EUSeaMap 2025 Broad-Scale Predictive Habitat Map for Europe - Biological Zones (Habitat Descriptor)

Predictive Biological Zone layer produced by EMODnet Seabed Habitats as an input layer (habitat descriptor) for the 2025 EUSeaMap broad-scale habitat model. The extent of the mapped area includes the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Baltic Sea, and areas of the North Eastern Atlantic extending from the Canary Islands in the south to the Barents Sea in the North. The map of biological zone was produced using underlying physical data and thresholds derived from statistical analyses or expert judgement on known conditions.

The model is produced in R and Arc Model Builder (10.1). The model was created using raster input layers with a cell size of 0.00104dd (roughly 100 meters). The model includes the sublittoral zone only (Infralittoral to Abyssal zone).

An accompanying confidence layer is available for viewing and download from EMODnet Seabed Habitats - metadata is linked in the 'Composed of' section below.

A report on the methods used in the 2025 version of EUSeaMap will be published in due course and reports on previous versions (v2016, v2019, v2021, v2023) are linked in lineage.

Credit: Licensed under CC-BY 4.0 from the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) Seabed Habitats initiative (https://emodnet.ec.europa.eu/en/seabed-habitats), funded by the European Commission.