St. John Benthic Habitat Mapping - Moderate Depth Ground Validation Transects

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Frequently anticipated questions:


What does this data set describe?

Title:
St. John Benthic Habitat Mapping - Moderate Depth Ground Validation Transects
Abstract:
Benthic habitats of the moderate-depth marine environment in and around the Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument were mapped using a combination of semi-automated classification and visual interpretation of acoustic imagery. The objective of this effort, conducted by NOAA's Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment - Biogeography Branch in partnership with the U.S. National Park Service (NPS), was to provide spatially-explicit information on the moderate-depth habitat types, biological cover and live coral cover south of St. John. The data contained in this shapefile denote the position of the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) as it followed 13 predetermined transects. These ground validation (GV) transects were explored by NOAA field scientists to further refine habitat map classification.
Supplemental_Information:
The creation of high-quality benthic habitat maps required extensive field work to enhance accuracies of habitat attribution and, to a lesser degree, habitat delineation. Data were collected along 13 ground validation transects during a two-week field mission from 2/1/2005 - 2/12/2005 aboard the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster. Post-processing of the GPS data allowed for a series of points to represent the actual survey location.
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    Bryan Costa, NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/CCMA Biogeography Branch, 2009, St. John Benthic Habitat Mapping - Moderate Depth Ground Validation Transects: NOAA's Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), Silver Spring, MD.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details:
    Please use citation for the written document "Moderate-Depth Benthic Habitats of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands" when using these data.
    This is part of the following larger work.

    Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (CCMA), Biogeography Program, 2009, Benthic Habitats of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands: NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Silver Spring, MD.

    Other_Citation_Details:
    Zitello, A.G., L.J. Bauer, T.A. Battista, P.W. Mueller and M.S. Kendall. 2009. Benthic Habitats of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 96. 50 pp.
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -64.806240
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -64.670462
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 18.308621
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 18.236738
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Beginning_Date: 01-Feb-2005
    Beginning_Time: unknown
    Ending_Date: 12-Feb-2005
    Ending_Time: unknown
    Currentness_Reference: ground condition
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?
      This is a Vector data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):
      • Entity Point (2005)
    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
      Grid_Coordinate_System_Name: Universal Transverse Mercator
      Universal_Transverse_Mercator:
      UTM_Zone_Number: 20
      Transverse_Mercator:
      Scale_Factor_at_Central_Meridian: 0.999600
      Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -63.000000
      Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 0.000000
      False_Easting: 500000.000000
      False_Northing: 0.000000
      Planar coordinates are encoded using Coordinate Pair
      Abscissae (x-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 0.000001
      Ordinates (y-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 0.000001
      Planar coordinates are specified in meters
      The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1983.
      The ellipsoid used is Geodetic Reference System 80.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.000000.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257222.
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
    GVData_ModerateDepth_Transects
    Shapefile attribute table (Source: None)
    FID
    Internal feature number. (Source: ESRI) Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
    Shape
    Feature geometry. (Source: ESRI) Coordinates defining the features.
    Source
    The mission during which the site was visited (Source: NOAA) Unknown
    Date_
    Date of the transect (Source: NOAA) Unknown
    Site_Type
    Type of site (i.e., GV or AA) (Source: NOAA) Unknown
    TransectID
    Unique transect ID (Source: NOAA) Unknown
    VideoName
    Name of video associated with a site (Source: NOAA) Unknown
    Time
    Time of the transect (Source: NOAA) Variable
    Unique_ID
    Concatenation of the transect ID, dive number and time (Source: NOAA) Variable
    Zone_
    Geographic Zone (Source: NOAA) Unknown
    Maj_Struct
    Major Geomorphological Structure (Source: NOAA) Unknown
    Det_Struct
    Detailed Geomorphological Structure (Source: NOAA) Unknown
    Maj_Cover
    Major Biological Cover (Source: NOAA) Unknown
    P_Maj_Cov
    Percent density/patchiness of major biological cover (Source: NOAA) Unknown
    P_Coral_Cv
    Percent live coral cover (Source: NOAA) Variable
    Cover
    Concatenation of major and percent biological cover (Source: NOAA) Unknown
    Habitat
    Concatenation of detailed geomorphological structure, major and percent biological cover and percent live coral cover (Source: NOAA) Unknown

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
    Bryan Costa
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (CCMA), Biogeography Branch
    1305 East West Highway, N-SCI-1, SSMC 4, 9th Floor
    Silver Spring, MD

    301-713-3028 x146 (voice)
    301-713-4384 (FAX)
    bryan.costa@noaa.gov
    Hours_of_Service: 0800 - 1700, Monday to Friday, EST

Why was the data set created?

Extensive field work is needed to create high-quality benthic habitat maps because it enhances the accuracy of habitat attribution and (to a lesser degree) habitat delineation. Given the importance of field work, the primary purpose of this survey data was to explore and verify existing habitat information on the seafloor. In particular, these ground validation locations were targeted by the cartographer to satisfy the following objectives:

1. Explore features in the imagery with unknown or confusing acoustic signatures 2. Confirm that the habitat type correlated with a particular acoustic signature remained consistent throughout the entire study area.

