Identification_Information: Citation: Citation_Information: Originator: Adam Zitello, NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/CCMA Biogeography Branch Publication_Date: 2009 Title: St. John Shallow-water Ground Validation Transects Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data Publication_Information: Publication_Place: Silver Spring, MD Publisher: NOAA's Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) Other_Citation_Details: Please use citation for the written document "Benthic Habitats of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands" when using these data. Online_Linkage: https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/projects/detail?key=205 Larger_Work_Citation: Citation_Information: Originator: 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 Publication_Date: 2009 Title: Benthic Habitats of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: document Publication_Information: Publication_Place: Silver Spring, MD Publisher: NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science 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. Description: Abstract: Benthic habitat maps of the nearshore marine environment of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands were created by visual interpretation of remotely sensed 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 habitat types, biological cover and live coral cover of St. John's coral reef ecosystem. The data described herein represent evaluation transects of ground validation (GV) sites explored by NOAA field scientists to further refine habitat map classification. Considering vessel drift during habitat characterization, the entire evaluation period was most accurately represented by a series of GPS points logged at five-second intervals. Purpose: The purpose of this survey data was to investigate areas of imagery where uncertainties existed on the photo interpreter's behalf during the decision making process of benthic habitat classification in St. John. This information was incorporated into a fine-scale assessment of the status, abundance, and distribution of 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. 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 on 444 ground validation sites over a two-week field mission from January 5-16, 2009 aboard U.S. National Park Service small research vessels. As anchoring at each site was not feasible for rapid assessment, wind and wave effects caused the survey vessel to drift along a transect. Post-processing of the GPS data allowed for a series of points to represent the actual survey location. Time_Period_of_Content: Time_Period_Information: Range_of_Dates/Times: Beginning_Date: 20090105 Ending_Date: 20090116 Currentness_Reference: ground condition Status: Progress: Complete Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None planned Spatial_Domain: Bounding_Coordinates: West_Bounding_Coordinate: -64.839111 East_Bounding_Coordinate: -64.643499 North_Bounding_Coordinate: 18.373729 South_Bounding_Coordinate: 18.296091 Keywords: Theme: Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: NCEI Geoportal Filter Theme_Keyword: CoRIS_Metadata Theme: Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Theme Thesaurus Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Benthic Habitat Theme: Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus Theme_Keyword: Geographic Information > Habitats Theme: Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None Theme_Keyword: coral reef Theme_Keyword: benthic habitats Theme_Keyword: reef Theme_Keyword: submerged aquatic vegetation Theme_Keyword: unconsolidated sediments Theme_Keyword: zone Theme_Keyword: geomorphological structure Theme_Keyword: biological cover Theme_Keyword: ground validation Theme_Keyword: transect Theme: Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Category Theme_Keyword: imageryBaseMapsEarthCover Theme_Keyword: 010 Theme_Keyword: environment Theme_Keyword: 007 Place: Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None Place_Keyword: United States Place_Keyword: U. S. Virgin Islands Place_Keyword: St. John Place: Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Place Thesaurus Place_Keyword: COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > U. S. Virgin Islands > St. John > St. John (18N064W0011) Place_Keyword: OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > Virgin Islands > St. John (18N064W0011) Place: Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Region Place_Keyword: USVI Access_Constraints: None Use_Constraints: Not for navigation. Point_of_Contact: Contact_Information: Contact_Person_Primary: Contact_Person: Tim Battista Contact_Organization: NOAA National Ocean Service Contact_Position: Researcher Contact_Address: Address_Type: mailing and physical