Ground Truth data used to map the Benthic Habitats of Puerto Rico

Metadata:

Identification_Information:
Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: NOAA/NOS/NOAA/Biogeography Team
Publication_Date: 20011201
Title:
Ground Truth data used to map the Benthic Habitats of Puerto Rico
Edition: 1
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form:
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Charleston, SC
Publisher: NOAA Coastal Services Center
Description:
Abstract:
This project is a cooperative effort between NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), U.S. Geological Survey, National Park Service, and the National Geophysical Data Center, to produce benthic habitat maps and georeferenced imagery for the U.S. Virgin Islands. This project was conducted in support of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force. An explanation of the codes used is as follows:

ACRONYMS FOR HABITATS:

CONT. SG = CONTINUOUS SEAGRASS 10-30 SG = 10-30% SEAGRASS COVER 30-50 SG = 30-50% SEAGRASS COVER 50-70 SG = 50-70% SEAGRASS COVER 70-90 SG = 70-90% SEAGRASS COVER 10-50 MA = 10-50% MACROALGAE COVER 50-90 MA = 50-90% MACROALGAE COVER LR = LINEAR REEF S&G = SPUR AND GROOVE REEF PR = PATCH REEF (INDIVIDUAL) APR = AGGREGATED PATCH REEFS SCR/SAND = SCATTERED CORAL ROCK IN SAND CP = COLONIZED PAVEMENT CB = COLONIZED BEDROCK CP W/ SC = COLONIZED PAVEMENT WITH SAND CHANNELS UCB = UNCOLONIZED BEDROCK UCP = UNCOLONIZED PAVEMENT ARTIF. = ARTIFICIAL MANG. = MANGROVES

ACRONYMS FOR DOMINANT ELEMENTS:

SG = SEAGRASSES TT = THALASSIA TESTUDINUM SY = SYRINGODIUM FILIFORME HW = HALODULE WRIGHTII HP = HALOPHILA SP. MA = MACROALGAE SC = SOFT CORALS HC = HARD CORALS SP = SPONGES

