A detailed benthic habitat map of Bohai Bay, China, has been updated for 2025, offering new insights into the bay's ecological structure. The map combines abiotic and biotic characteristics to create a framework for understanding nearshore benthic habitats.
The abiotic classification considers tidal effects, light levels, and substrate types, dividing areas into littoral, infralittoral, and circalittoral zones. Substrates are classified as geological, biogenic, or human-made. The biotic classification covers reef biota like oyster reefs, benthic faunal communities, submerged plants, and tidal salt marshes.
Spatial mapping uses coastline surveys, bathymetry data, and MODIS data. Benthic faunal communities are grouped by conservation status, economic importance, and dominance, using information from national ecological monitoring programs. This integrated map supports conservation and management by showing how environmental factors and biological communities interact.