NCCOS Ground Validation Data Used to Map Benthic Habitats of the Republic of Palau, 2005-2006

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Frequently anticipated questions:

What does this data set describe?

Title:
NCCOS Ground Validation Data Used to Map Benthic Habitats of the Republic of Palau, 2005-2006
Abstract:
This project is a cooperative effort between the National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment, the University of Hawaii, Analytical Laboratories of Hawaii, LLC. The goal of the work was to incorporate previously developed mapping methods to produce benthic habitat maps generated by photo interpreting georeferenced IKONOS satellite imagery. These point data were generated to conduct ground validation during map preparation.
  1. How might this data set be cited?
    Miles Anderson, Analytical Laboratories of Hawaii, 2007, NCCOS Ground Validation Data Used to Map Benthic Habitats of the Republic of Palau, 2005-2006: Analytical Laboratories of Hawaii, Kailua, Hawaii.

    Online Links:

    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, 2007, Benthic Habitats of Palau Prepared by Visual Interpretation from Remote Sensing Imagery: NOAA's Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), Silver Spring, MD.

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: 134.218305
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: 134.726444
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 8.103833
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 6.969089
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Beginning_Date: 2005
    Ending_Date: 2006
    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 (1140)
    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
      Grid_Coordinate_System_Name: Universal Transverse Mercator
      Universal_Transverse_Mercator:
      UTM_Zone_Number: 53
      Transverse_Mercator:
      Scale_Factor_at_Central_Meridian: 0.999600
      Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: 135.000000
      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 0.000256
      Ordinates (y-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 0.000256
      Planar coordinates are specified in meters
      The horizontal datum used is D_WGS_1984.
      The ellipsoid used is WGS_1984.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.000000.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257224.
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
    palau_gv.shp
    Shapefile attribute table (Source: Software defined)
    FID
    Internal feature number. (Source: ESRI) Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.
    Shape
    Feature geometry. (Source: ESRI) Coordinates defining the features.
    UTM_ZONE
    UTM Zone (Source: User Defined) Character Field
    ISLAND
    Name of island where data was collected (Source: User defined) Character Field
    DATA_TYPE
    Abbreviation for Accuracy Assessment data type (Source: User defined) Character Field
    SITE_ID
    Unique site ID (Source: User defined) Character Field
    DEPTH
    Water Depth in feet (Source: GPS Data Logger)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:100
    MAJ_STRUCT
    Major reef structure type (Source: Habitat classification scheme for the Pacific) Character Field
    POINT
    Habitat at GPS point position (Source: GPS data logger) Character field
    DET_STRUCT
    Detailed reef structure type (Source: Habitat classification scheme of the Pacific) Character Field
    PRIM_COVER
    Primary biological cover type (Source: Habitat classification scheme of the Pacific) Character Field
    MODIFIER
    Percent of biological cover in survey area (Source: Habitat classification scheme of the Pacific) Character Field
    ZONE
    Geomorphologic zone (Source: Habitat classification scheme of the Pacific) Character Field
    UW_ASSESSM
    Method used for field observations (Source: GPS data logger) Character Field
    RELIEF
    Vertical relief of survey area; relative scale of 1 (lowest relief) to 5 (highest relief (Source: GPS data logger)
    Range of values
    Minimum:1
    Maximum:5
    Z_LIVE_COR
    Percent live coral cover observed during field survey (Source: GPS data logger)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:100
    Z_MAC
    Percent macroalgal cover observed during field survey (Source: GOS data logger)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:100
    Z_SEAGRASS
    Percent sea grass cover observed during field survey (Source: GPS data logger)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:100
    Z_TURF
    Percent turf cover observed during field survey (Source: GPS data logger)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:100
    Z_SAND
    Percent sand cover observed during field survey (Source: GPS data logger)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:100
    Z_MUD
    Percent mud cover observed during field survey (Source: GPS data logger)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:100
    COMMENTS
    Habitat notes (Source: User defined) Character field
    Z_BARE_OTH
    Percent of substrate bare of occupied by other biological cover observed during field survey (Source: GPS data logger)
    Range of values
    Minimum:0
    Maximum:100
    UW_PHOTO
    Underwater photo record (Source: GPS data logger) Character Field
    MAX_PDOP
    Measure of positional strength of GPS satellite configuration (Source: GPS data logger) Numeric Field
    GPS_DATE
    Date of GPS data collection (Source: GPS data logger) Character field (YYYYMMDD)
    GPS_TIME
    Time of GPS data collection (Source: GPS data logger) Character Field
    HORZ_PREC
    Precision of horizontal position (Source: GPS data logger) Numeric field
    STD_DEV
    Position precision (Source: GPS data logger) Numeric field
    NORTHING
    Geographic position (Source: GPS data logger) Numerical field
    EASTING
    Geographic position (Source: GPS data logger) Numerical field

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?
    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
    Biogeography Team Leader, Mapping Manager
    1305 East West Highway
    Silver Spring, MD

    301-713-3028 (voice)
    301-723-4384 (FAX)
    tim.battista@noaa.gov
    Hours_of_Service: 0800 - 1700, Monday to Friday, EST

Why was the data set created?

