Description: <DIV STYLE="text-align:Left;font-size:12pt"><DIV><P><SPAN>The data contained in this shapefile represent the locations of underwater photos and videos collected between 2007 and 2011 in BIRNM. These photos and videos were collected by SCUBA divers, via snorkeling and using a tethered underwater camera. This set of photos and videos were used to assess the thematic accuracy of the new habitat map.</SPAN></P></DIV></DIV>
Description: <DIV STYLE="text-align:Left;font-size:12pt"><DIV><P><SPAN>The data contained in this shapefile represent the locations of underwater photos and videos collected between 2007 and 2011 in BIRNM. These photos and videos were collected by SCUBA divers, via snorkeling and using a tethered underwater camera. This set of photos and videos were used to assess the thematic accuracy of the new habitat map.</SPAN></P></DIV></DIV>
Description: <DIV STYLE="text-align:Left;font-size:12pt"><DIV><P><SPAN>The data contained in this shapefile represent the locations of underwater photos and videos collected between 2007 and 2011 in BIRNM. These photos and videos were collected by SCUBA divers, via snorkeling and using a tethered underwater camera. These videos and photos were used to train the classification algorithms used to develop a new habitat map for BIRNM.</SPAN></P></DIV></DIV>
Description: <DIV STYLE="text-align:Left;font-size:12pt"><DIV><P><SPAN>The data contained in this shapefile represent the locations of 25 meter long transects, where underwater photos and videos were collected between 2007 and 2011. These photos and videos were collected by NOAA and NOAA-affiliated SCUBA divers to support the Caribbean Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring Project (CCREMP). They were repurposed to support the development of a new benthic habitat map for BIRNM.</SPAN></P></DIV></DIV>
Description: These are the boundaries for all polygons in the classification scheme, broken out by the Biological Cover, Live Coral Cover, Structure, Percent Hardbottom, and Zone fields.
Description: Nine unique (i.e., major plus detailed) biological cover classes were mapped by interpreting aerial photos, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) imagery, and four types of acoustic imagery using manual and semi-automated methods. Biological cover denotes the dominant biological component colonizing the surface of the feature. It does not describe the location (e.g., on the Bank/Shelf or in a Lagoon) or structure (e.g., Sand) of the feature. Habitats or features with areas smaller than the MMU or minimum mapping unit were not considered (i.e.,100 m2 in 0-50 m depths, 1,000 m2 in 50-1,000 m depths and 5,000 m2 in 1,000-1,830 m depths). Four major cover types were identified from the source imagery (i.e., Algae, Seagrass, Mangrove and No Cover) and combined with three modifiers describing the distribution of the dominant cover within the polygon (i.e.,10%-50%, 50%-90%, and 90%-100%). "Unknown" indicates that the structure type was indistinguishable in the aerial orthophotos, LiDAR or acoustic imagery due interference with the signature of the seafloor.
Description: Four distinct and non-overlapping percent live coral classes were mapped by interpreting aerial photos, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) imagery, and four types of acoustic imagery using manual and semi-automated methods. This attribute is an additional biological cover modifier denoting the abundance live coral (both scleractinian and octocorals), even when it was not the dominant cover type within a polygon. Four range classes were used (i.e., 0%-10%, 10%-50%, 50%-90%, and 90%-100%). "N/A" denotes that an estimate of percent cover is not appropriate for this particular major biological cover class (e.g., for Land). "Unknown" indicates that the live coral cover was not classified because the structure and/or biological cover types were unknown.
Description: Fourteen distinct and non-overlapping geomorphological structure types were mapped by interpreting aerial photos, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) imagery, and four types of acoustic imagery using manual and semi-automated methods. Geomorphological structure refers to a feature’s dominant physical composition and does not address geographic location (e.g., in a Lagoon). Structure types are defined in a collapsible hierarchy ranging from three major classes (Coral Reef and Hardbottom, Unconsolidated Sediment, and Other Delineations), to fourteen detailed classes (Aggregate Reef, Aggregated Patch Reefs, Individual Patch Reef, Pavement, Pavement with Sand Channels, Reef Rubble, Rock/ Boulder, Mud, Rhodoliths, Rhodoliths with Scattered Coral and Rock, Sand, Sand with Scattered Coral and Rock, Artificial and Land). Habitats or features with areas smaller than the MMU or minimum mapping unit were not considered (i.e.,100 m2 in 0-50 m depths, 1,000 m2 in 50-1,000 m depths and 5,000 m2 in 1,000-1,830 m depths). "Unknown" indicates that the structure type was indistinguishable in the aerial orthophotos, LiDAR or acoustic imagery due interference with the signature of the seafloor.
