Benthic Habitat Maps of the U.S. Virgin Islands-St. Croix Prepared by Visual Interpretation from Remote Sensing Imagery Collected by NOAA, 1999
Data Set (DS) | National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)GUID: gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:39206 | Updated: October 17, 2023 | Published / External
Summary
Short Citation
National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, 2024: Benthic Habitat Maps of the U.S. Virgin Islands-St. Croix Prepared by Visual Interpretation from Remote Sensing Imagery Collected by NOAA, 1999, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/39206.
Full Citation Examples
This project is a cooperative effort among the National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment;the United States Geological Survey; the National Park Service; and the National Geophysical Data Center to produce benthic habitat maps and georeferenced imagery for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This project was conducted in support of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force.Twenty-one distinct benthic habitat types within eight zones were mapped directly into a GIS system using visual interpretation of orthorectified aerial photographs. Benthic features were mapped that covered an area of 1600 km^2. In all, 49 km^2 of unconsolidated sediment, 721 km^2 of submerged vegetation, 73 km^2 of mangroves, and 756 km^2 of coral reef and colonized hardbottom were mapped.
Distribution Information
-
Shapefile
Downloadable Data
None
Not for navigation
Controlled Theme Keywords
environment, oceans
Child Items
Type | Title |
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Entity | stc_fin.dbf |
Contact Information
Point of Contact
NCCOS Scientific Data Coordinator
NCCOS.data@noaa.gov
Metadata Contact
NCCOS Scientific Data Coordinator
NCCOS.data@noaa.gov
Extents
-64.96° W,
-64.42° E,
17.84° N,
17.62° S
1999 - 2001
Item Identification
Title: | Benthic Habitat Maps of the U.S. Virgin Islands-St. Croix Prepared by Visual Interpretation from Remote Sensing Imagery Collected by NOAA, 1999 |
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Short Name: | St_Croix_Benthic |
Status: | Completed |
Publication Date: | 2001-12-01 |
Abstract: |
This project is a cooperative effort among the National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment;the United States Geological Survey; the National Park Service; and the National Geophysical Data Center to produce benthic habitat maps and georeferenced imagery for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This project was conducted in support of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force.Twenty-one distinct benthic habitat types within eight zones were mapped directly into a GIS system using visual interpretation of orthorectified aerial photographs. Benthic features were mapped that covered an area of 1600 km^2. In all, 49 km^2 of unconsolidated sediment, 721 km^2 of submerged vegetation, 73 km^2 of mangroves, and 756 km^2 of coral reef and colonized hardbottom were mapped. |
Purpose: |
The National Ocean Service is conducting research to digitally map biotic resources and coordinate a long-term monitoring program that can detect and predict change in U.S. coral reefs, and their associated habitats and biological communities. |
Notes: |
882 |
Keywords
Theme Keywords
Thesaurus | Keyword |
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ISO 19115 Topic Category |
environment
|
ISO 19115 Topic Category |
oceans
|
UNCONTROLLED | |
Geospatial Platform | OceanCommunity |
None | aerial photography |
None | benthic |
None | coral |
None | environmental monitoring |
None | habitat |
None | mangrove |
None | oceans |
None | reef |
None | SAV |
None | seagrass |
Spatial Keywords
Thesaurus | Keyword |
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UNCONTROLLED | |
None | St. Croix |
None | U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone |
None | U.S. Virgin Islands |
Physical Location
Organization: | National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science |
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City: | Silver Spring |
State/Province: | MD |
Data Set Information
Data Set Scope Code: | Data Set |
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Maintenance Frequency: | None Planned |
Data Presentation Form: | vector digital data |
Distribution Liability: |
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) produced this data CD-ROM. NCCOS Biogeography Program does not guarantee the accuracy of the geographic features or attributes. Please see the metadata records for each data set for complete information on the source, limitations, and proper use. |
Data Set Credit: | Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, University of Puerto Rico, the United States Geological Survey, the National Park Service, Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources: Fish and Wildlife Division, University of Virgin Islands, Cons. Data Center, The Nature Conservancy, SeaGrant, and other local and regional experts for input and review. |
Support Roles
Data Steward
Date Effective From: | 2001-12-01 |
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Date Effective To: | |
Contact (Position): | NCCOS Scientific Data Coordinator |
Email Address: | NCCOS.data@noaa.gov |
Distributor
Date Effective From: | 2001-12-01 |
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Date Effective To: | |
Contact (Position): | NCCOS Scientific Data Coordinator |
Email Address: | NCCOS.data@noaa.gov |
Metadata Contact
Date Effective From: | 2001-12-01 |
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Date Effective To: | |
Contact (Position): | NCCOS Scientific Data Coordinator |
Email Address: | NCCOS.data@noaa.gov |
Point of Contact
Date Effective From: | 2001-12-01 |
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Date Effective To: | |
Contact (Position): | NCCOS Scientific Data Coordinator |
Email Address: | NCCOS.data@noaa.gov |