Purpose:
This project was conducted in support of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force.
Supplemental_Information: The Ground Truth Points are available in a spreadsheet format.
Time_Period_of_Content:
Currentness_Reference: see publication date
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 1999
Ending_Date: 2001
Status:
Progress: complete
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None planned
Spatial_Domain:
Bounding_Coordinates:
West_Bounding_Coordinate: -67.97
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -65.22
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 18.47
South_Bounding_Coordinate: 17.84
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: none
Theme_Keyword: coral
Theme_Keyword: seagrass
Theme_Keyword: SAV
Theme_Keyword: reef
Theme_Keyword: aerial photography
Theme_Keyword: benthic
Theme_Keyword: habitat
Theme_Keyword: mangrove
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: none
Place_Keyword: Puerto Rico
Place_Keyword: Vieques
Place_Keyword: Culebra
Place_Keyword: Mona
Access_Constraints: none
Use_Constraints: none
Point_of_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Matthew S. Kendall
Contact_Organization: NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/Biogeography Program
Contact_Position: Marine Biologist
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: 1305 East West Highway, N/SCI-1
City: Silver Spring
State_or_Province: Maryland
Postal_Code: 20910
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 301-713-3028*144
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 301-713-4388
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: matt.kendall@noaa.gov
Hours_of_Service: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM M-F EST
Data_Set_Credit:
Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, U. Puerto Rico, USGS, NPS, VI. Dept. Planning Natural Resources; Div. Fish and Wildlife, Univ. VI, Cons. Data Center, The Nature Conservancy, Sea Grant, and other local and regional experts for review
Native_Data_Set_Environment: tab delimited text file
Data_Quality_Information:
Attribute_Accuracy:
Attribute_Accuracy_Report: Sites were examined visually
Logical_Consistency_Report:
PSites were examined visually. Once data were entered into spreadsheet format, a careful review of their locations and attributes was conducted to ensure that all labels were complete and accurate.
Completeness_Report: Data is complete.
Positional_Accuracy:
Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:
Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report:
Spatial data meets or exceeds national map accuracy standards for fixed features
Vertical_Positional_Accuracy:
Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Report:
Depth values are reported in feet from water surface. Values should be considered estimates only. In some cases, no estimate of depth could be provided.
Lineage:
Source_Information:
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/Biogeography Program
Publication_Date: 2001
Title: Benthic Habitats of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Edition: 1
Publication_Information:
Publication_Place: Charleston, SC
Publisher: NOAA Coastal Services Center
Source_Scale_Denominator: 48000
Type_of_Source_Media: In situ observations of ground features.
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 1999
Ending_Date: 2001
Source_Currentness_Reference: publication date
Source_Citation_Abbreviation:
Source_Contribution:
Process_Step:
Process_Description:
Following careful evaluation of the aerial photography, and in some cases creation of a "first draft" habitat map through the process outlined above, selected sites were visited in the field for typological validation. This validation included: (1) areas in the aerial photography and mosaic with confusing or difficult to interpret signatures, (2) transects across many representative habitat types occurring in different depths and water conditions, (3) a survey of the Zones, and (4) confirmation of preliminary habitat delineations if a first draft was produced. Navigating to field sites was accomplished in a variety of ways including uploading position coordinates from the mosaic into an onboard GPS and navigating to those waypoints, using an onboard PC connected to GPS allowing navigation using digital nautical charts or the mosaic, and visual navigation using landmarks visible in the diapositives. On most occasions, field activities were conducted with the guidance of local experts. Diapositives, and when available, draft delineations were used in the field to facilitate comparison of signatures in the imagery to actual habitats at each site. Individual sites were visually evaluated by snorkeling and free diving or directly from the boat in shallow, clear water. Habitat transitions were evaluated by swimming transects across habitat types to further guide placement of polygon boundaries. Habitat type(s), zone, approximate depth, position (GPS), image number, and other descriptive information were recorded at each site. Field data for each site was then compiled into a text table with a latitude/longitude field to allow overlay of the field information on the mosaic and habitat polygons (Appendix 2: Ground Truth Points). Where depth and water clarity permitted, the diapositives were used to navigate across multiple bottom features allowing continuous confirmation of habitat types and transitions between each site.
Process_Date: 2000
Process_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Matthew S. Kendall
Contact_Position: Marine Biologist
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: 1305 East West Highway, N/SCI-1, SSMC4
City: Silver Spring
State_or_Province: Maryland
Postal_Code: 20910
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 301-713-3028 *144
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 301-713-4388
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: matt.kendall@noaa.gov
Hours_of_Service: 8:00AM to 5:PM M-F EST
Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:
Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: point
Spatial_Reference_Information:
Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:
Geographic:
Latitude_Resolution: 0.1
Longitude_Resolution: 0.1
Geographic_Coordinate_Units: decimal degrees
Geodetic_Model:
Horizontal_Datum_Name: North American Datum of 1983
Ellipsoid_Name: Geodetic Reference System 80, WGS84
Semi-major_Axis: 6378137
Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 298.25
Entity_and_Attribute_Information:
Overview_Description:
Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
Benthic features were assigned one of twenty-six habitat types ranging from sand to coral. A complete description of these classification categories can be found at http://biogeo.nos.noaa.gov/projects/mapping/caribbean/
Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:
tab delimited text files; UTM Zone 20 coordinates; habitat type; dominant benthic elements are listed
Distribution_Information:
Distributor:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Organization_Primary:
Contact_Organization: NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/Biogeography Program
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: 1305 East West Highway, N/SCI-1, SSMC4
City: Silver Spring
State_or_Province: Maryland
Postal_Code: 20910
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 301-713-3028 *144
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 301-713-4388
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: matt.kendall@noaa.gov
Hours_of_Service: 8AM to5PM M-F, EST
Distribution_Liability: not to be used for navigation
Metadata_Reference_Information:
Metadata_Date: 2001
Metadata_Review_Date: 2001
Metadata_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Matthew S. Kendall
Contact_Organization: NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/Biogeography Program
Contact_Position: Marine Biologist
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: 1305 East West Highway, N/SCI-1, SSMC4
City: Silver Spring
State_or_Province: Maryland
Postal_Code: 20910
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 301-713-3028 *144
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 301-713-4388
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: matt.kendall@noaa.gov
Hours_of_Service: 8AM to5PM M-F, EST
Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998
Generated by mp on Fri Dec 7 15:23:35 2001