Description: Six unique and non-overlapping percent hardbottom classes were mapped by interpreting aerial photos, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) imagery, and four types of acoustic imagery using manual and semi-automated methods. Percent hardbottom refers to the amount (i.e., patchiness) of hardbottom habitat within a habitat polygon. It does not describe the type of hardbottom that is located within a polygon. Six range classes were used (i.e., 0%-10%, 10%-30%, 30%-50%, 50%-70%, 70%-90% and 90%-100%). Habitats or features with areas smaller than the MMU or minimum mapping unit were not considered (i.e.,100 m2 in 0-50 m depths, 1,000 m2 in 50-1,000 m depths and 5,000 m2 in 1,000-1,830 m depths). "Unclassified" denotes that an estimate of percent hardbottom is not appropriate for this particular structure class (e.g., for Land polygons). "Unknown" indicates that the amount of hardbottom was indistinguishable in the aerial orthophotos, acoustic imagery or LiDAR imagery due to interference with the signature of the seafloor.
Description: Eleven distinct and non-overlapping geographic zone types were mapped by interpreting aerial photos, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) imagery, and four types of acoustic imagery using manual and semi-automated methods. Zone refers to each benthic community’s geographic location. It does not address a polygon’s substrate or biological cover types. For example, the zone Fore Reef is often located adjacent to a reef crest on the seaward side. However, neither Fore Reef nor Reef Crest zone types describe the structural or biological habitat within them. Additionally, the location of particular zone types may change depending on whether the system is a barrier reef, fringing reef or when no emergent reef crest is present. Habitats or features with areas smaller than the MMU or minimum mapping unit were not considered (i.e.,100 m2 in 0-50 m depths, 1,000 m2 in 50-1,000 m depths and 5,000 m2 in 1,000-1,830 m depths).
Description: This orthophoto mosaic was interpreted by NOAA to develop a new benthic habitat map for BIRNM in 0 to 50 meters of water. This mosaic was created from orthophotos collected by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) between November 2006 and March 2007 using an ADS40 digital sensor. An orthophoto is remotely sensed image data in which displacement of features in the image (caused by terrain relief and sensor orientation) have been mathematically removed. The spatial resolution of the mosaic is 0.35 x 0.35 meters, and its projected coordinate system is State Plane Puerto Rico / US Virgin Islands (Zone 5200), NAD 83, GRS 80, Units Meters. The USACE originally collected these orthophotos to support their regulatory, land management and acquisition, planning, engineering and habitat restoration projects. It was repurposed by NOAA, and used to help develop a new benthic habitat map for BIRNM in 0 ≤50 meters of water.
Copyright Text: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
Description: This image represents a 1x1 meter depth (bathymetry) surface for areas inside Buck Island Reef National Monument (BIRNM). It was collected by NOAA from 4/9/2010 to 4/30/2010 using a pole-mounted 455 kHz Reson Seabat 8125 multibeam echosounder (MBES). Depths between 5 and 50 m were surveyed, producing a 1x1 m bathymetry and 1x1 m backscatter surface. Soundings were positioned relative to the horizontal coordinate system (NAD83 UTM 20 N) and to the vertical coordinate system (MLLW). The bathymetry surface was corrected for sensor offsets, latency, roll, pitch, yaw, static draft, the influence of tides and the changing speed of sound in the water column using CARIS HIPS & SIPS software. This depth image (and derivatives from it) was used to update nautical charts in the area and to develop a new benthic habitat map for BIRNM in 0 to 50 meters of water.
Description: This image represents a 1x1 meter backscatter (intensity) surface for areas inside Buck Island Reef National Monument (BIRNM). Backscatter is the relative amount of sound reflected from the seafloor. This amount is indicative of the physical properties of the seafloor (i.e., how rough/smooth/soft/hard it is), which is important information when characterizing benthic habitats. It was collected by NOAA from 4/9/2010 to 4/30/2010 using a pole-mounted 455 kHz Reson Seabat 8125 multibeam echosounder (MBES). Depths between 5 and 50 m were surveyed, producing a 1x1 m bathymetry and 1x1 m backscatter surface. Soundings were positioned relative to the horizontal coordinate system (NAD83 UTM 20 N) and to the vertical coordinate system (MLLW). The backscatter surface was geometrically corrected for navigation attitude, transducer attitude and slant range distortion and radiometrically corrected for changes in acquisition gains, power levels, pulse widths, local seafloor slope and ensonification areas using Geocoder software. This backscatter image (along with depth and derivatives of depth) was used to develop a new benthic habitat map for BIRNM in 0 to 50 meters of water.
