Sediment profile images (SPI) of the sediment-water interface were collected using a sediment profiling camera at pre-determined locations in the harbor. Physical, chemical, geological and biological conditions observed in the photos were used to create a database for all stations, and habitat classes were defined by sediment type and/or faunal community for each location. The database was then used in a Geographic Information System (GIS) to characterize benthic habitat types for New York/New Jersey Harbor.
The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)had a need to develop benthic habitat maps in NY/NJ Harbor. This was critical for developing a plan for dredged material management that was both economically feasible and environmentally sound. The overall objective was to provide background information to plan cost-effective, spatially focused studies for siting dredge material disposal and habitat restoration within the Harbor.
ground condition
It is the responsibility of the user to determine the appropriate use of the data product.
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The attribute accuracy was verified by checking the compiled SPI database against the actual photos for each station. Since two photos were taken at each station, attributes from both images were noted in the database, and one image was digitized and analyzed using image analysis software. The results of this automated analysis were also used to check the accuracy of the dataset. When large disagreement occurred between images from a single station, all attributes were recorded and the image with the largest visible area was digitized. Results of grab sampling were also used, when available, to check the accuracy of the SPI dataset.
The data are believed to be logically consistent.
Any attribute omissions were the result of poor camera penetration or the inability to clearly distinguish features in SPI photos. The attributes from multiple photos from each station were summed to provide the most comprehensive report of in situ conditions. Habitat classes were assigned based on ranked order of habitat value, however, so each of the five habitat groups were not mutually exclusive. Classes were ranked for consistency in an attempt to anticipate the management decisions that would be made by the NY District of the USACE. Therefore, stations observed to have characteristics of multiple habitat types were classified by the habitat class having the highest rank.
Stations were located in the field using a differential Global Positioning System (GPS), and station coordinates, date and time of day were recorded upon arrival at each station. Coordinates and time were also recorded after all sampling was completed at approximately 25% of the stations to check the amount of boat drift. Drift distances were generally less than 0.1 minutes, which was not discernible at the spatial scale used for mapping the results.
Not relevant to this dataset.
Production of sediment profile images to build the GIS dataset.
Sampling stations occurred along a grid that measured approximately 500 meters by 500 meters where water depth was deeper than three meters. A differential Global Positioning System (GPS) was used to locate the station positions in the field, and benthic data were taken using a sediment profile camera. Photographs were visually analyzed, habitat features were recorded into a database, and stations were categorized into one of the five habitat classes.
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Internal feature number.
ESRI
Feature geometry.
ESRI
Unique identifier for station
Unique number assigned to sample sites
Quality control codes for station coordinates (decimal degrees)
correct coordinates
run/shift A
station did not pass QA/QC check, but simple fix brought station in line
station did not pass QA/QC check, and no simple fix could be made
Indicates visits to individual stations
single sampling visit to station
multiple sampling visits to station
Indicates type of data collected at station
SPI only
SPI and sediment grab
SPI and benthic grab
SPI, sediment and benthic grabs
Latitude in decimal degrees
Longitude in decimal degrees
Latitude in UTM Zone 18 coordinates
Longitude in UTM Zone 18 coordinates
Number of slides analyzed for station
Abbreviated description of sediment texture
Folk scale description of Sediment abbreviations
Presence of shell hash and abbreviated descriptions of live shellfish
clam bed
mussel bed
unidentifiable shell bed
shell hash present
none
Description of live shellfish as indicated in the Shellhash field
Types of live shellbed identified in plan-view images
Hard clams, soft clams or surf clams present
Possible presence of hard clams, soft clams or surf clams
Mytilus edulis present
Possible presence of Mytilus edulis
No plan-view images taken at station
Shellfish absent from plan-view image
Numbers of clam siphons seen in plan-view images (ND = no plan-view images taken)
Presence of 'carpet-like' layer of shell hash in Plan-view images
Possible presence of shell hash carpet
No plan-view image taken at station
little or no shell hash
dense layer of shell hash at surface
Abundance of Mercenaria mercenaria in benthic grabs (ND = no grab data)
Abundance of Mya arenaria in benthic grabs (ND = no grab data)
Abundance of Spisula solidissima in benthic grabs (ND = no grab data)
Abundance of Mytilus edulis in benthic grabs (ND = no grab data)
Ranked agreement between slides for both Sediment and Shell Hash categories
little to no agreement
only one slide analyzed
some agreement
strong agreement
Description (abbr) for features seen at sediment surface
bedforms
bedforms; debris; mounds
bedforms; gravel
bedforms; pits
shell bed; rocks
debris
debris; even surface
debris; pits
even surface
even surface; mounds
even surface; pits
gravel
mounds
mounds; pits
pits
shell hash
shell hash; bedforms
shell hash; bedforms; even surface
shell hash; bedforms; gravel
shell hash; bedforms; mounds
shell hash; bedforms; pits
shell hash; bedforms; pits; uneven surface
shell hash; bedforms; pebbles
shell hash; bedforms; rocks
shell hash; shell bed
