SOES6087: Key Skills in Global Marine Resources Management
Assignment 1: Perform. an assessment of Habitat Suitability for the Manila Clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) in Southampton Water.
The Manila Clam is an important fisheries species in the South of England. This assignment will allow you to carry out an assessment of Southampton Water for its suitability as a habitat using the Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) method. To be deemed suitable for Manila clam, this index should be greater than 0.5.
Aim: This assignment is designed to test your data analysis skills. You will have to: summarise field data (LO6, LO8), write code to analyse this data (to create a Suitability Index (SI) model (LO4, LO6), and calculate the HSI (LO6)), present your data and results in a suitable format (LO3); consider uncertainty and error (LO4, LO6), and report your findings (LO3).
A habitat suitability index (HSI) can be calculated for Ruditapes philippinarum, based on the weighted geometric mean of some easy to measure water quality and habitat variables (modifying the methods of Zeon et al., 2022):
V1: Chlorophyll-a concentration (μg/L)
V2: Near-bed flow velocity (m/s)
V3: Sand (%) – assume this to be 50% and constant
V4: Exposure time (hr) – assume subtidal conditions
V5: Dissolved Oxygen (%)
V6: Salinity (PSU)
V7: Temperature (oC)
For the listed variables, you will need to undertake the following steps:
1) Summarise the average values for observed variables (V1, V2, V5, V6, V7) within Southampton Water, during a defined field measurement period.
2) Using the MATLAB Live Script. model provided (HabitatSuitabilityIndex_Assessment.mlx), determine the Suitability Index for each of the parameters (V1 – V6). Create your own model for V7 by modifying the provided code.
3) Calculate the HSI, based on Equation 1, and the weighting factors provided. You may use any so什ware you like to undertake this calculation.
4) Assess the variability of the variables measured, both individually and in combination.
5) Given the variability of your data determined in (4), design and carry out a sensitivity analysis for the HSI calculation.
6) Consider the longer-term variability of the parameters you have assessed (beyond the measurement period). You can do this from theory or literature.
7) Describe the uncertainty associated within your calculation.
Calculation of the HSI is based on a weighted geometric mean, using the following equation:
Eq. 1
Where Π indicates the product, V indicates the SI value for the variable, i is the variable index (1-7), and ω = weighting factor. Please see guidance notes at the end of this document if you are not familiar with applying this type of equation.
The weighting factor for each variable is:
|
Variable
|
WeighⅥng Value (ω)
|
|
V1
|
1
|
|
V2
|
10
|
|
V3
|
5
|
|
V4
|
2
|
|
V5
|
1
|
|
V6
|
1
|
|
V7
|
1
|
Write a report of no more than 6 pages* which summarises your assessment and answers the question: Is Southampton Water a suitable habitat for a Ruditapes philippinarum fishery. Your report should include:
a. Introduction
b. Data description/Methods
c. Results – including suitable figures
d. Discussion
e. Conclusion
f. References
g. Appendix: including the group Cruise Report, and completed Matlab LiveScript. (*the appendix does not count towards the 6 page limit)
You have limited space, so concentrate your figures on ones which illustrate your key findings (i.e. you do not have to recreate the SI figures you were provided with).
References:
Carter, M.C. 2003. Ruditapes philippinarum Manila clam. In Tyler-Walters H. and Hiscock K. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Reviews, [on-line]. Plymouth:
Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. [accessed: 15-08-2023]. Available from:
htps://www.marlin.ac.uk/species/detail/2203
Smithsonian Environmental Research Centre. Ruditapes philippinarum. In. National Estuarine and Marine Exotic Species Information System (NEMESIS). [Accessed: 14 – 08-2023]. Available from:
htps://invasions.si.edu/nemesis/species_summary/81477
Zeon, S.R., Koo, JH., Park, JW. et al. 2022. Estimation of Potential Habitats for Three Species of Bivalves Using the Habitat Variables in Gomso Bay Tidal Flat, Korea. Ocean Sci. J. 57, 607–617.
htps://doi.org/10.1007/s12601-022-00085-9