Description: This image represents a 1x1 meter principal component (PC) surface for areas inside Buck Island Reef National Monument (BIRNM). This PC surface describes seafloor’s topography and structure, which is important information when characterizing the seafloor. It was ultimately derived from the depth surface collected by NOAA (in 5 to 50 m of water) using a pole-mounted Reson Seabat 8125 multibeam echosounder (MBES). Several metrics were derived from this depth surface, including: (1) mean depth, (2) standard deviation of depth, (3) curvature, (4) plan curvature, (5) profile curvature, (6) rugosity, (7) slope, and (8) slope of slope images. These images were stacked and transformed into their first three principal components using Principal Components Analysis. This transformation removed information that was redundant across the different images. This PC image (along with backscatter) was used to develop a new benthic habitat map for BIRNM in 0 to 50 meters of water.
Description: This image represents a 1x1 meter depth (bathymetry) surface for areas inside Buck Island Reef National Monument (BIRNM). It was collected by Fugro LADS, in collaboration with NOAA's Biogeography Branch, the University of New Hampshire and the National Park Service, from 2/21/2011 to 2/22/2011 using LADS (Laser Airborne Depth Sounder) Mark II LiDAR system. Depths between 0 and 49 m were surveyed, producing a 1x1 m bathymetry and 3x3 m reflectivity (intensity) surface. Soundings were positioned relative to the horizontal coordinate system (NAD83 UTM 20 N) and to the vertical coordinate system (MLLW). The bathymetry surface was corrected for sensor offsets, latency, roll, pitch, yaw, static draft, the influence of tides using CARIS HIPS & SIPS software. This depth image (and derivatives from it) was used to update nautical charts in the area and to develop a new benthic habitat map for BIRNM in 0 to 50 meters of water.
Copyright Text: Fugro LADS, NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/MSE/Biogeography Branch, National Park Service & University of New Hampshire
Description: This image represents a 1x1 meter reflectivity (intensity) surface for areas inside Buck Island Reef National Monument (BIRNM). Reflectivity is the relative amount of laser light returned from the seafloor. It describes the biology and geology of the seafloor, which is important information when characterizing benthic habitats. LiDAR reflectivity was collected by Fugro LADS, in collaboration with NOAA's Biogeography Branch, the University of New Hampshire and the National Park Service, from 2/21/2011 to 2/22/2011 using LADS (Laser Airborne Depth Sounder) Mark II LiDAR system. Depths between 0 and 49 m were surveyed, producing a 1x1 m bathymetry and 3x3 m reflectivity (intensity) surface. Soundings were positioned relative to the horizontal coordinate system (NAD83 UTM 20 N) and to the vertical coordinate system (MLLW). The reflectivity surface was corrected for losses of light through the air/water interface, the water column, and any system specific losses from filtering and receiver field of view. This reflectivity image (as well as depth, and derivatives from depth) was used to develop a new benthic habitat map for BIRNM in 0 to 50 meters of water.
Copyright Text: Fugro LADS, NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/MSE/Biogeography Branch, National Park Service & University of New Hampshire
Description: This image represents a 10x10 meter backscatter surface for areas inside Buck Island Reef National Monument (BIRNM). Backscatter is the relative amount of sound reflected from the seafloor. This amount is indicative of the physical properties of the seafloor (i.e., how rough/smooth/soft/hard it is), which is important information when characterizing benthic habitats. It was collected by NOAA on two separate missions. On the first mission (from 2/18/2004 to 3/5/2004), depths between 12 and 317 m were surveyed from using a pole-mounted 240 kHz Reson Seabat 8101 Extended Range MBES, producing a 5x5 m bathymetry and 0.5x0.5 m backscatter surface. On the second mission (from 3/21/2006 to 4/2/2006), depths between 16 and 1,000 m were surveyed using a hull-mounted 95 kHz Simrad 1002 MBES, producing a 10x10 m bathymetry and 3x3 m backscatter surface. For both missions, soundings were positioned relative to the horizontal coordinate system (NAD83 UTM 20 N) and to the vertical coordinate system (MLLW). Both backscatter surfaces were geometrically corrected for navigation attitude, transducer attitude and slant range distortion and radiometrically corrected for changes in acquisition gains, power levels, pulse widths, local seafloor slope and ensonification areas using Geocoder software. These backscatter images (along with depth and derivatives of depth) were used to develop a new benthic habitat map for BIRNM in 50 to 1,000 meters of water.