This information was incorporated into a fine-scale assessment of the status, abundance, and distribution of moderate-depth marine habitats of St. John. The NOAA effort provides the U.S. National Park Service with increased technical capacity for ocean exploration, management, and stewardship. Direct implications to management measures include evaluation of management efficacy, a spatial framework for improved monitoring sampling design, improved assessment of human-use impacts, and marine spatial planning to support alternative marine protected area boundary alternatives.


How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
    Trimble SSF Files (source 1 of 1)
    NOAA, 2009, GPS Data.

    Type_of_Source_Media: GPS data
    Source_Contribution:
    Please see the following document for more information: Battista, T. A., and Lazar, J.V. (2005). MBES data acquisition & processing report: Project NF-05-05-USVI, NOAA Data Acquisition & Processing Report, NOS NCCOS CCMA (On-line).

    On-line: http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/products/biogeography/usvi_nps/pdf/NF-05-05_DAPR.pdf

  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
    Date: 2005 (process 1 of 3)
    For the 2005 mission, the GV transects were systematically placed over the study area to include as many benthic habitat features and transition zones as possible. Distinct features and transitional areas were identified by visual examination of fine-scale multibeam bathymetry data collected in 2004 and moderate-scale GEODAS bathymetry data (GEODAS, 2005). The bathymetry data were divided into distinct benthic habitats using variations in depth, roughness and spatial patterning (ridges, bumps, troughs, regular undulations, etc.).
    Date: 2005 (process 2 of 3)
    Georeferenced underwater video and photographs were acquired using a video camera and high-resolution digital still camera mounted on a Spectrum Phantom S2 ROV. High powered strobe lights mounted on theROV were used to supplement ambient light levels during the day and served as the only source of light during night operations. Data from the cameras were transmitted and immediately recorded to a computer's hard drive. Video data were collected during an entire transect, and still photos were collected every 30 seconds. The forward-facing video camera was pointed at a 45 degree downward angle to give ROV pilots a view of upcoming obstacles and researchers a view of the benthic habitat. The ROV's height above the substrate and speed were approximately 2 m and 1 m/s, respectively. The ROV pilot attempted to keep the ROV height and speed as constant to standardize the field of view and spatial resolution of interpretations. Two downward pointing parallel lasers separated by 5 cm and the scale of habitat features and organisms were used to estimate height off the bottom. Still photo images were acquired using a downward pointed camera.
    Date: 2009 (process 3 of 3)
    The resulting GPS and video information was processed, analyzed and used to train the classification algorithm that was used to generate the second draft map.
  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?
    Please see the following document: Battista, T. A., and Lazar, J.V. (2005). MBES data acquisition & processing report: Project NF-05-05-USVI, NOAA Data Acquisition & Processing Report, NOS NCCOS CCMA (On-line).

    On-line: http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/products/biogeography/usvi_nps/pdf/NF-05-05_DAPR.pdf

  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
    The positional accuracy was estimated to be within +/-5 m. Please see the following document for more information: Battista, T. A., and Lazar, J.V. (2005). MBES data acquisition & processing report: Project NF-05-05-USVI, NOAA Data Acquisition & Processing Report, NOS NCCOS CCMA (On-line).

    On-line: http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/products/biogeography/usvi_nps/pdf/NF-05-05_DAPR.pdf

  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    13 transects were explored for ground validation during this work.
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    A transducer attached to the ROV and an acoustic receiver (suspended off the side of the ship) were used to determine the ROV's relative position to the ship. The ROV's absolute geographic position was estimated using this relative position and the shipboard differentrial GPS. The positional accuracy was estimated to be within +/-5 m.

    This file is believed to be logically consistent.


How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
Access_Constraints: None
Use_Constraints: Not for navigation.
  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (CCMA), Biogeography Program
    1305 East West Highway
    Silver Spring, MD

    301-713-3028 x171 (voice)
    301-713-4384 (FAX)
    tim.battista@noaa.gov
    Hours_of_Service: 0800 - 1700, Monday to Friday, EST
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? Downloadable Data
  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) is publishing this data on their website. NCCOS Biogeography Branch does not guarantee the accuracy of the geographic features or attributes. Please see the written report and metadata records for each data set for complete information on the source, limitations, and proper use.
  4. How can I download or order the data?
  5. Is there some other way to get the data?
    Contact NOAA for distribution options (see Distributor).

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 29-Mar-2020
Last Reviewed: 25-Feb-2010
Metadata author:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (CCMA), Biogeography Branch
1305 East West Highway
Silver Spring, MD

301-713-3028 (voice)
301-713-4384 (FAX)
Hours_of_Service: 0800 - 1700, Monday to Friday, EST
Metadata standard:
FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)

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