Biodiversity
Biodiversity is a general term used to describe the diversity of life forms, species and the communities that they form. |  |
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Biotopes
The species on the sea floor are not evenly distributed: they appear in clusters associated with various environments and sea floor types. Each combination of certain species with a particular environment is known as a biotope, or “nature type”. It is important to know how species are distributed if you want to manage the sea floor as sustainably as possible. |  |
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Bottom sediments (particle size)
What kind of material actually covers the seabed, and why do some areas offer a good foothold for corals and sponges, while others are teeming in crabs and starfish? |  |
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Coral reefs
Deep-water coral reefs have many similarities with coral reefs in shallow, warm waters. Amongst other things, they are made of stony corals, and are home to incredibly rich biodiversity. In Norway, the reefs are formed by the coral species Lophelia pertusa. |  |
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Depositional environment
The seabed, in common with most landscapes, is shaped slowly and it has taken thousands of years to reach its present state. The depositional environment map shows which present-day processes are affecting the seabed. |  |
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Environmental chemistry and contamination
The seabed is the recipient of contaminants, and the sediments are a significant pollutant store. The sediments can therefore function for a long time as a source for pollution dispersal in fjords and offshore basins, and for pollutant uptake by organisms. |  |
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Formation of bottom sediments
The composition of the sediments, their forms and how they lie in the landscape indicate which processes have been active in shaping the seabed as it is today. These processes have been going on for thousands of years, ever since the end of the last Ice Age. |  |
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Hard and soft bottoms
Just like the land surface, the seabed varies in character, and ranges from bare rock and boulders to soft clay. |  |
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Marine landscape
A landscape of mountains and valleys is concealed deep beneath the water surface. Thanks to modern technology, it is possible to map this with great precision and to display terrain forms only a few metres in extent. |  |
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