Data Management Plan (Deprecated)

This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for herpetiles (reptiles and amphibians) in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Vector polygons in this data set represent a few species of sea turtles and inland species of turtles, frogs, and salamanders that are endangered, threatened, or of special concern. Species-specific abundance, seasonality, status, life history, and source information are stored in associated data tables (described below) designed to be used in conjunction with this spatial data layer. This data set is a portion of the ESI data for Massachusetts and Rhode Island. As a whole, the ESI data characterize the marine and coastal environments and wildlife by their sensitivity to spilled oil, and include information for three main components: shoreline habitats, sensitive biological resources, and human-use resources.

Process Steps:

• 2016-01-01 00:00:00 - Sea turtles depicted in this data for both Massachusetts and Rhode Island include Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempi, federally endangered), loggerhead (Caretta caretta, federally threatened), green (Chelonia mydas, federally threatened), and leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea, federally endangered). Although adults of hard-shelled species (green, Kemp’s ridley, and loggerhead) are generally uncommon in these coastal waters, there is a regular presence of juveniles that is difficult to discern and cannot effectively be detected during aerial surveys. Seagrass beds serve as developmental habitats, and green sea turtle juveniles have been known to navigate along the coast of Rhode Island to warmer waters off the southern states (Dodge and Merigo, personal communication). Leatherbacks are relatively common in the AOI, and Vineyard Sound and Buzzards Bay are areas of particular vulnerability for this species as evidenced by frequent strandings and entanglements (Prescott, personal communication). There is little data to support sea turtle presence in Narragansett Bay and select shallower bays in Massachusetts, and so these areas were not mapped. Other species such as the Hawksbill turtle are known to occasionally visit the AOI but were not included in the atlas. Seasonal presence for all sea turtles is summer through fall. General distribution polygons and concentrations are based on 2013 Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (AMAPPS) line transect survey data, the 2010 report Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles of Narragansett Bay, Block Island Sound, Rhode Island Sound, and Nearby Waters: Analysis of Existing Data for the Rhode Island Ocean Special Area Management Plan (Kenney and Vigness-Raposa), and local resource expert input and review from New England Aquarium, NEFSC, GARFO, University of Rhode Island Coastal Institute, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.
• 2016-01-01 00:00:00 - Threatened, endangered and other rare inland reptiles and amphibians were added to the atlas based on their conservation status, their rarity in the region, or based on expert input. Inland species in Rhode Island were mapped using either the 2016 RI DEM Natural Heritage Areas data or according to the key habitats and geographic areas highlighted in the 2015 RI WAP data and species profiles (see RI DEM Natural Heritage Areas and Rhode Island Wildlife Action Plan sections in BIRDS for complete description of these datasets). Key habitats were mapped to the corresponding ESI classified shoreline polygons (e.g. freshwater marshes and swamps). Species that primarily utilize upland forest habitats and in some instances the surrounding wetlands and vernal pools as well were mapped to generalized land polygons. Natural Heritage Area polygons were assigned the mapping qualifier of “Vulnerable Occurrence” and include the eastern ribbon snake (state special concern), eastern spadefoot (state endangered), northern diamondback terrapin, northern leopard frog, and wood turtle (state special concern). Additional data for the northern diamondback terrapin at Napatree Point was provided by Nick Ernst of the USFWS, Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex. The majorities of inland species in Massachusetts occurs in upland forest habitats and vernal pools, and were mapped to generalized land polygons according to the geographic areas highlighted in the 2015 MA WAP species profiles (see Massachusetts Wildlife Action Plan section in BIRDS for complete description of this dataset). Blanding’s turtle (state threatened) was mapped to the MA WAP key habitat corresponding with the ESI scrub-shrub wetlands polygons. Distribution polygons for the eastern spadefoot (state threatened) and eastern box turtle within the Cape Cod National Seashore were also supported by expert knowledge provided by Robert Cook, National Park Service. The Plymouth red-bellied turtle was mapped with the mapping qualifier of “Vulnerable Occurrence” using the 2016 Critical Habitat Designation polygon data (USFWS, NOAA NMFS). This dataset is a compilation of the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service ESA listed species in coastal areas. Critical habitat is defined as: 1. Specific areas within the geographical area occupied by the species at the time of listing, if they contain physical or biological features essential to conservation, and those features may require special management considerations or protection; and 2. Specific areas outside the geographical area occupied by the species if the agency determines that the area itself is essential for conservation. “Rare reptile” data were also mapped with the qualifier “Vulnerable Occurrence” and were provided by MADFW NHESP and Bob Prescott, Mass Audubon, Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. Rare herpetofauna species in Massachusetts were not included in their entirety in this atlas due to vulnerability of collection concerns by NHESP. NHESP should be contacted directly for up-to-date information or review of specific locations.

Data can be accessed by downloading the zipped ArcGIS geodatabase from the Download URL (see Distribution Information). Questions can be directed to the ESI Program Manager (Point Of Contact).