Address: 1305 East West Highway City: Silver Spring State_or_Province: MD Postal_Code: 20910 Country: USA Contact_Voice_Telephone: (301) 713-3028 x171 Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: (301) 713-4388 Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: Tim.Battista@noaa.gov Native_Data_Set_Environment: Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 3; ESRI ArcCatalog 9.3.0.1770 Data_Quality_Information: Attribute_Accuracy: Attribute_Accuracy_Report: The points in this data layer were acquired by GPS data using a Trimble GeoXT receiver. All data point characteristics were recorded in the GPS data logger automatically and seamlessly transferred to ArcGIS shapefiles using Trimble Pathfinder Office software. Attributes are all expected to be correct. Logical_Consistency_Report: Data points were collected with mapping-grade GPS receivers. The data were post processed for differential correction to the Continually Operating Reference System (CORS) station at St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (VITH). All attribute information was recorded by the GPS receiver and stored directly in the raw GPS files. This automated process was assumed to be error free. This file is believed to be logically consistent. Completeness_Report: 444 field positions were occupied and habitat characterizations were conducted for ground validation during this work. A small subset of the ground validation sites did not have transect information in this dataset, depending on the evaluation technique. Snorkel and visual inspection from distances did not allow for a GPS receiver to occupy the exact location, as a result, approximated GPS locations were used instead without the opportunity for transects with the underwater camera. Positional_Accuracy: Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy: Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report: The true positional accuracy of individual epics was determined to be within 1 m for 96% of the logged points. However, it is estimated that horizontal accuracies may be 0 - 20m from the true position of the underwater camera assessment due to line "lay-back" during drift. Lineage: Source_Information: Source_Citation: Citation_Information: Originator: NOAA Publication_Date: 2009 Title: GPS Data Type_of_Source_Media: GPS data Source_Time_Period_of_Content: Time_Period_Information: Single_Date/Time: Calendar_Date: 2009 Source_Currentness_Reference: ground condition Source_Citation_Abbreviation: Trimble SSF files Source_Contribution: GPS data, which were originally recorded as code-phase signals in Trimble SSF format, were differentially post-processed to the Continually Operating Reference System (CORS) station at St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (VITH). Process_Step: Process_Description: A first draft benthic habitat map was generated by delineating all features that could be identified by visual inspection of the remotely sensed imagery. During the creation of this first draft, the interpreter placed discrete points on the map that were difficult to distinguish and that warranted further field investigation. These sites were labeled as "ground validation" (GV) positions. Process_Date: 2008-2009 Process_Date: 2009 Process_Step: Process_Description: NOAA field scientists explored the ground validation locations with a suite of assessment techniques depending on the conditions at each site. A combination of underwater video (primary method), free diving, snorkeling and surface observations were used to survey the ecological characteristics at each location. At the start of every morning, the boat captain selected a general region to begin the day's work. Navigating to field locations was accomplished using a Garmin GPS 76 device with the uploaded GV site coordinates. The boat captain maneuvered the vessel to within 5 m of the target location and made every effort to maintain that location without jeopardizing crew and equipment safety. Once on site, NOAA scientists would simultaneously deploy a SeaViewer Sea-Drop 950 camera and begin logging a waypoint on a Trimble GeoXT GPS receiver.While the video camera was capturing bottom imagery, an observer viewed the video real-time on a Panasonic Toughbook aboard the survey vessel. They categorized each site according to the levels of the habitat classification scheme: major and detailed geomorphological structure, major biological cover, percent major biological cover and percent coral cover. Data was entered into a custom data dictionary generated in Trimble Pathfinder Office software and loaded onto the Trimble data logger. Process_Date: 2009 Process_Step: Process_Description: Trimble Pathfinder Office software was used to post process and differentially correct the raw GPS data to the Continually Operating