Benthic Habitat Model

Metadata:

• Identification_Information
• Data_Quality_Information
• Spatial_Data_Organization_Information
• Spatial_Reference_Information
• Entity_and_Attribute_Information
• Distribution_Information
• Metadata_Reference_Information

Identification_Information:

Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: The Nature Conservancy

Publication_Date: 2010

Publication_Time: Unknown

Title: Benthic Habitat Model

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Fgdb raster digital data

Online_Linkage: <http://www.nature.ly/namera>

Online_Linkage: <http://www.northeastoceandata.org/>

Description:

Abstract:

This data product was created as part of the Northwest Atlantic Marine Ecoregional Assessment. The Nature Conservancy developed this science-based ecoregional assessment for the Northwest Atlantic Marine region (Bay of Fundy to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina). This assessment synthesizes information on oceanography, chemistry, geology, biology, and social science to inform decisions about coastal and marine ecosystems. By integrating this information at a regional level, the Conservancy is able to provide both a greater understanding of the interrelated biological diversity of the marine ecoregion, and a clearer picture of the current condition of its natural areas and the challenges to their continued persistence. The ten categories of targets identified as the primary structure for the marine ecoregional assessment are: coastal and estuarine habitats, benthic habitats, diadromous fish, demersal fish, pelagic fish, forage fish, nearshore shellfish, shorebirds and seabirds, marine mammals, and sea turtles. For more information and a detailed report, please visit <http://www.nature.ly/namera>.
Benthic habitats are combinations of EMUs considered with their species assemblages. The signature of a benthic habitat type may be a combination of multiple EMUs. Thresholds were created by classifying grab samples into organism groups based on similarities in the composition and abundance of the benthic species using hierarchical cluster analysis. To perform this analysis, each grab sample was classified to an organism group, then overlaid on standardized base maps of depth, sediment grain size and seabed forms, and attributed with the information taken from the classified data. Regression trees were built individually for each physical variable to identify critical thresholds that separated sets of organism groups from each other. Regression trees were also built using all variables collectively to identify which variables were driving the organism differences. Each analysis was performed separately by ecological subregion after data exploration revealed that the relationships between genera and physical factors differed markedly among subregions.

Purpose:

To show full diversity of physical factor combinations that may infulence benthic habitat types.

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Single_Date/Time:

Calendar_Date: 2010

Currentness_Reference: publication date

Status:

Progress: Complete

Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: As needed

Spatial_Domain:

Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: -81.655245

East_Bounding_Coordinate: -55.749567

North_Bounding_Coordinate: 50.958008

South_Bounding_Coordinate: 29.873141

Keywords:

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: none

Theme_Keyword: Benthic Habitats

Theme_Keyword: Biological

Theme_Keyword: Physical

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: none

Place_Keyword: Northwest Atlantic

Access_Constraints:

The Nature Conservancy reserves all rights in data provided. All data are provided as is. This is not a survey quality dataset. TNC-derived data analysis cannot be relied on as a definitive statement of the presence or absence of individual species or significant ecological communities at given locations and cannot be substituted for ecological surveys that may be required for environmental assessment or conservation planning. The Nature Conservancy makes no warranty as to the currency, completeness, accuracy or utility of any specific data. This disclaimer applies both to individual use of the data and aggregate use with other data. It is strongly recommended that careful attention be paid to the contents of the metadata file associated with these data.

Use_Constraints:

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) compiled this data set from publicly available data sources and this data is freely distributable without permission from this TNC resource office. This data set must be cited on all electronic and hard copy products using the language of the Data Set Credit. Use and analysis of the geographic data are limited by the scale at which the data was collected and mapped, and that, as a regional analysis, it is not intended for site level decisions.
The Nature Conservancy shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein. Any sale, distribution, loan, or offering for use of these digital data, in whole or in part, is prohibited without the approval of the Nature Conservancy. The use of these data to produce other GIS products and services with the intent to sell for a profit is prohibited without the written consent of the Nature Conservancy. All parties receiving these data must be informed of these restrictions. The Nature Conservancy shall be acknowledged as data contributors to any reports or other products derived from these data.

Point_of_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization: Eastern Division Conservation Science of The Nature Conservancy

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical address

Address: 99 Bedford St. 5th Floor

City: Boston

State_or_Province: MA

Postal_Code: 02111

Contact_Voice_Telephone:

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: jgreene@tnc.org

Native_Data_Set_Environment:

Microsoft Windows Vista Version 6.1 (Build 7600) ; ESRI ArcCatalog 9.3.1.3500

Data_Quality_Information:

Logical_Consistency_Report: none

Completeness_Report: none

Lineage:

Source_Information:

Source_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: National Geographic Data Center

Publication_Date: Unknown

Publication_Time: Unknown

Title: National Geographic Data Center's Coastal Relief Model

Other_Citation_Details:

Divins, D.L., and D. Metzger, NGDC Coastal Relief Model, <http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/coastal/coastal.html>

Online_Linkage: <http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/coastal/coastal.html>

Type_of_Source_Media: disc

Source_Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Single_Date/Time:

Calendar_Date: unknown

Time_of_Day: unknown

Source_Currentness_Reference: publication date

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: CRM

Source_Contribution: Main source of bathymetry data

Source_Information:

Source_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: The National Ocean Service

Publication_Date: Unknown

Publication_Time: Unknown

Title:

The National Ocean Service (NOS) Hydrographic Data Base (NOSHDB)

Online_Linkage: <http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/bathymetry/hydro.html>

Type_of_Source_Media: online

Source_Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Single_Date/Time:

Calendar_Date: unknown

Time_of_Day: unknown

Source_Currentness_Reference: publication date

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: NOSHDB

Source_Contribution: Used to augment the coastal relief model

Source_Information:

Source_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Roworth & Signell

Publication_Date: 1998

Publication_Time: Unknown

Title: GOM15CTR: Digital bathymetry contours of the Gulf of Maine

Other_Citation_Details:

The U.S. Geological Survey is conducting studies of the sea floor geology in the Gulf of Maine and along the New England Shelf that provide geologic framework information for habitat, resource, and environmental studies. This data set provides bathymetric contours for the Gulf of Maine GIS project area.

Online_Linkage: <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/of98-801/bathy/data.htm#Contours>

Type_of_Source_Media: online

Source_Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Single_Date/Time:

Calendar_Date: unknown

Time_of_Day: unknown

Source_Currentness_Reference: publication date

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: GOM15CTR

Source_Contribution: Used to augment the coastal relief model

Source_Information:

Source_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast Science Center

Publication_Date: Unpublished Material

Publication_Time: Unknown

Title: Benthic Grab Samples

Type_of_Source_Media: disc

Source_Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Single_Date/Time:

Calendar_Date: unknown

Time_of_Day: unknown

Source_Currentness_Reference: publication date

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: Benthic Grab Samples

Source_Contribution: Used to define the benthic species communities

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

Groups of benthic species that make up common communities were identified using grab sample from the 1950s to the 1990s provided by the National Marine Fisheries Service’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center. Samples with similar species composition and abundance were grouped together using hierarchical cluster analysis in the PC-ORD software package.

Process_Date: Unknown

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

Recursive partitioning (an analysis technique in the JMP software package) was used to define the relationships between the benthic species communities and each of the three physical factors: depth, sediment grain size, and seabed forms.

Process_Date: Unknown

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

The results of the recursive partitioning analysis were mapped to the three way combinations of depth, sediment grain size, and seabed forms to create the benthic habitat dataset based on the strongest statistical relationships. The raster dataset was then attributed with the coded value that represents each benthic habitat and the indicator species that define each habitat community grouped together by phyla.

Process_Date: Unknown

Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:

Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: Raster

Point_and_Vector_Object_Information:

SDTS_Terms_Description:

SDTS_Point_and_Vector_Object_Type: G-polygon

Point_and_Vector_Object_Count: 55

Raster_Object_Information:

Raster_Object_Type: Pixel

Row_Count: 28714

Column_Count: 24885

Vertical_Count: 1

Spatial_Reference_Information:

Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:

Planar:

Planar_Coordinate_Information:

Planar_Coordinate_Encoding_Method: row and column

Coordinate_Representation:

Abscissa_Resolution: 68.402385

Ordinate_Resolution: 68.402385

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

Vertical_Coordinate_System_Definition:

Altitude_System_Definition:

Altitude_Datum_Name: North American Vertical Datum of 1988

Altitude_Resolution: 1.000000

Altitude_Distance_Units: meters

Altitude_Encoding_Method:

Explicit elevation coordinate included with horizontal coordinates

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:

Detailed_Description:

Entity_Type:

Entity_Type_Label: VAT_BENTHIC_HABITATS

Entity_Type_Definition: Benthic Habitat Value

Entity_Type_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Marine Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: OBJECTID

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: VALUE

Attribute_Definition: Full EMU value

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Unrepresentable_Domain:

Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: COUNT

Attribute_Definition: Number of grid cells with the full value

Attribute_Definition_Source: ESRI

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Unrepresentable_Domain:

Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: SLOPE

Attribute_Definition: Slope range

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: Slope ranges to produce the ecological marine units

Codeset_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: SEDIMENT

Attribute_Definition: Sediment type

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: sediment groupings used to produce the ecological marine units

Codeset_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: NMBR_OF_SAMPLS

Attribute_Definition: Number of samples

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Unrepresentable_Domain: Number of samples used to generate the benthic habitats

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: ANNELIDS

Attribute_Definition: Annelids that are likely to be found in each benthic habitat

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: Species used to define the benthic habitats

Codeset_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: ARTHROPODS

Attribute_Definition: Arthropods likely to be found in each benthic habitat

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: Species used to define the benthic habitats