The National Ocean Service is conducting research to digitally map biotic resources and coordinate a long-term monitoring program that can detect and predict change in U.S. coral reefs, and their associated habitats and biological communities. The purpose of this survey was to investigate areas of imagery where uncertainties exist on the photo interpreter's behalf during the decision making process of benthic habitat type for Palau.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
    Date: 2006 (process 1 of 2)
    The first draft of each benthic habitat map was generated by visual interpretation of the habitat boundaries from remote sensing imagery, and areas where habitat determination was uncertain were identified. Waypoints in these areas were generated on the geo-referenced imagery and over laid on the draft maps in the GIS. The areas were printed and water proofed in preparation for taking them into the field. The waypoints were navigated to and occupied using the appropriate size boats. The habitat was observed and GPS data collected. One hundred GPS positions were collected at one-second intervals for each survey site. The positions were averaged to obtain a single survey point. The data were post processed for differential correction to the nearest CORS. The general area was explored and, as needed, additional GPS positions were collected to mark transitions between habitat types of areas mapped at the level of the minimum mapping unit (MMU). The field ground validation data were overlaid on the imagery with the first draft habitat map in the GIS. The habitat polygons were edited to resolve uncertainties. These ground validation point data are provided in this thematic GIS shape file. Person who carried out this activity:
    Analytical Laboratories of Hawaii, LLC
    Attn: Miles Anderson
    Principal Investigator
    1320 Aalapapa Dr.
    Kailua, Hawaii
    USA

    (808) 262-2417 (voice)
    (808) 262-7027 (FAX)
    miles@interpac.net
    Hours_of_Service: 0800 - 1700, Monday to Friday, HST
    Date: 2005 (process 2 of 2)
    Metadata imported. Data sources used in this process:
    • C:\DOCUME~1\Owner\LOCALS~1\Temp\xml56.tmp
  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?
    The points in this thematic data layer were acquired by GPS data using a Trimble GeoExplorer 3 with a customized data dictionary designed to reflect the NOAA Classification Scheme for Benthic Habitats of the Pacific Islands. All habitat determinations were made in the field, recorded in the GPS data logger and seamlessly transferred to ArcView GIS using Trimble Path Finder Office Software. Attributes are all expected to be correct.
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
    Point accuracy was determined by three tests producing circular RMS statistic. Point GPS data were acquired by repeated occupation of a fixed point yielding a 95 percent sigma RMS of 5 meters compared to the position mean. Replicate GPS positions were collected after navigating to a way point by boat yielding RMS value of 5 meters. Registered monuments were occupied and replicate positions collected yielding an RMS value of 3 meters. Thus, all point features in these ground validation data are at least 95 percent sigma of 5 meters.
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    1140 field positions were occupied and habitat characterization conducted for ground validation during this work. These data were included in the dataset as a GIS layer and the first draft map was edited based on this ground truth. All areas where uncertainty existed on the part of the photo interpreter during habitat delineation were investigated in the field. All data were collected and integrated into the mapped products as planned.
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    The sites for ground validation were selected to specifically investigate habitat types and gradients of spectral signatures. All areas where uncertainty existed on the part of the photo interpreter during habitat delineation were investigated in the field. Waypoints in these areas were generated on the georeferenced imagery. The waypoints were navigated to and occupied. The habitat was observed and GPS data collected. One hundred GPS positions were collected at one-second intervals for each survey site. The positions were averaged to obtain a single survey point. The data were post processed for differential correction. The general area was explored and, as needed, additional GPS positions were collected to mark transitions between habitat types of areas mapped at the level of the minimum mapping unit (MMU). These data are believed to be 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
    Biogeography Team Leader, Mapping Manager
    1305 East West Highway
    Silver Spring, MD

    301-713-3028 (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) produced this data CD-ROM. NCCOS Biogeography Program does not guarantee the accuracy of the geographic features or attributes. Please see the metadata records for each data set for complete information on the source, limitations, and proper use. NOAA makes no warranty regarding these data, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NODC cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data, nor as a result of the failure of these data to function on a particular system.
  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
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 Program
Biogeography Team Leader, Mapping Manager
1305 East West Highway
Silver Spring, Maryland

301-713-3028 (voice)
301-723-4384 (FAX)
tim.battista@noaa.gov
Hours_of_Service: 0800 - 1700, Monday to Friday, EST
Metadata standard:
FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
Generated by mp version 2.9.48 on Thu Apr 18 11:01:39 2024