Reference System (CORS) station at St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (VITH). Process_Date: 2009 Process_Step: Process_Description: Precisely positioned GPS positions and its associated transects were viewed in a GIS to enhance the accuracy of the draft benthic habitat map. Polygon boundaries and habitat classifications were revised where field data necessitated changes. Process_Date: 2009 Spatial_Data_Organization_Information: Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: Vector Point_and_Vector_Object_Information: SDTS_Terms_Description: SDTS_Point_and_Vector_Object_Type: Entity Point Point_and_Vector_Object_Count: 5966 Spatial_Reference_Information: Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition: Planar: Grid_Coordinate_System: 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_Coordinate_Information: Planar_Coordinate_Encoding_Method: Coordinate Pair Coordinate_Representation: Abscissa_Resolution: 0.000001 Ordinate_Resolution: 0.000001 Planar_Distance_Units: meters Geodetic_Model: Horizontal_Datum_Name: North American Datum of 1983 Ellipsoid_Name: Geodetic Reference System 80 Semi-major_Axis: 6378137.000000 Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 298.257224 Entity_and_Attribute_Information: Detailed_Description: Entity_Type: Entity_Type_Label: St. John Ground Validation Transects Entity_Type_Definition: Shapefile attribute table Entity_Type_Definition_Source: None Attribute: Attribute_Label: FID Attribute_Definition: Internal feature number. Attribute_Definition_Source: ESRI Attribute_Domain_Values: Unrepresentable_Domain: Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated. Attribute: Attribute_Label: Shape Attribute_Definition: Feature geometry. Attribute_Definition_Source: ESRI Attribute_Domain_Values: Unrepresentable_Domain: Coordinates defining the features. Attribute: Attribute_Label: Max_PDOP Attribute_Definition: Maximum Positional Dilution of Precision Attribute_Definition_Source: Automated by Trimble Attribute_Domain_Values: Unrepresentable_Domain: unitless value Attribute: Attribute_Label: Max_HDOP Attribute_Definition: Maximum Horizontal Dilution of Precision Attribute_Definition_Source: Automated by Trimble Attribute_Domain_Values: Unrepresentable_Domain: unitless value Attribute: Attribute_Label: GPS_Date Attribute_Definition: Date position was logged Attribute_Definition_Source: Automated by Trimble Attribute_Domain_Values: Range_Domain: Range_Domain_Minimum: 2009 January 5 Range_Domain_Maximum: 2009 January 16 Attribute: Attribute_Label: GPS_Time Attribute_Definition: Time position was logged Attribute_Definition_Source: Automated by Trimble Attribute_Domain_Values: Range_Domain: Range_Domain_Minimum: 06:00:00am Range_Domain_Maximum: 06:00:00pm Attribute: Attribute_Label: Vert_Prec Attribute_Definition: Vertical Precision Attribute_Definition_Source: Automated by Trimble Attribute_Domain_Values: Unrepresentable_Domain: in meters Attribute: Attribute_Label: Horz_Prec Attribute_Definition: Horizontal Precision Attribute_Definition_Source: Automated by Trimble Attribute_Domain_Values: Unrepresentable_Domain: in meters Distribution_Information: Distributor: Contact_Information: Contact_Organization_Primary: Contact_Organization: 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 Contact_Address: Address_Type: mailing and physical address Address: 1305 East West Highway City: Silver Spring State_or_Province: MD Postal_Code: 20910 Contact_Voice_Telephone: 301-713-3028 x171 Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 301-713-4384 Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: tim.battista@noaa.gov Hours_of_Service: 0800 - 1700, Monday to Friday, EST Resource_Description: Downloadable Data Distribution_Liability: 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. Custom_Order_Process: Contact NOAA for distribution options (see Distributor). Metadata_Reference_Information: Metadata_Date: 20200329 Metadata_Review_Date: 20100226 Metadata_Contact: Contact_Information: Contact_Organization_Primary: Contact_Organization: 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 Contact_Position: Primary Map Creator Contact_Address: Address_Type: mailing and physical address Address: 1305 East West Highway City: Silver Spring State_or_Province: MD Postal_Code: 20910 Contact_Voice_Telephone: 301-713-3028 Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 301-713-4384 Hours_of_Service: 0800 - 1700, Monday to Friday, EST Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998 Metadata_Time_Convention: Local Time CoRIS: CoRIS_ID: 20100226074351 CoRIS_Children: None CoRIS_Beginning_Date: 20090105 CoRIS_Ending_Date: 20090116 CoRIS_Metadata_Link: https://www.coris.noaa.gov/metadata/records/html/metadata_gvdata_shallowwater_sites_transects.html CoRIS_Tracking_ID: 4500