Codeset_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: CNIDARIANS

Attribute_Definition: Cnidarians likely to be found in each benthic habitat

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: Species used to define the benthic habitats

Codeset_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: ECHINODERMS

Attribute_Definition: Echinoderms likely to be found in each benthic habitat

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: Species used to define the benthic habitats

Codeset_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: BRYOZOANS

Attribute_Definition: Bryozoans likely to be found in each benthic habitat

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: Species used to define the benthic habitats

Codeset_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: PHORONIDS

Attribute_Definition: Phoronids likely to be found in each benthic habitat

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: Species used to define the benthic habitats

Codeset_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: SIPUNCULIDS

Attribute_Definition: Sipunculids likely to be found in each benthic habitat

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: Species used to define the benthic habitats

Codeset_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: CHAETOGNATHA

Attribute_Definition: Chaetognatha likely to be found in each benthic habitat

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: Species used to define the benthic habitats

Codeset_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: BRACHIPODS_AND_BRYOZOANS

Attribute_Definition:

Brachipods and Bryozoans likely to be found in each benthic habitat

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: Species used to define the benthic habitats

Codeset_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: BRYOZOANS_AND_PROTOZOANS

Attribute_Definition:

Bryozoans and protozoans likely to be found in each benthic habitat

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: Species used to define the benthic habitats

Codeset_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: CHORDATES

Attribute_Definition: Chordates likely to be found in each benthic habitat

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: Species used to define the benthic habitats

Codeset_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: NEMERTEANS

Attribute_Definition: Nemerteans likely to be found in each benthic habitat

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: Species used to define the benthic habitats

Codeset_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: HEMICHORDATES

Attribute_Definition: Hemichordates likely to be found in each benthic habitat

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: Species used to define the benthic habitats

Codeset_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: PROTOZOANS

Attribute_Definition: Protozoans likely to be found in each benthic habitat

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: Species used to define the benthic habitats

Codeset_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: CEPHALOPODS

Attribute_Definition: Cephalopods likely to be found in each benthic habitat

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: Species used to define the benthic habitats

Codeset_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: ECOLOGICAL_MARINE_UNIT

Attribute_Definition:

The text description of each three-way combination of depth, position, and sediment that defines a ecological marine unit

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: Ecological Marine Unit text descriptions

Codeset_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: SUBREGION

Attribute_Definition: Text that describes each subregion

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: Subregion text descriptions

Codeset_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: BENTHIC_HABITAT

Attribute_Definition:

The code that defines each benthic habitat. GOM = Gulf of Maine, SNE = Southern New England, MAB = Mid Atlantic Bight while each number represent a unique habitat for that subregion (GOM = Gulf of Maine, SNE = Southern New England, MAB = Mid Atlantic Bight) - the number represents the unique benthic habitat for each corresponding subregion

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: Benthic habitats

Codeset_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: SEABED_FORM

Attribute_Definition: Text description for each seabed form

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: Seabed from text descriptions

Codeset_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: LAND_POSTION_INDEX

Attribute_Definition:

The text description that represents the land position index used to define the benthic habitats

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: Land position index text descriptions

Codeset_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: DEPTH

Attribute_Definition:

Text description of the depth ranges used in defining the benthic habitats

Attribute_Definition_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Codeset_Domain:

Codeset_Name: Slope ranges used to define the ecological marine units

Codeset_Source: Northwest Atlantic Ecoregional Assessment

Distribution_Information:

Distributor:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization: Eastern Division Conservation Science of The Nature Conservancy

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical address

Address: 99 Bedford St. 5th Floor

City: Boston

State_or_Province: MA

Postal_Code: 02111

Contact_Voice_Telephone:

Resource_Description: Downloadable Data

Distribution_Liability:

Neither The Nature Conservancy nor any of the ecoregional planning team participants makes any warranty, expressed or implied, as to the use or appropriateness of use of the enclosed data., nor are there warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use. No representation is made as to the currency, accuracy or completeness of the information on this geodatabase or of the data sources on which it is based. Neither The Nature Conservancy nor any of the ecoregional planning team participants shall be liable for any lost profits or consequential damages, or claims against the user by third parties.

Standard_Order_Process:

Digital_Form:

Digital_Transfer_Information:

Format_Name: Zipped File Geodatabase

File_Decompression_Technique: Unzip

Transfer_Size: 0.375

Digital_Transfer_Option:

Online_Option:

Computer_Contact_Information:

Network_Address:

Network_Resource_Name: <http://www.northeastoceandata.org>

Fees: none

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 20110505

Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization: Eastern Division Conservation Science of The Nature Conservancy

Contact_Person: Jennifer Greene

Contact_Position:

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical address

Address: 99 Bedford St. 5th Floor

City: Boston

State_or_Province: MA

Postal_Code: 02111

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: jgreene@tnc.org

Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata

Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998

Metadata_Time_Convention: local time