Figure 25c. Faunal group prediction across the cable route area, based on a likelihood model.
Figures 25a, 25b and 25c reveal the likelihood of occurrence of the seven faunal groups show varying degrees of coverage across the cable route area, all showing very high
likelihood in certain areas. The
differences between the likelihood of occurrence of each group are explained by the preference of each group for the different environmental conditions of the five modelled layers: sediment, biological zone,
energy,
water body type and temperature. In general terms, the greater the coverage the less defined are a faunal group’s requirements for a particular habitat. The whole of the cable route area is characterised by a well mixed Region of Freshwater Influence (ROFI) in summer; whilst there are variations in winter water body type, energy, biological zone, temperature and sediment. More detail provided below for each faunal group map:
is
Faunal Group A was highly likely to occur across the majority of the survey area due to the dominance of fine sand and mixed sediments; its preferred habitat. As it was also found across the full range of other environmental conditions (energy, biological zone, temperature, water body type), all the areas predicted are very high likelihood. (Note, as detailed in the method, it is not predicted where the preferred sediment type is not present.)
Faunal Group B had one of the most restricted predictions. It was most likely to occur within 10km of the coast where its preference for sandy mud and fine sand was also met with conditions of infralittoral biological zone, low temperature and well mixed ROFI in winter. This faunal group was less likely to occur in offshore waters where these conditions are less prevalent.
