Benthic Habitats of Florida Bay, FL 1991-1995 Geodatabase
Data Set (DS) | Office for Coastal Management (OCM)GUID: gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:47891 | Updated: May 30, 2023 | Published / External
Summary

Short Citation
Office for Coastal Management, 2025: Benthic Habitats of Florida Bay, FL 1991-1995 Geodatabase, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/47891.
Full Citation Examples
In the winter of 1991/92 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office for Coastal Management's Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) and the State of Florida commissioned the National Ocean Service's Photogrammetry Unit, the National Geodetic Survey (NGS), to acquire conventional color metric aerial photography of Florida Bay suitable for interpretation of photic benthic habitats (scale of 1:48,000). Additional photography was acquired by NGS in 1995 to cover areas of the bay that were not interpretable due to turbidity and glare during the original mission. The imagery was collected according to stringent parameters detailed in the C-CAP protocol (https://coast.noaa.gov/crs/lca/ccap.html). The original photographic diapositives were interpreted by two ecologists, familiar with the local environment. The benthic signatures were interpreted from the photography using Bausch and Lomb Zoom Stereoscopes and Richards Light Tables. The boundaries of each unique signature were delineated on acetate overlays and assigned one of 20 habitat classes. Only the central 'sweet spot' of each frame was interpreted to minimize the effects of sun glint. An ecologist at the Florida Marine Research Institute (FMRI) conducted thematic quality assurance and control. Following interpretation, Office for Coastal Management staff scanned the aerial photos, with the interpreted acetate overlays attached, using a photogrammetric quality scanner (AGFA Horizon Plus) at a resolution of 600 dpi resulting in a pixel resolution of 2.03 meters. The resulting image file was rectified (second order bilinear interpolation) using ERDAS Imagine software. Ground control points were selected from features common to digital orthophotoquads of Florida Bay. The interpreted polygon habitats were digitized into an ARC coverage from the rectified files using ERDAS Imagine software's vector module. In 1999, the final edits and quality control of the habitat polygons were completed. The coverage and shoreline were edge matched to the Benthic Habitats of the Florida Keys Atlas to complete the coverage, as the dates of photography, methodology and classification system used were the same.
Original contact information:
Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management
Phone: 843-740-1202
Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov
Distribution Information
Controlled Theme Keywords
BENTHIC, COASTAL, environment, ESTUARY
Child Items
No Child Items for this record.
Contact Information
Point of Contact
NOAA Office for Coastal Management (NOAA/OCM)
coastal.info@noaa.gov
(843) 740-1202
https://coast.noaa.gov
Metadata Contact
NOAA Office for Coastal Management (NOAA/OCM)
coastal.info@noaa.gov
(843) 740-1202
https://coast.noaa.gov
Extents
-81.1428° W,
-80.3419° E,
25.2733° N,
24.6853° S
1991 - 1995
Item Identification
Title: | Benthic Habitats of Florida Bay, FL 1991-1995 Geodatabase |
---|---|
Short Name: | fl_fb95-geodatabase_Metadata |
Status: | Completed |
Publication Date: | 2015 |
Abstract: |
In the winter of 1991/92 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office for Coastal Management's Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) and the State of Florida commissioned the National Ocean Service's Photogrammetry Unit, the National Geodetic Survey (NGS), to acquire conventional color metric aerial photography of Florida Bay suitable for interpretation of photic benthic habitats (scale of 1:48,000). Additional photography was acquired by NGS in 1995 to cover areas of the bay that were not interpretable due to turbidity and glare during the original mission. The imagery was collected according to stringent parameters detailed in the C-CAP protocol (https://coast.noaa.gov/crs/lca/ccap.html). The original photographic diapositives were interpreted by two ecologists, familiar with the local environment. The benthic signatures were interpreted from the photography using Bausch and Lomb Zoom Stereoscopes and Richards Light Tables. The boundaries of each unique signature were delineated on acetate