Date (Creation)

2026-03-02

Date (Revision)

2026-09-28

Date (Publication)

2026-10-21

Title

Digital Object Identifier

Date (Creation)

2016-05-19

Code

https://doi.org/10.24417/bmdc.be:dataset:3080

Citation identifier

http://metadata.naturalsciences.be / bmdc.be:dataset:3080

Belgian Marine Data Centre

Other citation details

This dataset is composed of the following sources: Christelle Jammar, Ulrike Braeckman (n.d.). Biotic and abiotic data from the baseline study in 2024 and early impact in 2025 for the Princess Elisabeth Energy Island.

Point of contact

Organisation name	Individual name	Electronic mail address	Role
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS), Directorate Natural Environment (OD Nature), Belgian Marine Data Centre (BMDC)		bmdc@naturalsciences.be	Custodian
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS)		info@naturalsciences.be	Owner
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS)		info@naturalsciences.be	Publisher
Marine Biology Section, Department Biology / Sectie Mariene Biologie, Vakgroep Biologie (Ugent)		ulrike.braeckman@ugent.be	Author

Keywords

• seabed sediments

• Macrobenthos communities

• Reporting INSPIRE

• macrobenthos

• Federal government

GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0

• Oceanographic geographical features

GEMET - Concepts, version 4.2.3

• marine ecology

Marine Regions

• Belgian part of the North Sea
• Greater North Sea, incl. the Kattegat and the English Channel

GEMET - Concepts, version 4.2.1

• marine sediment
• marine monitoring
• environmental monitoring

INSPIRE Registry: Priority Datasets

• Directive 2008/56/EC

INSPIRE Registry: feature concepts

• Sea Bed Area

Use constraints

Other restrictions

Other constraints

No conditions apply to access and use

Other constraints

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Access constraints

Other restrictions

Other constraints

No limitations on public access.

Use limitation

No conditions apply to use.

Classification

Unclassified

Spatial representation type

Text, table

Language

English

Topic category

• Oceans

Extent type code

Yes

Title

Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee (VLIZ)

Date

Code

North Sea

Extent type code

Yes

Title

Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee (VLIZ)

Date

Code

Belgian Exclusive Economic Zone

gml32:beginPosition

2024-03-18

gml32:endPosition

2025-10-16

Reference system identifier

http://www.opengis.net/def/crs/EPSG/0/4258

Distribution format

Name	Version
application/vnd.ms-excel	Unknown

Hierarchy level

Dataset

Statement

The samples were collected along three transects: northeast (NE), southeast (SE), and southwest (SW). The NE transect extended from 100 m to 4200 m from the PEI the SE transect from 100 m to 600 m, and the SW transect from 100 m to 1400 m. Macrobenthos samples were collected in triplicate at 20 locations along the gradients using a 0.1 m² Van Veen Grab. A subsample for quantification of sediment grain size distribution and the total organic carbon content (TOC) was collected from each VV grab using a plexiglass core (Ø 3.6 cm). These samples were dried at 60°C during 48h, and the grain size distribution was measured using laser diffraction with a Malvern Mastersizer. The grain size distribution was then used to determine the median grain size (d50), fine sand fraction (% <250 μm) and mud content (< 63 µm) in each sample. For the 2 mm fraction, dried sediments are sieved using a 2mm sieve. The portion retained on the sieve (>2mm) and the fraction that passes through (<2mm) are weighed separately. The fraction above 2mm is then calculated by dividing the weight of the sediment retained by the 2 mm sieved by the total weight of both the retained and passed-through fractions, multiplied by one hundred. The TOC content in each sample was measured by combustion using an ELTRA CS2000 with infrared cells after acidifying the samples with 10M HCl until no bubbles were observed anymore. On board, the Van Veen grab samples were sieved over a 2 mm and 1mm mesh-sized sieve, and the macrobenthos was preserved in 4% formaldehyde-seawater solution. The samples were then stained with 1% Rose Bengal. In the laboratory, organisms were sorted, counted and identified to the lowest taxonomic level as well as blotted wet-weighted. Data were quality checked and flagged accordingly.

Metadata

File identifier

bmdc.be:dataset:3080 XML

Metadata language

English

Character set

UTF8

Hierarchy level

Dataset

Date stamp

2026-10-21T16:13:37.118Z

Metadata standard name

Geographic information -- Metadata

Metadata standard version

ISO 19115:2003/19139

Metadata author

Organisation name	Individual name	Electronic mail address	Role
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS), Directorate Natural Environment (OD Nature), Belgian Marine Data Centre (BMDC)		bmdc@naturalsciences.be	Point of contact

Other language

Language	Character encoding
Dutch; Flemish
French
English
German