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Attributes/Values Definitions SourceID
+ AMBI ecological groupAZTI’s Marine Biotic Index ecological group
+ Asexual reproductionReproduction which does not involve formation and fusion of gametes and results in progeny with an identical genetic constitution to the parent and to each other. Reproduction may occur by binary fission, budding, asexual spore formation or vegetative propagation. In asexual division in eukaryotic organisms, all cell divisions are by mitosis.424973
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ Locality (MRGID)Marine Regions Geographic IDentifier (MRGID) for a place name in the Marine Regions gazetteer
+ Body shapeThe general shape of the body of an organism.
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ Body sizeA measurement of the size of the organism. The measurement used to express body size varies within taxonomic groups. For example, some disciplines measure diameter, others carapace length, total body length or wing span. Also, body size can vary with sex and life stage.
+ Body size (qualitative)Trait that describes the size class of an organism.
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ SexThe sex of an organism. The sum of all structural, functional and behavioural characteristics distingiusing males, females and hermaphrodites. (Lincoln et al., 1998). The sum characteristics, structures, features and functions by which a plant or animal is classed as male or female. In some animals sex is entirely genetically determined, in others the sex may change in response to environmental conditions. (Henderson's dictionary of biology; Lawrence, 2005)416344
+ Corresponding lengthCorresponding length of a length-width pair for Nematoda.
+ Corresponding widthCorresponding width of a length-width pair for Nematoda.
+ DimensionThe dimension of a body size (e.g. length, width, diameter).
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ Locality (MRGID)Marine Regions Geographic IDentifier (MRGID) for a place name in the Marine Regions gazetteer
+ SexThe sex of an organism. The sum of all structural, functional and behavioural characteristics distingiusing males, females and hermaphrodites. (Lincoln et al., 1998). The sum characteristics, structures, features and functions by which a plant or animal is classed as male or female. In some animals sex is entirely genetically determined, in others the sex may change in response to environmental conditions. (Henderson's dictionary of biology; Lawrence, 2005)416344
+ TypeThe type of a body size (e.g. minimum, maximum, average).
+ UnitThe unit of a body size (e.g. m, cm, mm).
+ Brooding
+ CalcificationMode of calcification of seaweed.
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ CytomorphologyThis trait describes whether or not an organism is unicellular. For algae, this means the relationship between cell structure and thallus organisation. Examples include uninucleate unicellular organisms, multicellular thalli composed of uninucleate cells, multicellular thalli composed of multinucleate cells, and macroscopic thalli composed of a single giant tubular cell (siphonous or acellular thalli).380516
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ DevelopmentDescription of how organisms develop into adults.
+ Dispersion mode1: The pattern of distribution of organisms or populations in space. 2: The non-accidental movement of individuals into or out of an area or population, typically a movement over a relatively short distance and of a more or less regular nature; cf. migration. (Lincoln et al., 1998)416344
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ Environmental positionPosition relative to substratum or fluid medium (air/water).
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ FeedingtypeA mixture of the feeding method/behaviour (how the organism gathers food, and from where; e.g. predator) and the food type/diet (what it feeds on; e.g. carnivore) of an organism.
+ Host/preyTrait that describes the host or prey of an organism.
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ Fossil rangeChronostratigraphic range of an organism.
+ Functional group
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ Gamete typeDescriptors of the relative size of gametes.
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ Gametophyte arrangementTrait that describes the male and female reproductive structures.
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ Generation time1: The average duration of a life cycle between birth and reproduction. 2: The mean period of time between reproduction of the parent generation and reproduction of the first filial generation. (Lincoln et al., 1998). Period of time to complete a life cycle in the lab. (Definition composed by Line Le Gall, Olivier De Clerck, Sofie Vranken and Marine Robuchon, based on diverse literature sources, in the framework of compiling macroalgae traits.) 416344
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ Irradiance preference380501
+ Life cycleThe type of life cycle an organism has. Life cycle according to Lincoln et al., 1998: 1: The sequence of events from the origin as a zygote, to the death of an individual. 2: Those stages through which an organism passes between the production of gametes by one generation and the production of gametes by the next.416344
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ Life spanLongevity; the maximum or mean duration of life of an individual or group.416344
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ Macroalgal bloomingTypes of blooming specific for macroalgae species.