Principal Investigator
Date Effective From: | 2001-12-01 |
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Date Effective To: | |
Contact (Person): | Kendall, Matt |
Email Address: | matt.kendall@noaa.gov |
Extents
Currentness Reference: | Ground condition at date photos were taken (Feb, Mar, and Dec 1999). Maps reflect only the conditions at the time of the photos. |
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Extent Group 1
Extent Group 1 / Geographic Area 1
W° Bound: | -64.96 | |
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E° Bound: | -64.42 | |
N° Bound: | 17.84 | |
S° Bound: | 17.62 |
Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 1
Time Frame Type: | Range |
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Start: | 1999 |
End: | 2001 |
Access Information
Security Class: | Unclassified |
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Data Access Constraints: |
None |
Data Use Constraints: |
Not for navigation |
Distribution Information
Distribution 1
Download URL: | http://coastalscience.noaa.gov/datasets/ccma/biogeo/benthic/vi_shp/stc_fin.zip |
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Distributor: | |
Description: |
Downloadable Data |
File Type (Deprecated): | ArcView Shapefile |
Distribution Format: | Shapefile |
URLs
URL 1
URL: | http://coastalscience.noaa.gov/datasets/ccma/biogeo/benthic/vi_shp/stc_fin.zip |
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URL Type: |
Online Resource
|
URL 2
URL: | http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/products/biogeography/benthic/data/ |
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URL Type: |
Online Resource
|
URL 3
URL: | http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/products/biogeography/benthic/ |
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URL Type: |
Online Resource
|
Activity Log
Activity Log 1
Activity Date/Time: | 2014-08-13 |
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Description: |
Date that the source FGDC record was last modified. |
Activity Log 2
Activity Date/Time: | 2017-04-05 |
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Description: |
Converted from FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (version FGDC-STD-001-1998) using 'fgdc_to_inport_xml.pl' script. Contact Tyler Christensen (NOS) for details. |
Activity Log 3
Activity Date/Time: | 2017-11-01 |
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Description: |
Replaced entire Lineage section to populate new Source Contribution field. |
Activity Log 4
Activity Date/Time: | 2018-02-08 |
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Description: |
Partial upload of Positional Accuracy fields only. |
Technical Environment
Description: |
Microsoft Windows 2000 Version 5.0 (Build 2195) Service Pack 3; ESRI ArcCatalog 8.3.0.800 |
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Data Quality
Accuracy: |
The purpose of this study was to determine the relative accuracy of maps generated from on-screen digitizing using the ArcView Habitat Digitizer Extension, to those produced by digitizing directly from hard copy photos using a stereoplotter. Thematic accuracy of the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands habitat maps was evaluated for the three most general habitat categories: unconsolidated sediment, submerged vegetation, and coral reef/hard bottom. Accuracy tests were conducted at two locations within the project area that included the full complement of habitat types, depth ranges, and water conditions representative of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For this reason, the accuracy of maps measured at these two locations is assumed to be representative of map accuracy elsewhere in the project area. This approach, which focused in two small areas, enabled a statistically robust evaluation of thematic accuracy to be conducted without the logical difficulty of collecting data for accuracy assessment over the entire project area.The two test sites chosen were located at Buck Island National Monument, St. Croix, and La Parguera, Puerto Rico. A stratified sampling protocol was used during which sample sites were pre-selected so that overall thematic accuracy of the three major habitat types across the range of depths and water conditions found in the field could be evaluated. Each preselected site was navigated to using a real time Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) and habitat data was acquired.The Buck Island accuracy assessments tests showed that the ability to generate benthic habitat maps with an overall accuracy of 93.6 percent (Kappa 0.90) for on-screen digitizing and 87.8 percent (Kappa 0.82) for maps digitized directly from stereo pairs. Overall accuracy in the Parguera area was determined to be 93.6 percent (Kappa 0.93). |
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Horizontal Positional Accuracy: |
The Minimum Mapping Unit (MMU) restriction was set to one acre when digitizing was conducted at 1:6000 scale. Polygons were digitized directly from georegistered orthophotos with spatial accuracy between 1 and 9 meters. These maps represent conditions at the time the aerial photographs were obtained. When considering horizontal map accuracy, it is important to keep in mind that the ocean floor is a dynamic environment. Physical factors such as water currents and hurricanes and biological factors such as seasonal growth and die-off, affect the distribution and stability of benthic habitats in this environment. |
Completeness Report: |
NOAA supplied georeferenced imagery to an independent contractor. Delineation of all habitat boundaries was conducted with the image scale at 1:6,000. Experimentation indicated that digitizing at this scale optimizes the tradeoff between positional accuracy of lines and time spent digitizing. All polygons were digitized at this scale except when subtle habitat boundaries were not easily discernable at 1:6000 and zooming out to a more broad scale was required to place boundaries correctly. In this case, digitizing generally took place at a scale of approximately 1:10000. Digitizing at a uniform scale ensures that the level of detail produced by the photointerpreter is consistent throughout the project.The Minimum Mapping Unit (MMU) for identifying habitats or features was 1 acre for visual photointerpretation. The software utilized in this project was designed to alert the photointerpreter each time a polygon was drawn smaller than the MMU. When this occurred the photointerpreter has the choice of whether to include the polygon in the data set or not. |
Conceptual Consistency: |
Individual color aerial photographs were georeferenced and mosaiced. During the digitizing process, image stretches and manipulating image contrast, brightness and color balance were performed in the ArcView Image Analysis Extension to enhance features in the processed imagery. Additional, collateral information including previously completed habitat maps, NOS nautical charts, and other descriptive references dealing with benthic and coastal habitats of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands was used to assist with image interpretation.GIS topologic quality was established by executing ArcView extension routines that check for: overlapping polygons, multipart polygons, sliver polygons and void polygons. Additionally, checks for adjacent polygons with the same habitat attributes were completed. All errors were identified and corrected. This file is believed to be logically consistent. |
Lineage
Sources
ArcView Habitat Digitizer Extension v 3.1
Contact Name: | Ken Buja |
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Publish Date: | 2001-01-01 |
Extent Type: | Discrete |
Extent Start Date/Time: | 2001 |
Citation URL: | http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/products/biogeography/benthic/htm/digitize.aspx |
Source Contribution: |
This ArcView extension was used to digitize and attribute benthic zones and habitats for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. | Type of Source Media: computer program |
Classification Scheme for Benthic Habitats: Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
Contact Name: | NOAA Caribbean Fishery Management CouncilDr. Ken Lindeman, Environmental DefenseNOS Biogeography Program |
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Publish Date: | 2000-01-01 |
Extent Type: | Discrete |
Extent Start Date/Time: | 2001 |
Citation URL: | http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/products/biogeography/benthic/htm/manual.aspx |
Source Contribution: |
This document identifies the zone and habitat types attributed in this data set. | Source Geospatial Form: document | Type of Source Media: Report |
Color Aerial Photography
Contact Name: | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), National Geodetic Survey (NGS) |
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Publish Date: | 1999-01-01 |
Extent Type: | Discrete |
Extent Start Date/Time: | 1999 |
Scale Denominator: | 48000 |
Citation URL: | http://www8.nos.noaa.gov/biogeo_public/aerial/search.aspx |
Source Contribution: |
Benthic features were interpreted and mapped from NGS aerial photos of Puerto Rico. | Source Geospatial Form: remote-sensing image | Type of Source Media: aerial photography and scanned photographs |
Process Steps
Process Step 1
Description: |
Benthic habitat maps were digitized by delineating habitat boundaries from georeferenced imagery loaded into ArcView 3.2 GIS software with the Image Analysis and NOAA Coral Reef Habitat Digitizing extensions both activated. On-screen digitizing was conducted with the minimum mapping unit (MMU) set to 1 acre and the image scale at 1:6000.During the digitizing process, image stretches and manipulating image contrast, brightness and color balance were performed in the ArcView Image Analysis Extension to enhance features in the processed imagery. Additional collateral information including previously completed habitat maps, NOS nautical charts, and other descriptive references dealing with benthic and coastal habitats of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands was used to assist with image interpretation.A first draft map was completed and features in the imagery where uncertainties existed, due to confusing or difficult to interpret signatures, were identified for future ground validation effort. An ArcView GIS point theme was generated with points positioned on the features of uncertain habitat type or along transects though gradients between habitat types. The GIS points were converted to GPS waypoints using Trimble Pathfinder Software and were navigated to in the field using a Trimble GeoExplorer 3 GPS data logger.A benthic habitat characterization was conducted at each site by snorkeling, free diving, or via observations from the surface where water depth and clarity permitted. GPS data were collected at each location and site ID, depth, habitat type, zone and the method used to make the assessment were recorded. The ground validation data were incorporated into the second draft of each map. |
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Process Date/Time: | 2000-01-01 00:00:00 |
Child Items
Rubric scores updated every 15m
Type | Title | |
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Entity | stc_fin.dbf |
Catalog Details
Catalog Item ID: | 39206 |
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GUID: | gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:39206 |
Metadata Record Created By: | Tyler Christensen |
Metadata Record Created: | 2017-04-05 12:51+0000 |
Metadata Record Last Modified By: | SysAdmin InPortAdmin |
Metadata Record Last Modified: | 2023-10-17 16:12+0000 |
Metadata Record Published: | 2018-02-08 |
Owner Org: | NCCOS |
Metadata Publication Status: | Published Externally |
Do Not Publish?: | N |
Metadata Last Review Date: | 2018-02-08 |
Metadata Review Frequency: | 1 Year |
Metadata Next Review Date: | 2019-02-08 |