overlays and assigned one of 20 habitat classes. Only the central 'sweet spot' of each frame was interpreted to minimize the effects of sun glint. An ecologist at the Florida Marine Research Institute (FMRI) conducted thematic quality assurance and control. Following interpretation, Office for Coastal Management staff scanned the aerial photos, with the interpreted acetate overlays attached, using a photogrammetric quality scanner (AGFA Horizon Plus) at a resolution of 600 dpi resulting in a pixel resolution of 2.03 meters. The resulting image file was rectified (second order bilinear interpolation) using ERDAS Imagine software. Ground control points were selected from features common to digital orthophotoquads of Florida Bay. The interpreted polygon habitats were digitized into an ARC coverage from the rectified files using ERDAS Imagine software's vector module. In 1999, the final edits and quality control of the habitat polygons were completed. The coverage and shoreline were edge matched to the Benthic Habitats of the Florida Keys Atlas to complete the coverage, as the dates of photography, methodology and classification system used were the same. Original contact information: Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Phone: 843-740-1202 Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov |
Purpose: |
Loss of seagrass beds, persistent phytoplankton blooms, and elevated turbidity are symptoms of major ecological changes in Florida Bay. These changes threaten important fisheries associated with Florida Bay and the adjacent Florida Keys. Marine and estuarine seagrass beds are vital linkages in the ecosystem of Florida Bay and are essential for the maintenance of healthy fish populations. These beds cycle nutrients and stabilize the sediments as well as provide direct benefits to fisheries in the form of food and shelter. In addition, seagrass beds are connected to other ecologically and economically valuable systems, such as mangrove, coral reef and continental shelf communities. Quantification of the status and recent change in the spatial distribution of seagrass is central to understanding the distribution and extent of these declines and to guide research and management efforts. |
Notes: |
10048 |
Supplemental Information: |
This file geodatabase contains three feature layers corresponding to the CMECS 2012 Geoform, Substrate, and Biotic components. These layers were converted from an earlier version classified according to the System for Classifying Habitats in Estuarine and Marine Environments (SCHEME) using the CMECS Crosswalk Tool. Each feature layer has its own metadata record describing the attributes, and data development methods associated with it. |
Keywords
Theme Keywords
Thesaurus | Keyword |
---|---|
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords |
EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > BENTHIC
|
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords |
EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > COASTAL
|
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords |
EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > ESTUARY
|
ISO 19115 Topic Category |
environment
|
UNCONTROLLED | |
None | benthic habitats |
None | Biotic Component |
None | CMECS |
None | Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard |
None | corals |
None | Environmental Monitoring |
None | field verification |
None | Florida Bay |
None | Geoform Component |
None | image rectification |
None | OCM Benthic Habitat Mapping |
None | photo-interpretation |
None | seagrass |
None | submerged aquatic vegetation |
None | Substrate Component |
Spatial Keywords
Thesaurus | Keyword |
---|---|
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords |
CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > FLORIDA
|
UNCONTROLLED | |
None | Florida |
Physical Location
Organization: | Office for Coastal Management |
---|---|
City: | Charleston |
State/Province: | SC |
Data Set Information
Data Set Scope Code: | Data Set |
---|---|
Maintenance Frequency: | As Needed |
Data Presentation Form: | Map (digital) |
Distribution Liability: |
NOAA provides no warranty, nor accepts any liability occurring from any incomplete, incorrect, or misleading data, or from any incorrect, incomplete, or misleading use of the data. It is the responsibility of the user to determine whether or not the data is suitable for the intended purpose. |
Support Roles
Data Steward
Date Effective From: | 2015 |
---|---|