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ Locality (MRGID)Marine Regions Geographic IDentifier (MRGID) for a place name in the Marine Regions gazetteer
+ MobilityThe tendency of an organism or population to change its location or distribution with time; vagility.416344
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ Modes of reproductionThis trait describes which mode of reproduction animals use to produce their young.
+ Nomenclature codeOverview of the existing nomenclature codes.
+ Paraphyletic groupA group of taxa derived from a single ancestral taxon, but one which does not contain all the descendants of the most recent common ancestor; a category based on the common possession of plesiomorphic characters (symplesiomorphy) (Lincoln et al., 1998).416344
+ Plant habitThe characteristic form in which a given species of plant grows
+ Reproductive frequencyTrait that describes the fertility period of an organism.
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ SeasonalityTrait that describes the periodicity of an organism related to the seasons.
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ Locality (MRGID)Marine Regions Geographic IDentifier (MRGID) for a place name in the Marine Regions gazetteer
+ SociabilityTrait that describes an organism's behavioural interactions with members of the same species. [Source: https://www.marinespecies.org/traits/wiki/Traits:Sociability]
+ SpawningThe release of gametes or eggs into the water (Lincoln et al., 1998).416344
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ Species exhibits underwater soniferous behaviourDoes the species actively or passively produce sound under natural conditions while submerged in water?452925
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ Species importance to society
+ Birds Directive AnnexDirective 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds.197512
+ Black Sea proposed indicators
+ CITES AnnexConvention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Consulted April 2015.197517
+ Habitats Directive AnnexCouncil Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora.197513
+ HELCOM core biodiversity indicators
+ HELCOM Red List Category
+ Identifier
+ IUCN Red List CategoryIUCN Red List Category (version 3.1)421683
+ CriteriaIUCN Red List Criteria421683
+ Year AssessedIUCN Red List Year assessed421683
+ Mediterranean proposed indicators - Adriatic Sea
+ Mediterranean proposed indicators - Aegean-Levantine Sea
+ Mediterranean proposed indicators - Ionian Sea
+ Mediterranean proposed indicators - Mediterranean Sea
+ Mediterranean proposed indicators - Western Mediterranean
+ OSPAR candidate indicators: Bay of Biscay and the Iberian Coast
+ OSPAR candidate indicators: Celtic Seas
+ OSPAR candidate indicators: Greater North Sea including outside EU
+ OSPAR candidate indicators: North Sea
+ OSPAR common indicators
+ OSPAR common indicators: Bay of Biscay and Iberian Coast
+ OSPAR common indicators: Celtic Seas
+ OSPAR common indicators: Greater North Sea
+ OSPAR common indicators: Greater North Sea including outside EU
+ OSPAR Region where species is under threat and/or in decline
+ Supporting structure & enclosureHard framework, internal or external, which supports and protects softer parts of plant, animal or unicellular organism, and to which muscles usually attach in animals, includes skeletons (derived from Lawrence, 2005).
+ Structure
+ Composition
+ Thallus vertical space usedTrait that describes whether an organism belongs to the canopy, sub-canopy, turf, or is encrusting.
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ Tolerance to pollutantsTrait that describes how tolerant to pollutants an organism is.
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem (VME) indicative taxonVulnerable Marine Ecosystem indicative taxa based on FAO guidelines
+ VME Region
+ Wave exposureTrait that describes the range of exposure to wave action in which the organism is recorded.
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ ZonationThe distribution of organisms in distinctive areas, layers or zones. It is important to note that variations in depth and definition occur depending on the source, area or research purpose. The depth ranges and definitions within the zonation attribute were agreed upon by the WoRMS Steering Committee based on diverse sources.
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)
+ Locality (MRGID)Marine Regions Geographic IDentifier (MRGID) for a place name in the Marine Regions gazetteer
+ Life stage(click on Life stage at the bottom of the page to expand)