2025, Joint Nature Conservation Committee's (JNCC), Universal Asset Service Matrix (uASM)

Asset Service Matrices (ASM's) serve a dual purpose in storing information about the linkages between Assets and Ecosystem Services (ES) as well as providing a visual summary of this information. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) has produced this standardised universal ASM (uASM) tool to make assets (Habitats and Species) and their ecosystem services more accessible and available to a wider audience. This tool stores data from existing ASMs and the wider literature in a standardised format. The standardisation within the uASM allows users to export data into any commonly used habitat or ecosystem service classification and enables the creation of bespoke ASMs for specific contexts. The uASM is designed to be iterative, with further evidence added by users as it emerges. This will ensure that the uASM remains a relevant tool for marine natural capital approaches across the wider marine ecosystem science, management, policy, and conservation community. Currently over 11,800 Asset-Ecosystem Services are present within the database (2025) and can continue to grow through future updates. There are currently two ways to view data within the uASM. Firstly, the original uASM filter tool that allows you to extract both habitat and species assets and their ecosystem services. Secondly the Spatial Tool allows users to view Habitat assets and their ecosystem services spatially online using UKSeaMap as the basemap.