NatureScot Geodatabase of Marine features adjacent to Scotland (GeMS) dataset

Records are attributed as to their qualification as protected geodiversity features of protected areas within the Scottish MPA network. Contains key geodiversity areas, Quaternary of Scotland, Submarine Mass Movement, Marine Geomorphology of the Scottish Deep Ocean Seabed, Seabed Fluid and Gas Seep, Cenozoid Structures of the Atlantic Margin, Marine Geomorphology of the Scottish Shelf Seabed, Coastal Geomorphology of Scotland, Biogenic Structures of the Scottish Seabed and Longitudinal Bedform Features. In comparison with the terrestrial environment, the conservation of geodiversity (the variety of geological and geomorphological features and processes) in the marine environment has been largely overlooked, despite a great wealth of accumulated information and clear links between many terrestrial and marine features. Legislation introduced through the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 and the UK Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 includes provisions for marine geoconservation in waters adjacent to Scotland (Marine Scotland, 2011a,b).