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Summary

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Short Citation
Office for Coastal Management, 2024: Coastal Massachusetts Submerged Aquatic Beds 1994-1996 Biotic, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/47898.
Full Citation Examples

Abstract

The Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) at NOAA Office for Coastal Management partnered with The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Wetlands Conservancy Program (DEP-WCP) and Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) to produce a digital coverage of submerged aquatic vegetation, primarily eelgrass (Zostera marina) along the Atlantic coast of Massachusetts. Conventional color metric aerial photography at a scale of 1:20,000 was acquired form 1994-1996 according to stringent parameters detailed in the C-CAP protocol (https://coast.noaa.gov/crs/lca/ccap.html). The photography was photointerpreted by DEP-WCP using a biocular stereoscope (Cartographic Engineering Modular Stereoscope Model SB 190). Polygons of eelgrass were delineated onto acetate overlays affixed to each photograph. Extensive fieldwork was conducted to develop signatures and gather surface level data where the presence or extent of habitat was not apparent from the photography. An underwater video camera was utilized in this effort. The aerial photos, with the interpreted acetates attached, were scanned using a photogrammetric quality scanner (AGFA Horizon Plus) at a resolution of 600 dpi resulting in a pixel resolution of .85 meters. The resulting image file was rectified (bilinear 2nd order) by C-CAP to 1 meter black and white and color digital orthophotos supplied by CZM. The polygon delineation from the rectified image was then digitized onscreen. In addition, a point file was generated based on field-verified sites as well as all occurrences of widgeon grass (Ruppia maritima) and algae. The rectification and digitization was completed utilizing the ERDAS Imagine software package. The benthic data is classified according to the System for Classification of Habitats in Estuarine and Marine Environments (SCHEME). This system is fully described in "Development of a System for Classification of Habitats in Estuarine and Marine Environments (SCHEME) for Florida, Report to U.S. EPA - Gulf of Mexico Program, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Marine Research Institute. Review Draft 12/04/02." The polygon vector coverage was accuracy assessed by C-CAP and DEP-WCP in July 1997 and September 1998. The assessment was based on random points generated within the polygon boundaries. Navigation to each point in the field was accomplished using real time differential GPS. The underwater video camera was used to verify the presence of the mapped feature at the random point. The accuracy of the mapped grass was 85.4 % (175 of 205 sites mapped correct).

Original contact information:

Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management

Phone: 843-740-1202

Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov

Distribution Information

Access Constraints:

None

Use Constraints:

None

Controlled Theme Keywords

BENTHIC, COASTAL, environment, ESTUARY

Child Items

Type Title
Entity Biotic

Contact Information

Point of Contact
NOAA Office for Coastal Management (NOAA/OCM)
coastal.info@noaa.gov
(843) 740-1202

Metadata Contact
NOAA Office for Coastal Management (NOAA/OCM)
coastal.info@noaa.gov
(843) 740-1202

Extents

Geographic Area 1

-71.1545° W, -69.9244° E, 42.683° N, 41.2596° S

Time Frame 1
1994 - 1996

Item Identification

Title: Coastal Massachusetts Submerged Aquatic Beds 1994-1996 Biotic
Short Name: ma96-biotic_Metadata
Status: Completed
Publication Date: 2015
Abstract:

The Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) at NOAA Office for Coastal Management partnered with The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Wetlands Conservancy Program (DEP-WCP) and Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) to produce a digital coverage of submerged aquatic vegetation, primarily eelgrass (Zostera marina) along the Atlantic coast of Massachusetts. Conventional color metric aerial photography at a scale of 1:20,000 was acquired form 1994-1996 according to stringent parameters detailed in the C-CAP protocol (https://coast.noaa.gov/crs/lca/ccap.html). The photography was photointerpreted by DEP-WCP using a biocular stereoscope (Cartographic Engineering Modular Stereoscope Model SB 190). Polygons of eelgrass were delineated onto acetate overlays affixed to each photograph. Extensive fieldwork was conducted to develop signatures and gather surface level data where the presence or extent of habitat was not apparent from the photography. An underwater video camera was utilized in this effort. The aerial photos, with the interpreted acetates attached, were scanned using a photogrammetric quality scanner (AGFA Horizon Plus) at a resolution of 600 dpi resulting in a pixel resolution of .85 meters. The resulting image file was rectified (bilinear 2nd order) by C-CAP to 1 meter black and white and color digital orthophotos supplied by CZM. The polygon delineation from the rectified image was then digitized onscreen. In addition, a point file was generated based on field-verified sites as well as all occurrences of widgeon grass (Ruppia maritima) and algae. The rectification and digitization was completed utilizing the ERDAS Imagine software package. The benthic data is classified according to the System for Classification of Habitats in Estuarine and Marine Environments (SCHEME). This system is fully described in "Development of a System for Classification of Habitats in Estuarine and Marine Environments (SCHEME) for Florida, Report to U.S. EPA - Gulf of Mexico Program, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Marine Research Institute. Review Draft 12/04/02." The polygon vector coverage was accuracy assessed by C-CAP and DEP-WCP in July 1997 and September 1998. The assessment was based on random points generated within the polygon boundaries. Navigation to each point in the field was accomplished using real time differential GPS. The underwater video camera was used to verify the presence of the mapped feature at the random point. The accuracy of the mapped grass was 85.4 % (175 of 205 sites mapped correct).

