The large, habitat-forming bubblegum coral, Paragorgia arborea, is a vulnerable marine ecosystem indicator with an antitropical distribution. Dense aggregations of the species have been protected from bottom-contact fishing in the Scotian Shelf bioregion off Nova Scotia, Canada in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. Recently, basin-scale habitat suitability ensemble modeling has projected an alarming loss of 99% of suitable habitat for this species across the North Atlantic by 2100. Here, a regional reassessment of the predicted distribution of this species in the bioregion, using both machine learning (random forest) and generalized additive model (GAM) frameworks, including projection to 2046−2065, was undertaken. Extrapolation diagnostics were applied to determine the degree to which the models projected into novel covariate space (i.e., extrapolation) in order to avoid erroneous inferences. The best predictors of the species’ distribution were a suite of temporally-invariant terrain variables that identified suitable habitat along the upper continental slope. Additional predictors, projected to vary with future ocean climatologies, identified areas of the upper slope in the eastern portion of the study area that will remain within suitable ranges for P. arborea at least through to the mid-century. Additionally, 3-D Lagrangian particle tracking simulations indicated potential for both connectivity among known occurrence sites and existing protected areas, and for colonization of unsurveyed areas predicted to have suitable habitat, from locations of known occurrence. These results showed that extirpation of this iconic species from the Scotian Shelf bioregion is unlikely over the next decades. Potential climate refugia were identified and results presented in the context of protected area network design properties of representativity, connectivity, adequacy, viability and resilience. Here we provide the interpolated environmental predictor variables used in present day and future species distribution models. Predicted surfaces from random forest (RF) and generalized additive models (GAM) are provided for present day and projected (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 2045-2065) time frames. Outputs after applying extrapolation diagnostic tools (calculated using the R package dsmextra) are provided for each model. Climate change refugia for this species under the RCP4.5 2045-2065 projections showing analogue conditions are also provided. Explanations for the surfaces can be found in Wang, Murillo & Kenchington (2022) and in the associated supplementary files. Reference:Wang S, Murillo FJ and Kenchington E (2022) Climate-Change Refugia for the Bubblegum Coral Paragorgia Arborea in the Northwest Atlantic. Front. Mar. Sci. 9:863693. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2022.863693

A benthic imagery survey was conducted along the Eastern Scotian Slope in June 2018 to collect data in support of a Strategic Program for Ecosystem-Based Research and Advice project to evaluate the effectiveness of the Lophelia Coral Conservation Area and identify new areas of importance for benthic species that may qualify for protection under Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s 2009 Policy for Managing the Impact of Fishing on Sensitive Benthic Areas. Linear video and photographic transects from ~200 to 1000 m depth were collected at 10 stations between the Gully Marine Protected Area and the Lophelia Coral Conservation Area using the video and photographic camera system Campod and the ‘4K Camera’ drop camera system. Here we present a quantitative assessment of the corals and sponges observed at each of these 10 stations. Patterns in distribution by transect and depth are presented, as well as the relationship between coral distribution and groundfish fishing effort. We highlight the importance of the slope outside the canyons for the distribution of corals and sponges, where nearly 25 taxa were recorded between 167 – 970 m depth. Diversity and abundance appeared to show a west-to-east gradient across the study area, being highest on those stations adjacent to the Lophelia Coral Conservation Area. Groundfish fishing activity overlapped the distribution of corals and sponges in some parts of the study area, particularly between 200 and 500 m where the large branching corals Paragorgia arborea and Primnoa resedaeformis were observed, and also suggested that fishing may have taken place within the boundaries of the Lophelia Coral Conservation Area since its implementation in 2004. An extension of the boundaries of this closure may ensure its continued effectiveness and provide protection for the diverse and abundant coral and sponge communities that reside beyond its boundaries.Cite this data as: Beazley, Lindsay; Lirette, Camille; Guijarro, Javier (2019). Characterization of the Corals and Sponges of the Eastern Scotian Slope from a Benthic Imagery Survey. Published July 2023. Ocean Ecosystems Science Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, N.S. https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/b6567b77-4fda-4fcf-b059-fcfeb4dcc2fb

Historical finds of Fenusa pumila

Historical finds of Coleophora serratella

Historical finds of Coleophora laricella

Historical finds of Pristiphora erichsonii

Historical finds of Operophtera brumata

A Public Right Area Object representing the spatial extent of a National or Territorial park. This cadastral framework provides a parcel base of properly structured vector data designed and suited for Geographical Information System (GIS) application and can be used for land management purposes. This data set is not be used for defining boundaries. Administrative decisions should be based on legal documents and legal survey plans.Distributed from [GeoYukon](https://yukon.ca/geoyukon) by the [Government of Yukon](https://yukon.ca/maps) . Discover more digital map data and interactive maps from Yukon's digital map data collection.For more information: [geomatics.help@yukon.ca](mailto:geomatics.help@yukon.ca)

This feature delineates forest and vegetation stands in the Yukon at a scale of 1: 40 ,000. It is a management level forest inventory (as opposed to a n operational level) - meaning that analysis and mapping are most effective close to the 1:40,000 scale and not larger . This inventory has been completed in various stages : delineation from hardcopy black and white photographs took place from 1987 to 2002; while recent data collection has proceeded through a digital (aka 'softcopy') methodology of scanned photographs and digital elevation models.Distributed from [GeoYukon](https://yukon.ca/geoyukon) by the [Government of Yukon](https://yukon.ca/maps) . Discover more digital map data and interactive maps from Yukon's digital map data collection.For more information: [geomatics.help@yukon.ca](mailto:geomatics.help@yukon.ca)

This feature delineates forest and vegetation stands in the Yukon at a scale of 1:5,000. It is an operational level forest inventory (as opposed to a management level). This inventory has been completed in various stages, between 2013 and 2014, and delineation via softcopy from stereo images acquired in the years 2007 and 2012. The aerial images used for the Haines Junction region (Champagne and Aishihik Traditional Territory) had a ground sample distance (GSD) of 40 cm and were collected in both color and infrared. The aerial imagery in the southcentral Yukon were 1:40,000 black and white hard copy images, scanned at 60 microns or approximately 1m GSD.Distributed from [GeoYukon](https://yukon.ca/geoyukon) by the [Government of Yukon](https://yukon.ca/maps) . Discover more digital map data and interactive maps from Yukon's digital map data collection.For more information: [geomatics.help@yukon.ca](mailto:geomatics.help@yukon.ca)