Fratercula Arctica in Ireland and the United Kingdom Marine Spatial Analysis Assessment

Assessment 

Produce the required maps of Harbour Porpoise around Ireland. Using ARCGIS.

You can find all your data in online data repositories and GIS applications : (e.g. Emodnet, NOAA, OBIS, GBIF, Marineregions, Protected Planet, ISDE, INFOMAR, DIVA GIS). The maps need to be included in a poster created using Powerpoint in A0 format with a Title, Your Name, a brief introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion of the information presented in the maps. All figures and tables need to be captioned. Any supporting literature needs to be adequately cited in the text and list of references provided including data sources. You need to submit this poster as a PPTX file (Powerpoint), pdf or Canva file.

In your poster you can:

1. Provide species distribution and abundance/density maps for that species within each country’s EEZ, using an appropriate EEA grid (e.g. 100x100) as reference. You choose the EEA grid resolution (1 km, 10 km, 100 km) for best visualisation of results.
2. Indicate the total range in each country, and how much of it is protected (e.g. inside Natura 2000 sites)..
3. Link presence with seabed habitats and establish how many of those important seabed habitats overlap with the distribution of the species, and the total area of those habitats that is protected.
4. Establish pressures of your choice and determine overlap with range, with appropriate ranges/buffer zones and create areas of possible impact across the range (ie how much of the species or habitat range is subject to these different pressures, fishing, offshore wind, oil and gas, aquaculture, etc).
5. Suggest areas of high accumulations or densities, frequency or abundance of records, areas occupied, where the species or habitat could be protected if not already protected and suggest potential MPAs or protected areas to increase/protect dispersion and connectivity between isolated populations.

Assessment Summary

The assessment required students to produce detailed spatial distribution and habitat analysis maps of the Harbour Porpoise around Ireland, using ArcGIS and relevant marine spatial datasets. The primary objective was to demonstrate students’ ability to apply marine spatial analysis and mapping techniques for understanding species distribution, environmental pressures, and conservation planning.

Key components of the assessment included:

• Sourcing and integrating spatial data from repositories such as Emodnet, NOAA, OBIS, GBIF, Marineregions, Protected Planet, ISDE, INFOMAR, and DIVA GIS.
• Creating a PowerPoint or Canva poster (A0 format) comprising a title, student details, introduction, methods, results, discussion, and references.
• Developing species distribution and density maps within Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), using an appropriate EEA grid resolution (1 km, 10 km, or 100 km).
• Identifying the extent of species range within and outside protected areas (e.g., Natura 2000 sites).
• Linking species presence with seabed habitats and determining overlaps with protected areas.
• Assessing anthropogenic pressures (e.g., fishing, offshore wind farms, oil and gas extraction, aquaculture) and their spatial overlap with the species’ range.
• Recommending potential new MPAs or protected areas based on identified high-density zones and connectivity requirements.

The assessment’s learning outcomes aligned with key skills in marine GIS applications, spatial reasoning, data synthesis, and environmental management planning.

Mentor’s Step-by-Step Guidance and Approach

The academic mentor guided the student through the entire process, ensuring a structured and logical workflow while developing both technical and analytical competencies.

Step 1: Understanding the Objective and Requirements

The mentor began by explaining the assessment goals integrating marine spatial datasets to map Harbour Porpoise distribution and evaluate conservation effectiveness. The mentor emphasized clarity in objectives, adherence to cartographic standards, and the importance of connecting spatial findings with ecological insights.

Step 2: Data Acquisition and Preparation

Under the mentor’s guidance, the student explored reliable marine data repositories such as EMODnet and OBIS. The mentor demonstrated how to extract relevant datasets (species presence, habitat types, and EEZ boundaries), ensuring metadata accuracy and consistent coordinate systems before importing them into ArcGIS.

Step 3: Data Processing and Mapping in ArcGIS

The mentor instructed the student on performing spatial joins, buffer analyses, and grid overlays to visualize species density patterns. Different grid resolutions were tested (10x10 km and 100x100 km) to determine the most effective visualization scale. The student also learned how to symbolize layers appropriately and design clear, informative map layouts for the poster.

Step 4: Linking Distribution with Protected Areas and Habitat Data

The next step involved overlaying Natura 2000 sites and seabed habitat maps with species distribution. The mentor guided the student on calculating spatial overlaps and total protected area coverage, ensuring data accuracy through attribute queries and area calculations within ArcGIS.

Step 5: Pressure Mapping and Impact Assessment

The mentor encouraged incorporating anthropogenic pressure layers such as fishing zones, offshore wind farms, and oil & gas sites. Using buffer analysis, the student assessed areas of overlap between species range and human activities, identifying potential impact zones.

Step 6: Poster Compilation and Presentation Design

Finally, the mentor guided the student on compiling the results into a professional academic poster using PowerPoint. Focus was placed on visual clarity, concise explanations in each section (Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion), and accurate referencing of both data sources and literature.

Outcome and Learning Achievements

By the end of the project, the student successfully produced a series of spatial maps showing Harbour Porpoise distribution, habitat overlap, and impact zones within Ireland’s marine territories. The poster effectively communicated both scientific findings and spatial visualizations in line with academic presentation standards.

The learning objectives achieved included:

• Application of marine spatial analysis tools (ArcGIS) for ecological data interpretation.

• Understanding the relationship between species distribution, human activities, and conservation zones.

• Strengthening data sourcing, spatial reasoning, and visual communication skills.

• Development of evidence-based recommendations for enhancing marine conservation and policy planning.

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