National Intertidal/Subtidal Benthic Habitat Classification Scheme (NISB)

The National Intertidal/Subtidal Benthic Habitat Classification Scheme (NISB) was designed to support the production of maps for the purpose of representing areas of marine and coastal habitats at the national scale [1,2]. The scheme is hierarchical and initially divides habitats according to broad substrate type, and then according to whether they are spatially dominated by ‘structural macrobiota’ (SMB) or by the substrate (i.e. largely ‘bare’ of visible biota) [1,2].

Figure 1. National Intertidal/Subtidal Benthic Habitat Classification Scheme

References

1. Mount, R.E. and P.J. Bricher, 2008a. Estuarine, Coastal and Marine (ECM) National Habitat Mapping Project, Project Report, Version 1 February 2008. Spatial Science Group, School of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Tasmania. Report to the Department of Climate Change and the National Land and Water Resources Audit, Canberra, ACT
2. Mount, R.E. and P.J. Bricher, 2008b. Estuarine, Coastal and Marine (ECM) National Habitat Map Series User Guide Version 1 February 2008. Spatial Science Group, School of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Tasmania. Report to the Department of Climate Change and the National Land and Water Resources Audit, Canberra, ACT.