This dataset represents the Integrated biodiversity status assessment for benthic habitats using the BEAT tool. Status is shown in five categories based on the integrated assessment scores obtained in the tool. Biological Quality Ratios (BQR) above 0.6 correspond to good status. The assessment in open sea areas was based on the core indicators ‘State of the soft-bottom macrofauna community’ and ‘Oxygen debt’. Coastal areas were assessed by national indicators, and may hence not be directly comparable with each other.

This dataset displays the result of the integrated biodiverity status in HELCOM Assessment unit Scale 4 (Division of the Baltic Sea into 17 sub-basins and further division into coastal and off-shore areas and division of the coastal areas by WFD water types or water bodies).

Attribute information:

"BQR" = Biological Quality Ratio

"Confidence" = Confidence of the assessment

"HELCOM_ID" = id of the HELCOM assessment unit

"country" = name of the country / opensea

"level_2" = HELCOM sub-basins (name of the scale 2 assessment unit)

"Name" = Name of the coastal assessment unit on scale 4

"AULEVEL" = scale of the assessment units

"type_descr" = Name of the HELCOM scale 4 assessment unit

"SAUID" = ID number for the spatial assessment unit

"EcosystemC" = Ecosystem component assessed

"Confiden_1" = Confidence of the assessment (0-1, higher values mean higher confidence)

"Total_numb" = Number of indicators used in assessment

"Area_km2" = Area of assessment unit (km2)

"Confiden_1" = Confidence level of the assessment (scores < 0.5 = low, 0.5 - 0.75 = intermediate, > 0.75 = high)

"STATUS" = Integrated status category (0-0.2 = not good (lowest score), 0.2-0.4 = not good (lower score), 0.4-0.6 = not good (low score), 0.6-0.8 = good (high score), 0.8-1.0 = good (highest score))