Date Effective To: | |
Contact (Organization): | NOAA Office for Coastal Management (NOAA/OCM) |
Address: |
2234 South Hobson Ave Charleston, SC 29405-2413 |
Email Address: | coastal.info@noaa.gov |
Phone: | (843) 740-1202 |
URL: | https://coast.noaa.gov |
Distributor
Date Effective From: | 2015 |
---|---|
Date Effective To: | |
Contact (Organization): | NOAA Office for Coastal Management (NOAA/OCM) |
Address: |
2234 South Hobson Ave Charleston, SC 29405-2413 |
Email Address: | coastal.info@noaa.gov |
Phone: | (843) 740-1202 |
URL: | https://coast.noaa.gov |
Metadata Contact
Date Effective From: | 2015 |
---|---|
Date Effective To: | |
Contact (Organization): | NOAA Office for Coastal Management (NOAA/OCM) |
Address: |
2234 South Hobson Ave Charleston, SC 29405-2413 |
Email Address: | coastal.info@noaa.gov |
Phone: | (843) 740-1202 |
URL: | https://coast.noaa.gov |
Point of Contact
Date Effective From: | 2015 |
---|---|
Date Effective To: | |
Contact (Organization): | NOAA Office for Coastal Management (NOAA/OCM) |
Address: |
2234 South Hobson Ave Charleston, SC 29405-2413 |
Email Address: | coastal.info@noaa.gov |
Phone: | (843) 740-1202 |
URL: | https://coast.noaa.gov |
Extents
Currentness Reference: | Ground Condition |
---|
Extent Group 1
Extent Group 1 / Geographic Area 1
W° Bound: | -81.1428 | |
---|---|---|
E° Bound: | -80.3419 | |
N° Bound: | 25.2733 | |
S° Bound: | 24.6853 |
Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 1
Time Frame Type: | Range |
---|---|
Start: | 1991 |
End: | 1995 |
Access Information
Security Class: | Unclassified |
---|---|
Data Access Procedure: |
Contact NOAA Office for Coastal Management's Clearinghouse Manager and request a copy of "Benthic Habitats of Florida Bay, Florida, 1991-1995, CD-ROM". Alternatively, fill out a OCM Product Request Form at https://coast.noaa.gov/clearinghouse/prodreq_form.html; |
Data Access Constraints: |
none |
Data Use Constraints: |
None |
Distribution Information
Distribution 1
Download URL: | ftp://ftp.coast.noaa.gov/pub/benthic/Benthic_Cover_Data/FL_FloridaBay.zip |
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Distributor: | |
File Name: | Bulk Download |
Description: |
FTP download of data files. |
URLs
URL 1
URL: | https://iocm.noaa.gov/cmecs |
---|---|
Name: | CMECS Home Page |
URL Type: |
Online Resource
|
Description: |
Information and resources on the CMECS standard and how to apply it |
URL 2
URL: | http://www.cmecscatalog.org/ |
---|---|
Name: | CMECS Catalog |
URL Type: |
Online Resource
|
Description: |
Searchable online catalog of CMECS units, descriptions, and source references |
URL 3
URL: | https://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/ |
---|---|
Name: | NOAA's Office for Coastal Management (OCM) Digital Coast Data section |
URL Type: |
Online Resource
|
Description: |
The website provides not only coastal data, but also the tools, training, and information needed to make these data truly useful. Content comes from many sources, all of which are vetted by NOAA. |
URL 4
URL: | https://coast.noaa.gov/ |
---|---|
Name: | NOAA's Office for Coastal Management (OCM) website |
URL Type: |
Online Resource
|
Description: |
Information on the NOAA Office for Coastal Management (OCM) |
URL 5
URL: | https://coast.noaa.gov/data/Images/Collections/BenthicCover_thumbnail.jpg |
---|---|
Name: | Browse Graphic |
URL Type: |
Browse Graphic
![]() |
File Resource Format: | JPEG |
Description: |
Sample of benthic cover data |
Activity Log
Activity Log 1
Activity Date/Time: | 2017-03-30 |
---|---|
Description: |
Date that the source FGDC record was last modified. |
Activity Log 2
Activity Date/Time: | 2017-11-14 |
---|---|
Description: |
Converted from FGDC Content Standard 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: | 2018-04-11 |
---|---|
Description: |
Partial upload to move data access FTP links to Distribution Info and remove broken URLs. |
Catalog Details
Catalog Item ID: | 47891 |
---|---|
GUID: | gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:47891 |
Metadata Record Created By: | Anne Ball |
Metadata Record Created: | 2017-11-14 12:57+0000 |
Metadata Record Last Modified By: | SysAdmin InPortAdmin |
Metadata Record Last Modified: | 2023-05-30 18:09+0000 |
Metadata Record Published: | 2018-04-11 |
Owner Org: | OCM |
Metadata Publication Status: | Published Externally |
Do Not Publish?: | N |
Metadata Last Review Date: | 2018-04-11 |
Metadata Review Frequency: | 1 Year |
Metadata Next Review Date: | 2019-04-11 |