documentation of marine nature type models included in Directorate of Nature Management’s database Naturbase. First generation models for the municipalities mapping of marine biodiversity 2007. NIVA Report LNR 5321-2006 (In Norwegian with English abstract).

  • Russel, F.S. 1976. The eggs and planktonic stages of British marine fishes, 524. London: Academic press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Short, F.T., and S. Willie-Escheverria. 2000. Global seagrass declines and effect of climate change. In Seas at millennium: An environmental evaluation, vol. 3, ed. C. Sheppard, 10–11. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stål, J., and L. Pihl. 2008. Quantitative assessment of the area of shallow habitat for fish on the Swedish west coast. ICES Journal of Marine Science 64: 446–452.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stål, J., L. Pihl, and H. Wennhage. 2007. Food utilisation by coastal fish assemblages in rocky and soft bottoms on the Swedish west coast: Inference for identification of essential fish habitats. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 71: 593–607.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Svedäng, H., and G. Bardon. 2003. Spatial and temporal aspects of the decline in cod (Gadus morhua L.) abundance in the Kattegat and eastern Skagerrak. ICES Journal of Marine Science 60: 32–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wundram, D., and J. Loeffler. 2008. High-resolution spatial analysis of mountain landscapes using a low-altitude remote sensing approach. International Journal of Remote Sensing 29: 961–974.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was financed by the Tvedestrand municipality, the County Governor of Aust Agder, and the County Authority of Aust Agder. We thank Svein Erik Enersen, Kate Enersen, Øystein Paulsen, and Jan Henrik Simonsen for their assistance in lab and fieldwork. We also thank Asbjørn Aass and Henry Knutsen for their assistance with interviewing local fishermen, all the local marine surveillance personnel (especially Jim Güttrup), and all the local fishermen who shared their information with us.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Coastal Zone, Institute of Marine Research, Flødevigen Marine Research Station, 4817, His, Norway

    Jan Atle Knutsen, Halvor Knutsen, Torjan Bodvin & Einar Dahl

  2. Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Gaustadalléen 21, 0349, Oslo, Norway

    Eli Rinde & Hartvig Christie

Authors
  1. Jan Atle Knutsen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Halvor Knutsen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Eli Rinde
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hartvig Christie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Torjan Bodvin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Einar Dahl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Halvor Knutsen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Knutsen, J.A., Knutsen, H., Rinde, E. et al. Mapping Biological Resources in the Coastal Zone: An Evaluation of Methods in a Pioneering Study from Norway. AMBIO 39, 148–158 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-010-0023-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-010-0023-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation