Summary Estimated observations of the biotope AB.H3L5 were collected from the Baltic Sea area by expert judgements for HELCOM Red List of biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes. Description Baltic aphotic muddy sediment dominated by Astarte spp.The HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea underwater biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes (2013) is an updated and improved version of the Red List assessment of marine and coastal biotopes and biotope complexes published in 1998. The classification of the report follows the proposed International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and assessment principals but with some modifications for the Baltic Sea.Altogether, the HELCOM Underwater Biotope and habitat classification (HELCOM HUB) includes 209 biotopes of which 59 were red-listed. Many of the red-listed biotopes are located in deep areas of the Baltic Sea due to oxygen-free nature as well as in the southwestern Baltic Sea due to the salinity restricted distribution of species in certain biotope. The HELCOM assessment relies heavily on expert judgment and inference, and the questionnaire data represents the estimated presence-absence data not in-situ measured data. This must be taken in account when observing the map presentation. The biotopes are shown on the map using the EEA 100 km grid. This dataset displays estimated presence of AB.H3L5 according to HELCOM RED LIST assessment experts:The Astarte borealis is found in the Western parts of the Baltic Sea, it’s most eastern populations appearing in the Bornholm Basin. Dense populations of the Astarte elliptica were common on the muddy sediments of the Kiel Bay at depths greater than 15 meters (Trutschler & Samtleben 1988). The distribution map indicates the area in the 100 x 100 km grid where environmental conditions required by the biotope are known to occur and the biotope is estimated to occur in the grid cells.(Data (expert judgements) collected in HELCOM RED LIST project, released in May 2013)

Summary Estimated observations of the biotope AB.A1G3 and AB.M1G3 were collected from the Baltic Sea area by expert judgements for HELCOM Red List of biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes. Description Baltic aphotic rock and boulders or mixed hard and soft substrates dominated by stone corals (Scleractinida)The HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea underwater biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes (2013) is an updated and improved version of the Red List assessment of marine and coastal biotopes and biotope complexes published in 1998. The classification of the report follows the proposed International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and assessment principals but with some modifications for the Baltic Sea.Altogether, the HELCOM Underwater Biotope and habitat classification (HELCOM HUB) includes 209 biotopes of which 59 were red-listed. Many of the red-listed biotopes are located in deep areas of the Baltic Sea due to oxygen-free nature as well as in the southwestern Baltic Sea due to the salinity restricted distribution of species in certain biotope. The HELCOM assessment relies heavily on expert judgment and inference, and the questionnaire data represents the estimated presence-absence data not in-situ measured data. This must be taken in account when observing the map presentation. The biotopes are shown on the map using the EEA 100 km grid. This dataset displays estimated presence of AB.A1G3and AB.M1G3according to HELCOM RED LIST assessment experts:The biotopes are restricted to the north Kattegat, where environmental conditions are nearly fully marine. The distribution map indicates the area in the 100 x 100 km grid where biotopes are known to occur. OCEANA (2013) encountered Carophylla smithii along the Swedish coast.(Data (expert judgements) collected in HELCOM RED LIST project, released in May 2013)

Summary Estimated observations of the biotope 1650 were collected from the Baltic Sea area by expert judgements for HELCOM Red List of biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes. Description Boreal Baltic narrow inletsThe HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea underwater biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes (2013) is an updated and improved version of the Red List assessment of marine and coastal biotopes and biotope complexes published in 1998. The classification of the report follows the proposed International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and assessment principals but with some modifications for the Baltic Sea.Altogether, the HELCOM Underwater Biotope and habitat classification (HELCOM HUB) includes 209 biotopes of which 59 were red-listed. Many of the red-listed biotopes are located in deep areas of the Baltic Sea due to oxygen-free nature as well as in the southwestern Baltic Sea due to the salinity restricted distribution of species in certain biotope. The HELCOM assessment relies heavily on expert judgment and inference, and the questionnaire data represents the estimated presence-absence data not in-situ measured data. This must be taken in account when observing the map presentation. The biotopes are shown on the map using the EEA 100 km grid. This dataset displays estimated presence of the biotope 1650 according to HELCOM RED LIST assessment experts:Fjords are present in Swedish and Finnish coastal areas of the Bothnian Sea, the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Proper. The present and past distribution is in areas of crystalline bedrock. The distribution map indicates the area in the 100 x 100 km grid where biotope is known to occur (Naturvårdverket 2011).(Data (expert judgements) collected in HELCOM RED LIST project, released in May 2013)

