NEPR Benthic Habitat Map 2015

This benthic habitat map was created from a semi-automated habitat mapping process, using a combination of bathymetry, satellite imagery, aerial imagery and underwater videos to classify the 0-35m deep benthic habitats of the region around Northeast Puerto Rico (NEPR) and Culebra Island, including the shallow part of the Northeast Ecological Reserves, Puerto Rico. The area of interest includes the nearshore waters of Fajardo and Luqillo to the Former Roosevelt Roads Navy Base, the Vieques Sound, La Cordillera Reserve, the Luis Pena Reserve, and the waters around Culebra Island. The benthic habitat map is classified based: on 1) geomorphological structure, 2) hard bottom cover, 3) topographic complexity, 4) dominant biological cover, 5) live coral cover and 6) dominant type of coral cover. Underwater photo and video data was collected to provide ground validation for remote sensing imagery, and to assess the accuracy t of the final map. Habitat features are described by varying levels of detail (i.e., major and minor categories nested within them), so users can depict the habitat information that best suits their research or management needs.

Habitat maps provide a spatially explicit representation of benthic structure and biological cover. The spatial products developed for this project will: (1) inform local managers as to the current distribution of resources and help prioritize management actions, (2) provide a point of comparison for past and future mapping efforts, (3) help locate sensitive marine habitats, and (4) guide future benthic habitat monitoring efforts.

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Each benthic habitat polygon is characterized by a habitat schema based on semi-automated imagery and analysis and observational data collected from the underwater video developed by the Biogeography Team. Each habitat polygon contains information and attributes on the Major Geomorphological Structure, Detailed Geomorphological Structure, Percent Hardbottom, Topographic Complexity, Dominant Biological Cover, Percent Biological Cover, Percent Coral Cover and Dominant Coral Type (hard/mixed/soft). An additional category Habitat Overview was included to simplify the habitat schema into one attribute table. Additional observations of Acropora coral presence, selected fauna presence, biological cover (co-occurring) and water visibility are linked to photos and underwater videos in a geodatabase.

For more details on the entity and attribute information on the NEPR Benthic Habitat Map and the benthic habitat classification scheme, see Chapter 2 of the NCOSS technical memorandum Benthic Habitats of Northeast Puerto Rico and Culebra Island.

These data were prepared by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, make any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed in this report, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference therein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. Any views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. Although all data have been used by NOAA, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by NOAA as to the accuracy of the data and/or related materials. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by NOAA in the use of these data or related materials.

Please cite any use of this data.

NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION. These data were prepared by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, make any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed in this report, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference therein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. Any views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. Although all data have been used by NOAA, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by NOAA as to the accuracy of the data and/or related materials. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by NOAA in the use of these data or related materials.

Microsoft Windows 7; ESRI ArcCatalog 10.1

point data represents the approximate centroid (+ - 20m) of each drop-camera or snorkel transit of a ground validation site.

Ground validation work was completed after two field missions. Extra GV sites that were determined to be useful habitat information were added to the shapefile as well. All GV points are linked to the site video and photos that are served in the Biomapper data portal.

All users should independently analyze the dataset according to their own needs and standards to determine data usability.