Original contact information:

Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management

Phone: 843-740-1202

Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov

Purpose:

Provide a baseline digital map of submerged aquatic vegetation resources for coastal management applications.

Notes:

10055

Other Citation Details:

Aerial photography was interpreted for SAV presence. Extensive field work was conducted in conjunction with the interpretation to develop signatures and address areas of concern.

Supplemental Information:

A total of six coverages were produced in this project. There are two sets of three files. The first set is projected using the Massachusetts mainland state plane projection and covers the entire Atlantic shoreline. This set contains a SAV polygon coverage, a field-verified point coverage, and a point coverage containing all occurrences of Ruppia maritime and algae. The second set is projected using the Massachusetts islands state plan projection and covers Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. This set contains a SAV polygon coverage, a field-verified point coverage, and a point coverage containing all occurrences of Ruppia maritime and algae. AERIAL PHOTO INFORMATION PROJECT Areas Nantucket Acquisition Dates (YYYYMMDD): 19931006 Photo Source: James W. Sewall Company Mission ID: A5076 Scale: 1:20,000 Overlap/Sidelap: 80/40 Film Type: Aerochrome 2448 Filter Type/Number: clear Camera Type: Zeiss RMK Top 15 Lens Type and Focal Length: 6"/153 mm Image Format (23cm, etc.): 9" Number of Rolls/Frames: Roll # 2097, 70 exposures Martha's Vineyard, Elizabeth Islands and South Coast of Cape Cod Acquisition Dates (YYYYMMDD): 19940511/19940921/19950528 Photo Source: James W. Sewall Company Mission ID: A 5223Scale: 1:20,000 Overlap/Sidelap: 80/40 Film Type: Aerochrome 2448 Filter Type/Number: clear Camera Type: Zeiss RMK Top 15 Lens Type and Focal Length: 6"/153 mm Image Format (23cm, etc.): 9" Number of Rolls/Frames Roll # 2224 and 2225, 517 exposures Northern Coast of Cape Cod Acquisition Dates (YYYYMMDD): 19950629/19950528/19960419 Photo Source: James W. Sewall Company Mission ID: A5223 Scale: 1:20,000 Overlap/Sidelap: 80/40 Film Type: Aerochrome 2448Filter Type/Number: clear Camera Type: Zeiss RMK A 1.5/23 and Zeiss RMK Top 15Lens Type and Focal Length: clear Image Format (23cm, etc.): 9"Number of Rolls/Frames: Roll # 2225 and 2226, 337 exposures Boston Harbor and North Shore Acquisition Dates (YYYYMMDD):19960718 Photo Source: James W. Sewall Company Mission ID: A 5522 Scale: 1:20,000 Overlap/Sidelap: 80/40 Film Type: Aerochrome 2448 Filter Type/Number: clear Camera Type: Zeiss RMK A 1.5/23 and Zeiss RMK Top 15 Lens Type and Focal Length: 6"/153 mm Image Format (23cm, etc.): 9" Number of Rolls/Frames: roll # 2243 and 2244, 388 exposures Buzzards Bay and Mount Hope Bay Acquisition Dates (YYYYMMDD): 19960507 Photo Source: James W. Sewall Company Mission ID: A 5522 Scale: 1:20,000 Overlap/Sidelap: 80/40 Film Type: Aerochrome 2448 Filter Type/Number: clear Camera Type: Zeiss RMK A 1.5/23 and Zeiss RMK Top 15 Lens Type and Focal Length: 6"/153 mm Image Format (23cm, etc.): 9" Number of Rolls/Frames: Roll # 2237 and 2240, 342 exposures

