Species Distribution - A verified distribution model for the lesser sandeel (Ammodytes marinus)

The lesser sandeel Ammodytes marinus is a key component of the North East Atlantic ecosystem but little is known about its distribution outside of fished areas. In this study, species distribution models were developed to predict the occurrence and density of sandeels in parts of the North Sea and Celtic Seas regions. A hurdle model was found to be the best fitting model with the highest predictive performance; model evaluation with independent data demonstrated that it had significant discrimination ability across the study region. The distribution model helps refine past inferences about sandeel availability to predators and indicates to marine planners potential areas where anthropogenic impacts should be considered SDM Metadata sandeel: An excel file containing detailed metadata relating to the development of the species distribution model using the checklist based on that published in Feng et al. (2019) A checklist for maximising reproducibility of ecological niche models. Nature ecology & evolution. Four geotiffs: CelticSeas_ProbPres - probability of presence of buried sandeel in the Celtic Seas study region. CelticSeas_PredictedDensity - predicted density of buried sandeel in the Celtic Seas study region (number per m^2). NorthSea_ProbPres - probability of presence of buried sandeel in the North Sea study region. NorthSea_PredictedDensity - predicted density of buried sandeel in the North Sea study region (number per m^2).