35: Marine ecosystems (shelf seas and coasts)

dublin bay

- coastal, intertidal and subtidal habitats

- 'good' water quality

- important wetland habitat

- protected by legislation

UNESCO biosphere

places where nature and culture connect: recognised for biodiversity and actively managed through community partnership

UNESCO

united nations educational, scientific and cultural organisation

UNESCO biosphere goals

conservation, learning and development

dublin bay biosphere reserve

2015 Dublin Bay biosphere

1981 North Bull Island UNESCO biosphere

__% of ireland is underwater

90

shallow seas/continental shelf seas make up

8% of the sea surface

shallow sea shelf systems are heavily exploited for

primary production fisheries

continental shelf have low water to

200m depth (neritic)

seabed structure and larval dispersal is determined by

substratum and tidal currents

substratum

foundation

functional roles of biota

particle feeders, grazers, predators, scavengers, bioturbators

biogenic reefs

'hard' matter or reef created by living organisms eg. strangford lough

vast majority of shelf sea is ____ substratum

soft

biogenic reef is

rare