Description: This image represents a 10x10 meter depth (bathymetry) surface for areas inside Buck Island Reef National Monument (BIRNM). It was collected by NOAA on two separate missions. On the first mission (from 2/18/2004 to 3/5/2004), depths between 12 and 317 m were surveyed from using a pole-mounted 240 kHz Reson Seabat 8101 Extended Range MBES, producing a 5x5 m bathymetry and 0.5x0.5 m backscatter surface. On the second mission (from 3/21/2006 to 4/2/2006), depths between 16 and 1,000 m were surveyed using a hull-mounted 95 kHz Simrad 1002 MBES, producing a 10x10 m bathymetry and 3x3 m backscatter surface. For both missions, soundings were positioned relative to the horizontal coordinate system (NAD83 UTM 20 N) and to the vertical coordinate system (MLLW). Both bathymetry surfaces were corrected for sensor offsets, latency, roll, pitch, yaw, static draft, the influence of tides and the changing speed of sound in the water column using CARIS HIPS & SIPS software. The 2004 depth surface was down sampled and merged with the 2006 depth surface to create a seamless, 10x10 m bathymetric surface. This seamless depth image (and derivatives from it) was used to develop a new benthic habitat map for BIRNM in 50 to 1,000 meters of water.
Name: Moderate Depth Principle Component Analysis (10 m)
Display Field:
Type: Raster Layer
Geometry Type: null
Description: This image represents a 10x10 meter principal component (PC) surface for areas inside Buck Island Reef National Monument (BIRNM). This PC surface describes seafloor’s topography and structure, which is important information when characterizing the seafloor. It was ultimately derived from the depth surfaces collected by NOAA (in 12 to 1,000 m of water) using a pole-mounted Reson Seabat 8101 and Simrad EM 1002 multibeam echosounders (MBES). Several metrics were derived from these depth surfaces, including: (1) mean depth, (2) standard deviation of depth, (3) curvature, (4) plan curvature, (5) profile curvature, (6) rugosity, (7) slope, and (8) slope of slope images. These images were stacked and transformed into their first three principal components using Principal Components Analysis. This transformation removed information that was redundant across the different images. This PC image (along with backscatter) was used to develop a new benthic habitat map for BIRNM in 50 to 1,000 meters of water.
Description: This image represents a 50x50 meter depth (bathymetry) surface for areas inside Buck Island Reef National Monument (BIRNM). It was collected by United States Geological Survey (USGS) from 5/3/2006 to 5/19/2006 using a hull-mounted 12 kHz SeaBeam 2112 multibeam echosounder (MBES). Depths between 11 and 4,670 were surveyed. No backscatter surface was produced. Soundings were positioned relative to the horizontal coordinate system (NAD83 UTM 20 N) and to the vertical coordinate system (MLLW). The bathymetry surface was corrected for sensor offsets, latency, roll, pitch, yaw, static draft, the influence of tides and the changing speed of sound in the water column using CARIS HIPS & SIPS software. This depth image (and derivatives from it) was used to develop a new benthic habitat map for BIRNM in 1,000 to 1,830 meters of water.
Copyright Text: United States Geological Survey (USGS)
Description: This image represents a 50x50 meter principal component (PC) surface for areas inside Buck Island Reef National Monument (BIRNM). This PC surface describes seafloor’s topography and structure, which is important information when characterizing the seafloor. It was ultimately derived from the depth surfaces collected by USGS (in 11 to 4,670 m of water) using a SeaBeam 2112 multibeam echosounder (MBES). Several metrics were derived from these depth surfaces, including: (1) mean depth, (2) standard deviation of depth, (3) curvature, (4) plan curvature, (5) profile curvature, (6) rugosity, (7) slope, and (8) slope of slope images. These images were stacked and transformed into their first three principal components using Principal Components Analysis. This transformation removed information that was redundant across the different images. This PC image (along with backscatter) was used to develop a new benthic habitat map for BIRNM in 1,000 to 1,830 meters of water.