St. John Shallow-water Benthic Habitat Map derived from Remotely Sensed Imagery

Identification_Information:

Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Adam Zitello, NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/CCMA Biogeography Branch
Publication_Date: 2009
Title:

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/project/benthic-habitat-mapping-st-john-u-s-virgin-islands-national-park-reef-national-monument/

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.

Purpose:

This product provides 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.

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Single_Date/Time:

Calendar_Date: 2007

Currentness_Reference: ground condition

Status:

Progress: Complete
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None planned

Spatial_Domain:

Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: -64.844141
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -64.637303
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 18.379268
South_Bounding_Coordinate: 18.288387

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:

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:

A comprehensive assessment was conducted to evaluate the thematic accuracy of the St. John benthic habitat map. Thematic accuracy was characterized for major and detailed geomorphological structure, major and detailed biological cover, and percent coral cover. The independent accuracy assessment revealed successful overall map accuracies of over 90% for major structure and cover classes, and over 80% for detailed structure and cover classes.

The 85.7% accuracy achieved for detailed structure in NOAA's new St. John benthic habitat maps were similar to that of other recent NOAA benthic habitat maps in the Florida Keys (86.2%), Palau (90.0%), and the Main Hawaiian Islands (90.0%).

Logical_Consistency_Report:

True-color digital orthophotography obtained with an ADS40 digital sensor was the primary imagery source used for delineating benthic habitats of St. John. Orthophotography provided by 3001, Inc., on contract to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, was obtained in September and October of 2007 with a one foot ground sample distance (GSD), flight height of 8,650 feet, and 30% sidelap. At limited locations throughout the mapping area, the digital orthophotography was not suitable for habitat delineation; in which case, IKONOS multispectral satellite imagery was used as a replacement. IKONOS satellite imagery was geo-positioned , pan sharpened and deglinted by NOAA. During the digitizing process, image stretches and manipulating image contrast, brightness and color balance were performed in ArcGIS to enhance features in the processed imagery.

GIS topologic quality was established by executing ArcGIS extension routines that check for: overlapping polygons, multipart polygons, sliver polygons and void polygons. Additionally checks for adjacent polygons with the same habitat attributes were completed. All errors were identified and corrected. This file is believed to be logically consistent.

Completeness_Report:

Delineation of all habitat boundaries was conducted with the image scale at 1:2,000. This ensured that the level of detail produced by the photo interpreter was uniform throughout the project. The minimum mapping unit (MMU) for identifying habitats or features was 1,000 square meters. The software utilized in this project was designed to alert the photo interpreter each time a polygon was drawn smaller than the a MMU; at which point the polygon was then aggregated with the most logical adjacent polygon.

Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report:

3001, Inc., the imagery acquiring firm, reported 1:4,800 scale RMSE accuracy of 1.25 m for the orthophotography, but NOAA calculations with known ground control locations resulted in RMSE accuracy of 2.15 m. It is believed that polygon horizontal accuracies are inherited from the source imagery.

Lineage:

Source_Information:

Source_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator:

Zitello, A.G., L.J. Bauer, T.A. Battista, P.W. Mueller and M.S. Kendall

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's Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)

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.

Type_of_Source_Media: report
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Single_Date/Time:

Calendar_Date: 2009

Source_Currentness_Reference: publication date

Source_Citation_Abbreviation:

Chapter 1: Benthic Habitat Classification Scheme of Benthic Habitats of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

Source_Contribution:

This section of the report describes the habitat classification scheme used to classify habitat features. The St. John habitat classification scheme defines benthic communities on the basis of four primary coral reef ecosystem attributes: 1) broad geographic zone, 2) geomorphological structure type, 3) dominant biological cover, and 4) degree of live coral cover.

Source_Information:

Source_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Ken Buja
Publication_Date: 2009
Title: NOAA Habitat Digitizer Extension
Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Silver Spring, MD
Publisher:

NOAA's Ocean Service (NOS), National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)

Other_Citation_Details:

NOAA. 2009. Habitat Digitizer Extension. NOAA Biogeography Branch. Silver Spring, MD. Available: https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/project/habitat-digitizer-extension/.

Online_Linkage:

https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/project/habitat-digitizer-extension/

Type_of_Source_Media: computer program
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Single_Date/Time:

Calendar_Date: 2009

Source_Currentness_Reference: publication date

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: NOAA Habitat Digitizer Extension
Source_Contribution:

This ArcGIS extension was used to digitize and attribute benthic zones, structure and biological cover of this map.

Source_Information:

Source_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Space Imaging Inc.
Publication_Date: 2005
Title: IKONOS Satellite Imagery
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: remote-sensing image
Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Thornton, CO
Publisher: Space Imaging Inc.

Other_Citation_Details:

This imagery was obtained at a 4 m pixel resolution, deglinted and pan sharpened.

Type_of_Source_Media: raster digital data
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 2003
Ending_Date: 2005

Source_Currentness_Reference: ground condition

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: IKONOS satellite imagery
Source_Contribution:

Used to identify and digitize benthic habitats of St. John, USVI.

Source_Information:

Source_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: 3001, Inc.
Publication_Date: 2007
Title: Orthophotography
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: remote-sensing image
Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: 401 Dividend Drive, Suite K, Peachtree City, GA 30269
Publisher: 3001, Inc.

Other_Citation_Details:

Imagery acquired on contract to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Type_of_Source_Media: raster digital data
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Single_Date/Time:

Calendar_Date: 2007

Source_Currentness_Reference: ground condition

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: Orthophotography
Source_Contribution:

Used to identify and digitize benthic habitats of St. John, USVI.

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

Process_Contact Tim A. Battista (NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/CCMA Biogeography Branch)

Process_Date: 2008

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

Process_Date 2008-2009

Process_Date: 2009

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

3) Ground Validation - 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, free diving, snorkeling and surface observations were used to survey the ecological characteristics at each location. This information was analyzed and the initial maps were edited to generate a second draft map.

Process_Date: 2009

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

4) Expert Review - The draft map was then reviewed by local marine biologists, coral reef scientists and resource managers at a one-day workshop in Cruz Bay, St. John. Comments were integrated into the map products to generate a final draft map.

Process_Date: 2009

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

Process_Contact Laurie J. Bauer (NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/CCMA Biogeography Branch)

Process_Date: 2009

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

6) Final Products Creation - A final benthic habitat map for St. John was generated by correcting inaccuracies elucidated by the accuracy assessment. Additionally, all associated datasets, including GIS files, field video and metadata were packaged and provided to project partners and the public.

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: G-Polygon
Point_and_Vector_Object_Count: 1940

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: 298.257222

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:

Detailed_Description:

Entity_Type:

Entity_Type_Label: Attribute Table for Benthic Habitat Map of St. John
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: UniqueID
Attribute_Definition:

A distinct identifier used to define each unique combination of habitat characteristics

Attribute_Definition_Source: NOAA
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: Specific code used for NOAA coral reef habitat maps
Codeset_Source:

Described in "Benthic Habitats of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands" (Zitello et al. 2009)

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Area
Attribute_Definition: Calculated feature area
Attribute_Definition_Source: NOAA
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Unrepresentable_Domain: Area of feature in square meters.

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Perimeter
Attribute_Definition: Calculated feature perimeter
Attribute_Definition_Source: NOAA
Attribute_Domain_Values:

Unrepresentable_Domain: Length of feature perimeter in meters

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Zone
Attribute_Definition: Geographic zone
Attribute_Definition_Source:

Refer to Chapter 1: Benthic Habitat Classification Scheme of "Benthic Habitats of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands" (Zitello et al. 2009)

Attribute_Domain_Values: