Sensitivity of Coastal Environments and Wildlife to Spilled Oil: Florida Panhandle: BENTHIC (Benthic Polygons)

This data set contains submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) and corals for the Florida Panhandle. Vector polygons in the data set represent SAV and coral distribution. Species-specific abundance, seasonality, status, life history, and source information are stored in relational data tables (described below) designed to be used in conjunction with this spatial data layer. This data set comprises a portion of the ESI data for Florida Panhandle. ESI data characterize the marine and coastal environments and wildlife by their sensitivity to spilled oil. The ESI data include information for three main components: shoreline habitats, sensitive biological resources, and human-use resources.

The ESI data were collected, mapped, and digitized to provide environmental data for oil spill planning and response. The Clean Water Act with amendments by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 requires response plans for immediate and effective protection of sensitive resources.

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Prepared by Research Planning, Inc., Columbia, South Carolina for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service, Office of Response and Restoration, Emergency Response Division, Seattle, Washington.

In addition to the geographic data layers, six relational attribute or data tables (BIORES, BREED, SEASONAL, SOURCES, SPECIES, and STATUS) are used to store the complex biological data in the ESI data structure. The geographic data layer containing biological resource information (in this case, BENTHIC) is linked to the Biological Resources table (BIORES) using the unique ID and the lookup table BIO_LUT, or it can be linked directly using RARNUM. The ID is a unique combination of the atlas number (for the Florida Panhandle atlas, the number is 218), an element/layer specific number (BIRDS are layer 1, FISH are layer 2, etc.), and a unique record number. The RARNUM represents a unique combination of species, seasonalities, concentrations, and source information. For each of these groupings, a number is generated. That number is concatenated with the atlas number to create a "resource at risk" number that is unique across atlases. BIORES and the other relational data tables are described in the Detailed_Description sections. See the Browse_Graphic section for a link to the entity-relationship diagram, which describes the way these tables relate to the geographic data layers and other attribute tables in the ESI data structure. Due to the complexity of the relational database model, the data items are also post-processed into a flat file format. This table, called BIOFILE, may be used in place of the relational files to ease simple data queries. The items in the flat file are ELEMENT, SUBELEMENT, NAME, GEN_SPEC, S, F, NHP, DATE_PUB, CONC, JAN, FEB, MAR, APR, MAY, JUN, JUL, AUG, SEP, OCT, NOV, DEC, BREED1, BREED2, BREED3, BREED4, BREED5, RARNUM, G_SOURCE, S_SOURCE, and BREED. All of these items are the same as their counterparts in the individual data tables (described in the Detailed_Description sections), except the BREED1-BREED5 and BREED items. BREED is a newly generated variable used to link to the BREED_DT data table, a modified, more compact version of the relational BREED data table. BREED1-BREED5 give a text summary of when each life stage occurs within the associated map object. The life stages referred to are the same as those listed in the Detailed_Description of the BREED data table. The link to the BIOFILE may be made through the BIO_LUT, using ID to link to RARNUM, or BIOFILE may be linked directly to the RARNUM in each of the geographic layer's attribute data tables. As mentioned, BREED_DT is an auxiliary support data table to the flat file structure, which allows the user to do searches based on month for seasonal breeding activities. The link from the flat file to BREED_DT is the BREED item. A second supporting data table is SOURCES. This is the same as the source file described above, and the link from the flat file is both G_SOURCE and S_SOURCE. It should be noted that although the flat file eases data query, it is not a normalized database structure, and actual updates performed by the states and other responsible agencies should be done using the relational data tables. The entity-relationship diagram, describing relationships between attribute tables in the ESI data structure does NOT include the BIOFILE data table, and this data table is NOT described in a Detailed_Description section.

A complete description of entity types, attributes, and attribute values for ESI atlases can be found in the NOAA ESI Guidelines (http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/esi_guidelines).

