@article{10902/32250,
year = {2018},
month = {1},
url = {https://hdl.handle.net/10902/32250},
abstract = {One approach to identifying and mapping the state of marine biophysical conditions is the identification of large-scale ecological units for which conditions are similar and the strategies of management may also be similar. Because biological processes are difficult to directly record over large areas, abiotic characteristics are used as surrogate parameters. In this work, the Mediterranean Sea was classified into homogeneous spatial areas based on abiotic variables. Eight parameters were selected based on salinity, sea surface temperature, photosynthetically active radiation, sea-wave heights and depth variables. The parameters were gathered in grid points of 0.5° spatial resolution in the open sea and 0.125° in coastal areas. The typologies were obtained by data mining the eight parameters throughout the Mediterranean and combining two clustering techniques: self-organizing maps and the k-means algorithm. The result is a division of the Mediterranean Sea into seven typologies. For these typologies, the classification recognizes differences in temperature, salinity and radiation. In addition, it separates coastal from deep areas. The influence of river discharges and the entrance of water from other seas are also reflected. These results are consistent with the ecological requirements of the five studied seagrasses (Posidonia oceanica, Zostera marina, Zostera noltei, Cymodocea nodosa, Halophila stipulacea), supporting the suitability of the resulting classification and the proposed methodology. The approach thus provides a tool for the sustainable management of large marine areas and the ability to address not only present threats but also future conditions, such as climate change.},
organization = {This research is included in the framework of the CoCoNET project (Towards COast to COast NETworks of marine protected areas (from the shore to the high and deep sea), coupled with sea-based wind energy potential) and is funded by the National Plan for Research in Science and Technological Innovation from the Spanish Government 2013–2016 (Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness) (C3N project CTM2015-68244-R) and co-financed by the European Regional Development's funds (FEDER). Melisa Menéndez acknowledges financial support from the Ramon y Cajal Program (RYC-2014-16469). Camino F. de la Hoz acknowledges financial support in the form of a predoctoral grant (Ref: BES-2016-076434) from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness. We also thank the anonymous reviewers for their comments and suggestions},
publisher = {Academic Press},
publisher = {Journal of Environmental Management, 2018, 205, 59-72},
title = {Ecological typologies of large areas. An application in the Mediterranean Sea},
author = {Fernández de la Hoz, Camino and Ramos Manzano, Elvira and Puente Trueba, Maria Araceli and Méndez Incera, Fernando Javier and Menéndez García, Melisa and Juanes de la Peña, José A. and Losada Rodríguez, Iñigo},
}