Benthic Habitats in European Directives

The HADES group's main lines of research are the identification, distribution and characterization, through their structure and functions, of benthic habitats. The research lines respond to European directives such as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), the Habitats Directive (HD) and the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive (MSPD), collecting and analyzing the scientific information necessary for monitoring the environmental status of benthic habitats to evaluate their conservation status. Its scope of work is the infralittoral, circalittoral and bathyal zones (0-4000 m). The members have extensive experience in the study of the structure, taxonomic and functional diversity and resilience of habitats, in sampling with scientific diving, ROVs, trawls, dredges, etc., and analysis techniques (multivariate, modeling, GIS). The group has great potential for training new researchers and scientific and social transfer.