Summary Estimated observations of the biotope AB.J2K7 were collected from the Baltic Sea area by expert judgements for HELCOM Red List of biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes. Description Baltic aphotic sand dominated by striped venus (Chamelea gallina)The HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea underwater biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes (2013) is an updated and improved version of the Red List assessment of marine and coastal biotopes and biotope complexes published in 1998. The classification of the report follows the proposed International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and assessment principals but with some modifications for the Baltic Sea.Altogether, the HELCOM Underwater Biotope and habitat classification (HELCOM HUB) includes 209 biotopes of which 59 were red-listed. Many of the red-listed biotopes are located in deep areas of the Baltic Sea due to oxygen-free nature as well as in the southwestern Baltic Sea due to the salinity restricted distribution of species in certain biotope. The HELCOM assessment relies heavily on expert judgment and inference, and the questionnaire data represents the estimated presence-absence data not in-situ measured data. This must be taken in account when observing the map presentation. The biotopes are shown on the map using the EEA 100 km grid. This dataset displays estimated presence of AB.J2K7 according to HELCOM RED LIST assessment experts:The biotope is known to occur in the northern Kattegat in Swedish and Danish waters. The distribution map indicates the area in the 100 x 100 km grid where biotope is known to occur.(Data (expert judgements) collected in HELCOM RED LIST project, released in May 2013)

Summary Estimated observations of the biotope AB.H2T1 were collected from the Baltic Sea area by expert judgements for HELCOM Red List of biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes. Description Baltic aphotic muddy sediment characterized by sea-pensThe HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea underwater biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes (2013) is an updated and improved version of the Red List assessment of marine and coastal biotopes and biotope complexes published in 1998. The classification of the report follows the proposed International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and assessment principals but with some modifications for the Baltic Sea.Altogether, the HELCOM Underwater Biotope and habitat classification (HELCOM HUB) includes 209 biotopes of which 59 were red-listed. Many of the red-listed biotopes are located in deep areas of the Baltic Sea due to oxygen-free nature as well as in the southwestern Baltic Sea due to the salinity restricted distribution of species in certain biotope. The HELCOM assessment relies heavily on expert judgment and inference, and the questionnaire data represents the estimated presence-absence data not in-situ measured data. This must be taken in account when observing the map presentation. The biotopes are shown on the map using the EEA 100 km grid. This dataset displays estimated presence of AB.H2T1 according to HELCOM RED LIST assessment experts:Because of its salinity and depth requirements, this habitat occurs mostly in the deeper parts of Kattegat. The most common sea pen species Virgularia mirabilis and Pennatula phosphorea have been observed for example in the deep trenches of the Kattegat (The Kattegat trench, the Ddupa Rännan trench), in the Groves Flak and near the island Ven in the Sound. The habitat has likely suffered from bottom trawling as trawling marks and badly disturbed seabeds has been recorded in the area of their distribution. Distribution map indicates the area in the 100 x 100 km grid where biotopes are known to occur.(Data (expert judgements) collected in HELCOM RED LIST project, released in May 2013)

Summary Estimated observations of the biotope 1110 were collected from the Baltic Sea area by expert judgements for HELCOM Red List of biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes. Description Sandbanks which are slightly covered by sea water all the timeThe HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea underwater biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes (2013) is an updated and improved version of the Red List assessment of marine and coastal biotopes and biotope complexes published in 1998. The classification of the report follows the proposed International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and assessment principals but with some modifications for the Baltic Sea.Altogether, the HELCOM Underwater Biotope and habitat classification (HELCOM HUB) includes 209 biotopes of which 59 were red-listed. Many of the red-listed biotopes are located in deep areas of the Baltic Sea due to oxygen-free nature as well as in the southwestern Baltic Sea due to the salinity restricted distribution of species in certain biotope. The HELCOM assessment relies heavily on expert judgment and inference, and the questionnaire data represents the estimated presence-absence data not in-situ measured data. This must be taken in account when observing the map presentation. The biotopes are shown on the map using the EEA 100 km grid. This dataset displays estimated presence of the biotope 1110 according to HELCOM RED LIST assessment experts:Sandbanks are widely spread throughout the whole Baltic Sea area, and occur in all HELCOM sub-regions. The Distribution map indicates the area in the 100 x 100 km grid where biotope is known to occur (Naturvårdverket 2011, EUNIS Database).(Data (expert judgements) collected in HELCOM RED LIST project, released in May 2013)

Summary Estimated observations of the biotope AB.A1J and AB.M1J were collected from the Baltic Sea area by expert judgements for HELCOM Red List of biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes. Description Baltic aphotic rock and boulders or mixed substrates dominated by sponges (Porifera)The HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea underwater biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes (2013) is an updated and improved version of the Red List assessment of marine and coastal biotopes and biotope complexes published in 1998. The classification of the report follows the proposed International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and assessment principals but with some modifications for the Baltic Sea.Altogether, the HELCOM Underwater Biotope and habitat classification (HELCOM HUB) includes 209 biotopes of which 59 were red-listed. Many of the red-listed biotopes are located in deep areas of the Baltic Sea due to oxygen-free nature as well as in the southwestern Baltic Sea due to the salinity restricted distribution of species in certain biotope. The HELCOM assessment relies heavily on expert judgment and inference, and the questionnaire data represents the estimated presence-absence data not in-situ measured data. This must be taken in account when observing the map presentation. The biotopes are shown on the map using the EEA 100 km grid. This dataset displays estimated presence of AB.A1J and AB.M1J according to HELCOM RED LIST assessment experts:The sponge biotopes are distributed along the whole Baltic Sea coastline. But as aphotic stony bottoms are scarce in the South-western and Southern Baltic Sea the biotopes are distributed mainly along the Swedish, Danish, Estonian and Finnish coastline or at some offshore reefs. The higher the salinities, the higher the diversity of the sponges and due to the more erect growth also the diversity of the inhabiting invertebrate and fish communities. The distribution map indicates the area in the 100 x 100 km grid where biotopes are known to occur.(Data (expert judgements) collected in HELCOM RED LIST project, released in May 2013)

