Confidence in the full output of the 2016 EUSeaMap broad-scale predictive model, produced by EMODnet Seabed Habitats.

Values are on a range from 1 (Low confidence) to 3 (High confidence).

Confidence is calculated by amalgamating the confidence values of the underlying applicable habitat descriptors used to generate the habitat value in the area in question.

Habitat descriptors differ per region but include: Biological zone Energy class Oxygen regime Salinity regime Seabed Substrate Riverine input

Confidence in habitat descriptors are driven by the confidence in the source data used to determine the descriptor, and the confidence in the threshold/margin (areas closer to a boundary between two classes will have lower confidence). For each grid cell, the confidence in final habitat class was the minimum of all relevant habitat descriptor confidence scores. Confidence values are also available for each habitat descriptor and input data layer.

It is important to note that a habitat type confidence score is only relevant to that particular level of the classification system. For example, a cell of A3.1 high energy infralittoral rock with ‘low’ energy class confidence, ‘moderate’ biozone confidence and ‘high’ substrate type confidence would have an overall ‘low’ confidence. However, moving up the hierarchy to EUNIS level two (A3 infralittoral rock) removes the energy class; therefore, the confidence of the EUNIS level two habitat type would only consider the ‘moderate’ biozone confidence and ‘high’ substrate type confidence, resulting in an overall ‘moderate’ confidence.

For details on methodology see: Populus J. And Vasquez M. (Eds), 2017. EUSeaMap, a European broad-scale seabed habitat map. Ifremer Available from: http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00388/49975/