CoDeMap: a classification scheme for benthic habitats from the coast to the deep sea in the Mediterranean and Black Sea
The spatial representation of benthic habitats is essential across various applications, such as biodiversity monitoring, ecosystem management and conservation, and maritime spatial planning. In this context, classification schemes provide a universally understandable framework to characterize and chart the seafloor. This work introduces the Coast to Deep Mapping (CoDeMap) classification scheme for benthic habitats from the coast to the deep-sea environments. It consists of three main components (Morphology, Substrate and Biology) and it is conceived as a practical tool for users from various backgrounds who need to organize and interpret marine observational data, as well as characterize and map seafloors. While primarily developed for the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea, CoDeMap serves as a foundational framework that can be adapted to address any current or future similar request worldwide.
Authors
- Federica Foglini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2736-0052)
- Maria Salomidi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7514-3562)
- Simonetta Fraschetti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1780-1651)
- Francesco Mastrototaro (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4890-2949)
- Alessandra Savini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5818-5947)
- Annalisa Falace (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9671-5283)
- Daniela Basso (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9352-3569)
- Mariacristina Prampolini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0408-4411)
- Valentina Alice Bracchi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9918-7079)
- Patrick J. Schembri (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6723-7198)
- Giovanni Chimienti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2581-3430)
- Lorenzo Angeletti
- Валентина Тодорова (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2679-5062)
- Frine Cardone (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8999-8254)
- Dimitar Berov (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5235-7800)
- Marco Taviani (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0414-4274)
- Giacomo Dalla Valle (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5403-3367)
- Giorgio Castellan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6084-1504)
- Valentina Grande (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3489-268X)
Institutions
- University of Trieste (IT)
- Tel Aviv University (IL)
- University of Malta (MT)
- Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BG)
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (IT)
- CoNISMa (IT)
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research (BG)
- National Research Council (RO)
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (GR)
- National Research Council (IT)
- Institute of Oceanology (BG)
- University of Bari Aldo Moro (IT)
- University of Milano-Bicocca (IT)
- University of Naples Federico II (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Frontiers in Marine Science
- Published
- 2025-11-06
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1663369
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 3.59
Funders
- European Commission