shell hash; shell bed; debris
shell hash; shell bed; bedforms
shell hash; shell bed; debris
shell hash; shell bed; even surface
shell hash; shell bed; gravel
shell hash; shell bed; mounds
shell hash; debris
shell hash; debris; mounds
shell hash; even surface
shell hash; gravel
shell hash; gravel; pits
shell hash; mounds
shell hash; mounds; pits
shell hash; pits
shell hash; pits; mounds
shell hash; uneven surface
none
Presence of bedforms (sediment ripples) based on Interface field
Bedforms absent
Interface not visible in image
Bedforms present
Presence of bedforms at sediment surface in plan-view images
No plan-view image taken at station
Bedforms absent from plan-view image
Bedforms present in plan-view image
Number of plan-view images used to characterize station
Description of relative numbers of Ampelisca abdita
Abundance of Ampelisca abdita from benthic grab data (ND = no grab data)
Description of infauna present in SPI images
Presence of algae or hydroids in epifaunal community at sediment surface
List of epifauna (excluding algae and hydroids) indicated in Epifauna column
Description (abbr) of epifauna present in SPI images
algae; snail
algae; snail; detritus
crab
crab
crab; hermit crab; snail
Crepidula
detritus
both algae and hydroids
hermit crab
hermit crab; Crepidula
hermit crab; hydroids; Crepidula
hermit crab; hydroids; detritus
hermit crab; crab
hermit crab; snail
hermit crab; snail; Crepidula
hydroids
hydroids; algae
hydroids; Crepidula
hydroids; Crangon shrimp
hydroids; hermit crab
hydroids; hermit crab; sponge
hydroids; snail
hydroids; sponge
snail
snail; crab
snail; Crepidula
snail; hermit crab; hydroids
snail; hydroids
sponge
sponge; crab
sponge; crab; Crepidula
crab
crab; Crepidula
none
Total abundance from benthic grab data (ND = no grab data)
Agreement rank from Ampelisca, Epifauna and Other columns
little to no agreement
only one slide analyzed
some agreement
strong agreement
Number of burrows seen in SPI image
Number of critters seen in SPI image
Number of voids seen in SPI image
Types of voids seen in SPI images
anoxic
gas
mixed (multiple types)
oxic
unknown
none
Community successional stage
Rhoads, D. and J. Germano (1982) 'Characterization of organism-sediment relations using sediment profile imaging: an efficient method of remote ecological monitoring of the seafloor (Remots TM System)'. Marine Ecology Progress Series 8:115-128.
OSI Stage 1 (surface-feeding pioneering species)
Components of OSI Stages 1 and 2 (pioneering to intermediate species)
OSI Stage 2 (shallow-dwelling bivalves and tubicolous amphipods)
Components of OSI Stages 2 and 3 (intermediate to equilibrium species)
OSI Stage 3 (infaunal deposit-feeders, especially 'head-down' feeders)
not measurable
Agreement rank for community successional stage between 2 slides analyzed per station
little to no agreement
only one slide analyzed
some agreement
strong agreement
not measurable
Depth (cm) of apparent color Redox Potential Discontinuity based on computer analysis (99 = not measurable)
Code describing RPD value
no computer analysis
calculated from one slide
not measurable
average of two slides
Depth (cm) of camera penetration based on computer analysis (99 = not measurable)
Code describing Pen value
no computer analysis
calculated from one slide
not measurable
average of two slides
Ranked scale identifying stations having shellfish, but shellfish are too few in number (<3) to warrant a classification change
no shellfish
Mercenaria mercenaria present
Mya arenaria present
Spisula solidissima present
No data
Explanation for changes to habitat classes from spiHAB to mixHAB (based on integration of data types)
No change
Changed due to number of Mercenaria mercenaria (3+) in benthic grab
Changed due to number of Mya arenaria (3+) in benthic grab
Changed due to number of Spisula solidissima (3+) in benthic grab
Changed due to number of Ampelisca abdita (>200) in benthic grab
Changed due to abundance of infauna (>30) in benthic grab
Changed due to plan-view image
No grab data
Revised habitat classes based on SPI data, benthic grab data and plan-view data
Ampelisca mat on fine sediments
Ampelisca mat on sandy sediments
Ampelisca mat on silty sand sediments
Silty bottom habitat with no evidence of biological activity
High energy sandy habitat with infauna
High energy sandy habitat with epifauna
High energy sandy habitat with gravel
High energy sandy habitat with shell hash
High energy sandy habitat with no evidence of biological activity
Low energy sandy habitat with epifauna
Low energy sandy habitat with gravel
Low energy sandy habitat with shell hash
Live clam beds (Hard clams, Softshell clams or Surf clams)
Live mussel beds (Mytilus edulis)
Silty bottom habitat with infauna
Silty bottom habitat with gas voids (methane pockets)
Silty bottom habitat with very soft sediments
Habitat classes based on SPI imagery data only
Ampelisca mat on fine sediments
Ampelisca mat on sandy sediments
Ampelisca mat on silty sand sediments
Silty bottom habitat with no evidence of biological activity
High energy sandy habitat with infauna
High energy sandy habitat with epifauna
High energy sandy habitat with gravel
High energy sandy habitat with shell hash
High energy sandy habitat with no evidence of biological activity
Low energy sandy habitat with epifauna
Low energy sandy habitat with gravel
Low energy sandy habitat with shell hash
Live clam beds (Hard clams, Softshell clams or Surf clams)
Live mussel beds (Mytilus edulis)
Silty bottom habitat with infauna
Silty bottom habitat with gas voids (methane pockets)
Silty bottom habitat with very soft sediments
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While every effort has been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within limits of the state of the art, NOAA will not assume any liability for damages caused by any inaccuracies in these data, or failure in their use.
For information about obtaining these data, please visit the project home page at <http://www3.csc.noaa.gov/dbapps/irtscapture/BouncePage.asp?Bounce2=ftp://www.csc.noaa.gov/pub/lcr/nyharbor/lbj95spi.zip&product=225>
2234 South Hobson Avenue