Research Document - 2016/035

Methodology of the Pacific Marine Ecological Classification System and its Application to the Northern and Southern Shelf Bioregions

By Emily Rubidge, Katie S. P. Gale, Janelle M. R. Curtis, Erin McClelland, Laura Feyrer, Karin Bodtker, Carrie Robb

Abstract

Marine ecological classification systems are needed to place species, habitats and ecosystems at varying spatial scales into ecological and management contexts. In Canada, the need to develop a hierarchical ecological classification system has been recognized at national and regional scales. The Pacific Marine Ecological Classification System (PMECS) conceptual framework to disaggregate the four major bioregions in Canada’s Pacific Region into smaller spatial units was developed over the past several years (2009–2013). In this paper, we advance PMECS towards implementation by developing analytical methods to populate the benthic hierarchical layers of the conceptual PMECS framework proposed by Robinson et al. (2015). Six specific objectives were met in this working paper to move PMECS from a conceptual framework to implementation. First, we compiled existing spatially referenced biotic and abiotic data for use in marine spatial planning in Canada’s Pacific Region into a central geodatabase. Second, we selected appropriate datasets from the geodatabase and developed a biologically driven community approach using both abiotic and biotic data to generate a broad-scale classification for the Northern Shelf and Southern Shelf Bioregions (NSB, SSB). Third, we applied this community approach to the entire SSB to populate Levels 4a and b of PMECS framework (Biophysical units). Fourth, we used an indicator species analysis to identify species that were most commonly associated with each Biophysical unit. Fifth, we developed and applied classification methods to the NSB/SSB to delineate Geomorphic units (Level 5) using a 75 m bathymetry raster and the benthic positioning index (BPI) in the Benthic Terrain Modeller toolbox. Sixth, we proposed quantitative methods suitable for classifying areas at finer scales (lower levels) of PMECS. We recommend investigating the bottom patch model (Gregr et al. 2013) to classify and map substrate types and evaluating its application to populate Level 6 of PMECS (Biotopes) as more data become available. Known distributions of Sponge reefs, Kelp forests, and other Biological Facies (Level 7) can be incorporated into PMECS with the understanding that these units may be incompletely mapped in Pacific Region. Classification results at Levels 4 and 5 are recommended for use in marine protected area (MPA) network design, and classifications at Levels 6-7 are proposed for integration into MPA network design as these analyses are completed within Bioregions.

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