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
None Biotic Component
None CCAP
None CMECS
None Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard
None coastal change analysis program
None eelgrass
None Environmental Monitoring
None Massachusetts
None OCM Benthic Habitat Mapping
None photogrammetry
None remote sensing
None Ruppia maritima
None SAV
None seagrass
None SRV
None submerged aquatic vegetation
None submerged rooted vascular
None widgeon grass
None Zostera marina

Spatial Keywords

Thesaurus Keyword
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > MASSACHUSETTS
UNCONTROLLED
None Boston Harbor
None Buzzards Bay
None Cape Cod Bay

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

CC ID: 611719
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

CC ID: 611721
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

CC ID: 611722
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

CC ID: 611720
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

CC ID: 611725
W° Bound: -71.1545
E° Bound: -69.9244
N° Bound: 42.683
S° Bound: 41.2596

Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 1

CC ID: 611724
Time Frame Type: Range
Start: 1994
End: 1996

Spatial Information

Spatial Representation

Representations Used

Vector: Yes

Vector Representation 1

CC ID: 611711
Complex Object Present?: Yes
Complex Object Count: 1261

Access Information

Security Class: Unclassified
Data Access Constraints:

None

Data Use Constraints:

None

Distribution Information

Distribution 1

CC ID: 750449
Download URL: ftp://ftp.coast.noaa.gov/pub/benthic/Benthic_Cover_Data/MA_coast.zip
Distributor:
File Name: Bulk Download
Description:

FTP download of data files.

URLs

URL 1

CC ID: 750451
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

CC ID: 750452
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

CC ID: 750453
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

CC ID: 750454
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

CC ID: 750455
URL: https://coast.noaa.gov/data/Images/Collections/BenthicCover_thumbnail.jpg
Name: Browse Graphic
URL Type:
Browse Graphic
Browse Graphic
File Resource Format: JPEG
Description:

Sample of benthic cover data

Activity Log

Activity Log 1

CC ID: 611756
Activity Date/Time: 2017-03-30
Description:

Date that the source FGDC record was last modified.

Activity Log 2

CC ID: 611755
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

CC ID: 717889
Activity Date/Time: 2018-02-08
Description:

Partial upload of Positional Accuracy fields only.

Activity Log 4

CC ID: 750450
Activity Date/Time: 2018-04-11
Description:

Partial upload to move data access FTP links to Distribution Info and remove broken URLs.

Data Quality

Accuracy:

Overall accuracy of 8 meters for line work. See abstract for attribute accuracy assessment methodology and results.

Horizontal Positional Accuracy:

8 meters

Vertical Positional Accuracy:

nothing to report

Completeness Report:

In the Habitat attribute field of the polygon coverage, eelgrass_inc refers to polygons where stereo photography coverage ended. In these cases straight line were drawn to close polygons possibly excluding areas of eelgrass habitat.

Conceptual Consistency:

nothing to report

Lineage

Sources

Coastal Massachusetts Submerged Aquatic Bed

CC ID: 611707
Contact Name: Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
Publish Date: 1998-01-01
Extent Type: Range
Extent Start Date/Time: 1994
Extent End Date/Time: 1996
Scale Denominator: 20000
Source Contribution:

Acetate overlays containing submerged aquatic bed(eelgrass) polygons, field-verified points, and other relevant data. | Source Geospatial Form: map | Type of Source Media: Conventional color metric aerial photography

Process Steps

Process Step 1

CC ID: 611708
Description:

See abstract.

Process Date/Time: 1997-01-01 00:00:00

Process Step 2

CC ID: 611709
Description:

The data were converted from a single ESRI polygon shapefile classified according to the System for Classifying Habitats in Estuarine and Marine Environments (SCHEME) to the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS) 2012 format (which can be found at https://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/cmecs-crosswalk) which produces separate geoform, biotic, and biotic feature layers from the original input benthic habitat dataset. This biotic feature layer contains CMECS biotic component attributes where an "Equal" or "Nearly Equal" SCHEME value was present in the original data. Polygons for which no biotic information was present have been removed. No other changes to the original polygon boundaries or any other alterations of the original SCHEME data were made during this process.

Process Date/Time: 2015-01-01 00:00:00

Child Items

Rubric scores updated every 15m

Rubric Score Type Title
Entity Biotic

Catalog Details

Catalog Item ID: 47898
GUID: gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:47898
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