The macrovegetation is monitored to study long-term changes in the marine environment, caused primarily by changes in visibility, nutrient availability and physical impacts.
The monitoring is part of the national sub-programme "Vegetationsklädda bottnar" and is carried out on behalf of the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management.
The sub-programme include all types of hard and soft bottoms extending from the water surface down to a depth of about 10-20 metres. UMF samples in one area in the Bothnian Sea and one in the Bothnian Bay.
The monitoring is carried out by divers and includes line sampling and possibly quantitative sampling/photography.
