Mapping of subtidal Laminaria hyperborea and Saccorhiza polyschides in Northern Portugal

Within the framework of BLUEFORESTING project (PT-INNOVATION-0077), the subtidal macroalgal forests were mapped along the coast of Northern Portugal, a critical climatic biogeographical transitional zone for species range boundaries. The seabed was classified according to the predominant substrate (sand, rock, and combination of sand and rock) while, in parallel, the eventual occurrences of subtidal macroalgae were registered.

The substrates of rock, and combination of sand and rock, represented by 68.35% of sampling sites. The occurrences of macroalgae was, in contrast, 38.07%. The most frequent case was the exclusive presence of Saccorhiza polyschides, followed by sites solely dominated by Laminaria hyperborea.