Detecting hot-spots of bivalve biomass in the south-western Baltic Sea

摘要: Abstract Bivalves are among the most important taxonomic groups in marine benthic communities nutrient cycling via benthic–pelagic coupling and as food source for higher trophic levels. Additionally, bivalve species combine several autecological features with potential value assessment management purposes. Therefore, demand quantitative distribution maps of bivalves is high both research focus on functional ecology benthos policy. In our study, we modelled mapped biomass soft- hard-bottom south-western Baltic Sea using Random Forest algorithms. Models were achieved ten frequent overall 29 identified species. The was mainly influenced by abiotic parameters salinity, water depths, sediment characteristics amount detritus a proxy availability. Three hot-spots dominated different detected: oxygen-rich deeper parts Kiel Bay Arctica islandica , shallow areas close to mouth river Oder Mya arenaria hard-substrates around Rugen Island Adlergrund Mytilus spp. attained provide good basis further applied analysis.