These data represent a snapshot in time and temporal changes may have occurred. These data are not intended to include all biological or human-use resources present in an area; they focus on species and resources particularly sensitive to oiling. In the event of a spill, they should be used for a first assessment only. The data providers are the experts with regard to individual resources. They should be contacted to confirm if more current data exist, and/or in-depth information is needed about a particular resource.

Contact NOAA for distribution options (see Distributor). ESI data are processed into multiple formats. Distribution formats include a Geodatabase (including an ArcMap .mxd file, complete with database links and symbology), ARC export files, and shapefiles. The database files, available in text and INFO(R) formats, are provided in both the NOAA standard relational database format (see NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS ORCA 115) and in a simplified desktop flat file format. This metadata document includes information about both of these database formats.;

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DO NOT USE MAPS FOR NAVIGATIONAL PURPOSES.

Besides the above warning, there are no use constraints on these data. Note that the ESI database should not be used to the exclusion of other pertinent data or information held by state or federal agencies or other organizations. Likewise, information contained in the database cannot be used in place of consultations with environmental, natural resource, and cultural resource agencies, or in place of field surveys. Recognize that the information contained in the ESI database represents known concentration areas or occurrences of natural, cultural, and human-use resources, but does not necessarily represent the full distribution or range of each species or resource. This is particularly important to recognize when considering potential impacts to protected resources, such as endangered species, wetlands, etc. Acknowledgment of the originators, publishers, contributors, and sources listed would be appreciated in products derived from these data.

The software packages used to develop the atlas are Environmental Systems Research Institute's ARC/INFO(R) (version 9.3) and SQL SERVER(R) (version 2000). The hardware configuration is PCs with Windows Operating System (2000/XP/2003).

The Spatial_Data_Organization Information section refers only to the source files in the ARC export format. The following files are included in the data set: benthic.e00, birds.e00, esil.e00, esip.e00, fish.e00, habitats.e00, hydro.e00, index.e00, invert.e00, invertpt.e00, m_mammal.e00, mgt.e00, nests.e00, reptiles.e00, reptpt.e00, socecon.e00, and t_mammal.e00. Associated relational and desktop data tables provided in Arc export and text format are bio_lut.e00, biofile.e00, biores.e00, breed.e00, breed_dt.e00, seasonal.e00, soc_dat.e00, soc_lut.e00, sources.e00, species.e00, and status.e00.

A multi-stage error checking process is used to verify both attribute accuracy and logical consistency throughout data production. The process includes a standardized data entry methodology, hardcopy data review by in-house and external resource experts, a final Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) process, and multiple automated logical consistency checks. Quantitative data (such as densities, counts, abundances, or concentrations) provided by resource experts for inclusion in the data set may vary widely in attribute accuracy, depending upon the methodology used to collect and compile such data. For a more detailed evaluation of source data attribute accuracy, contact the sources listed in the Lineage section.

Spatial components for the biological data layers can come from expert interviews, hardcopy, or digital sources. Some of the spatial components of the biological data layers may have been developed using regional experts who estimate concentration areas. It is difficult to estimate the positional accuracy of such data, except to state that they are compiled on hardcopy base maps with a scale of 1:24,000. Some of the spatial components of the biological data sets are developed from pre-existing digital or hardcopy sources and reflect the positional accuracy of these original data. Note that biological resource data by their very nature are considered "fuzzy", and this should be understood when considering the positional accuracy of vector digital objects representing these resources. See the Lineage and Process_Description sections for more information on the original source data and how these data were integrated or manipulated to create the final data set.

These data represent digital data sets and expert knowledge on submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) and coral distribution.

A multi-stage error checking process, described in the above Attribute_Accuracy_Report, is used to verify both attribute accuracy and logical consistency throughout data production. This process includes multiple automated logical consistency checks that test the files for missing or duplicate data, rules for proper coding, GIS topological consistencies (such as dangles, unnecessary nodes, etc.), and SQL SERVER(R) to ARC/INFO(R) consistencies. After the data are delivered to NOAA, they are again subjected to a number of quality and consistency checks.