Summary Estimated observations of the biotope 1180 were collected from the Baltic Sea area by expert judgements for HELCOM Red List of biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes. Description Submarine structures made by leaking gasesThe HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea underwater biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes (2013) is an updated and improved version of the Red List assessment of marine and coastal biotopes and biotope complexes published in 1998. The classification of the report follows the proposed International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and assessment principals but with some modifications for the Baltic Sea.Altogether, the HELCOM Underwater Biotope and habitat classification (HELCOM HUB) includes 209 biotopes of which 59 were red-listed. Many of the red-listed biotopes are located in deep areas of the Baltic Sea due to oxygen-free nature as well as in the southwestern Baltic Sea due to the salinity restricted distribution of species in certain biotope. The HELCOM assessment relies heavily on expert judgment and inference, and the questionnaire data represents the estimated presence-absence data not in-situ measured data. This must be taken in account when observing the map presentation. The biotopes are shown on the map using the EEA 100 km grid. This dataset displays estimated presence of the biotope 1180 according to HELCOM RED LIST assessment experts:Shallow water examples of “bubbling reefs” colonised by macroalgae and/or animals are observed in Danish waters in the littoral and sublittoral zone from 0 to 30 m water depth. They are present in the northern Kattegat and in the Skagerrak and follow a NW SE direction parallel to the Fennoscandian fault line. Distribution map indicates the 10x10 km grid cells where the biotope complex is known to occur. More specific knowledge of the distribution of the biotope complex allowed its presentation on a higher resolution grid (Seffel 2010, EUNIS Database). If the occurrence had been presented in the 100x100 km grid used for the other biotope complexes, then the squares 11, 9, 20 and 18 had been indicated.(Data (expert judgements) collected in HELCOM RED LIST project, released in May 2013)

Summary Estimated observations of the biotope AB.J3L3 were collected from the Baltic Sea area by expert judgements for HELCOM Red List of biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes. Description Baltic aphotic sand dominated by ocean quahog (Arctica islandica)The HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea underwater biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes (2013) is an updated and improved version of the Red List assessment of marine and coastal biotopes and biotope complexes published in 1998. The classification of the report follows the proposed International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and assessment principals but with some modifications for the Baltic Sea.Altogether, the HELCOM Underwater Biotope and habitat classification (HELCOM HUB) includes 209 biotopes of which 59 were red-listed. Many of the red-listed biotopes are located in deep areas of the Baltic Sea due to oxygen-free nature as well as in the southwestern Baltic Sea due to the salinity restricted distribution of species in certain biotope. The HELCOM assessment relies heavily on expert judgment and inference, and the questionnaire data represents the estimated presence-absence data not in-situ measured data. This must be taken in account when observing the map presentation. The biotopes are shown on the map using the EEA 100 km grid. This dataset displays estimated presence of AB.J3L3 according to HELCOM RED LIST assessment experts:The main distribution area of this biotope is the western Baltic Sea. The largest populations of A. islandica are found in Kiel and Mecklenburg Bights (Zettler et al. 2001). The distribution map indicates the area in the 100 x 100 km grid where biotope is believed to occur based on the suitability of the environmental conditions.(Data (expert judgements) collected in HELCOM RED LIST project, released in May 2013)

Summary Estimated observations of the biotopes AA.D and AB.D were collected from the Baltic Sea area by expert judgements for HELCOM Red List of biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes. Description Baltic photic and aphotic maërl beds (unattached particles of coralline red algae)The HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea underwater biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes (2013) is an updated and improved version of the Red List assessment of marine and coastal biotopes and biotope complexes published in 1998. The classification of the report follows the proposed International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and assessment principals but with some modifications for the Baltic Sea.Altogether, the HELCOM Underwater Biotope and habitat classification (HELCOM HUB) includes 209 biotopes of which 59 were red-listed. Many of the red-listed biotopes are located in deep areas of the Baltic Sea due to oxygen-free nature as well as in the southwestern Baltic Sea due to the salinity restricted distribution of species in certain biotope. The HELCOM assessment relies heavily on expert judgment and inference, and the questionnaire data represents the estimated presence-absence data not in-situ measured data. This must be taken in account when observing the map presentation. The biotopes are shown on the map using the EEA 100 km grid. This dataset displays estimated presence of AA.Dand AB.Daccording to HELCOM RED LIST assessment experts:Known areas where maërl beds occur are on offshore banks in the Kattegat (e.g. Lilla Middelgrund and Fladen). The presence of dead maërl at some offshore banks indicates that the habitat must have been more widespread in the past. It is unclear how large a proportion of the maërl beds occur in the aphotic zone. Maërl beds have a patchy distribution. The distribution map indicates the area in the 100 x 100 km grid where maërl beds are known to occur.(Data (expert judgements) collected in HELCOM RED LIST project, released in May 2013)