Central Coast Region South District Basin Planning & Habitat Mapping Project

This is a report to the California Department of Fish and Game. Between 2003 and 2008, the Foundation of CSUMB produced fish habitat maps and GIS layers for CDFG based on CDFG field data. This report describes the data entry, mapping, and website construction procedures associated with the project. Included are the maps that have been constructed. This report marks the completion of the Central Coast region South District Basin Planning and Habitat Mapping Project. (Document contains 40 pages

Multidate mapping of mosquito habitat

LANDSAT data from three overpasses formed the data base for a multidate classification of 15 ground cover categories in the margins of Lewis and Clark Lake, a fresh water impoundment between South Dakota and Nebraska. When scaled to match topographic maps of the area, the ground cover classification maps were used as a general indicator of potential mosquito-breeding habitat by distinguishing productive wetlands areas from nonproductive nonwetlands areas. The 12 channel multidate classification was found to have an accuracy 23% higher than the average of the three single date 4 channel classifications

River Habitat Mapping: are Surface Flow Type Habitats Biologically Distinct?

Current river habitat mapping uses several methods, many relying on descriptions of habitat units based on depth, velocity, substrate and water surface patterns. Water surface patterns are controlled by local geomorphology and hydraulics and can be remotely sensed, if surface flow type habitats are physically and biologically distinctive this may provide a faster surveying method. Six UK lowland rivers were investigated, surface flow types were mapped and the physical characteristics of each habitat unit recorded. Samples of benthic macroinvertebrates were taken from representative units and quantified. The results show that habitat mapping, using surface flow types in small lowland streams, is viable and that those habitats have some degree of physical distinctiveness. Analysis of benthic macroinvertebrate communities shows that there is some association with mapped habitats, and therefore are potentially biologically relevant

Flow Regime: Habitat and Macroinvertebrate Response

Rivers are complex linear features, (Petts, 1994). Assessing habitat quality and composition has traditionally focused on reaches of 10s metres, recently interest has moved to the mesoscale (100s of metres) e.g. Paraseiwicz (2001); Maddock and Bird (1996). Assessment at the catchment scale is the ultimate goal, e.g. European Water Framework Directive (Bragg et al, 2005) and will possibly require an element of remote sensing to be effective. In field trials, inter-operator variability of four meso-scale habitat mapping methods: MesoCaSiMiR, MesoHABSIM, Norwegian Mesohabitat Classification Method and Rapid Habitat Mapping was found to be up to 85% by area surveyed (Maddock and Hill, 2005). Further, the biological relevance of some methods, such as the weighted usable area output from PHABSIM/MesoHABSIM, has been challenged by some (Thoms, 2006) and others, whilst habitat connectivity is increasingly important (Walker, 2006)

The use of multibeam sonar mapping techniques to refine population estimates of the endangered white abalone (Haliotis sorenseni)

Multibeam sonar mapping techniques provide detailed benthic habitat information that can be combined with the data on species-specific habitat preferences to provide highly accurate calculations of populations in a particular area. The amount of suitable habitat available for the endangered white abalone (Haliotis sorenseni) was quantified to aid in obtaining an accurate estimate of the number of remaining individuals at two offshore banks and one island site off the coast of southern California. Habitat was mapped by using multibeam sonar survey techniques and categorized by using rugosity and topographic position analysis. Abalone densities were evaluated by using a remotely operated vehicle and video transect methods. The total amount of suitable habitat at these three sites was far greater than that previously estimated. Therefore, although present estimates of white abalone densities are several orders of magnitude lower than historic estimates, the total population is likely larger than previously reported because of the additional amount of habitat surveyed in this study

Guidance for benthic habitat mapping: an aerial photographic approach

This document, Guidance for Benthic Habitat Mapping: An Aerial Photographic Approach, describes proven technology that can be applied in an operational manner by state-level scientists and resource managers. This information is based on the experience gained by NOAA Coastal Services Center staff and state-level cooperators in the production of a series of benthic habitat data sets in Delaware, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, the Virgin Islands, and Washington, as well as during Center-sponsored workshops on coral remote sensing and seagrass and aquatic habitat assessment. (PDF contains 39 pages) The original benthic habitat document, NOAA Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP): Guidance for Regional Implementation (Dobson et al.), was published by the Department of Commerce in 1995. That document summarized procedures that were to be used by scientists throughout the United States to develop consistent and reliable coastal land cover and benthic habitat information. Advances in technology and new methodologies for generating these data created the need for this updated report, which builds upon the foundation of its predecessor

Development and validation of spatial distribution models of marine habitats, in support of the ecological valuation of the seabed

The marine environment is subjected to increasing anthropogenic pressure. Although there is a willingness of the different activities to minimize their impacts, there is a strong need for the assessment of the ecological value of the seabed, comprising both the abiotic substrate and the living organisms related to it (together called a ‘habitat’). Therefore, ‘habitat mapping’ is crucial, not only for the assessment of the ecological value at a certain moment, but also to follow its evolution over time. Because of the world-wide application of marine habitat mapping, there is currently a great variety in approaches, methodologies to use, as also in the ways habitats are classified. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that attempts are being made to propose more ‘common approaches’ in marine habitat mapping. The general aim of this study is to apply and develop straightforward and statistically sound methodologies for highly reliable sedimentological and habitat modelling, in support of a more sustainable management of our seas. To achieve these aims, this thesis is subdivided into 2 themes: 1) Best coverage data for habitat mapping; and 2) Integration of datasets in the view of habitat mapping

Mapping of wildlife habitat in Farmington Bay, Utah

Mapping was accomplished through the interpretation of high-altitude color infrared photography. The feasibility of utilizing LANDSAT digital data to augment the analysis was explored; complex patterns of wildlife habitat and confusion of spectral classes resulted in the decision to make limited use of LANDSAT data in the analysis. The final product is a map which delineates wildlife habitat at a scale of 1:24,000. The map is registered to and printed on a screened U.S.G.S. quadrangle base map. Screened delineations of shoreline contours, mapped from a previous study, are also shown on the map. Intensive field checking of the map was accomplished for the Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area in August 1981; other areas on the map received only spot field checking

Sensor-Assisted Video Mosaicing for Seafloor Mapping

This paper discusses a proposed processing technique for combining video imagery with auxiliary sensor information. The latter greatly simplifies image processing by reducing complexity of the transformation model. The mosaics produced by this technique are adequate for many applications, in particular habitat mapping. The algorithm is demonstrated through simulations and hardware configuration is described

Shallow Water Habitat Mapping and Reef Fish Stock Estimation Using High Resolution Satellite Data

Shallow marine waters comprise diverse benthic types forming habitats for reef fish community, which important for the livelihood of coastal and small island inhabitants. Satellite imagery provide synoptic map of benthic habitat and further utilized to estimate reef fish stock. The objective of this research was to estimate reef fish stock in complex coral reef of Pulau Pari, by utilizing high resolution satellite imagery of the WorldView-2 in combination with field data such as visual census of reef fish. Field survey was conducted between May-August 2013 with 160 sampling points representing four sites (north, south, west, and east). The image was analy-zed and grouped into five classes of benthic habitats i.e., live coral (LC), dead coral (DC), sand (Sa), seagrass (Sg), and mix (Mx) (combination seagrass+coral and seagrass+sand). The overall accuracy of benthic habitat map was 78%. Field survey revealed that the highest live coral cover (58%) was found at the north site with fish density 3.69 and 1.50 ind/m2at 3 and 10 m depth, respectively. Meanwhile, the lowest live coral cover (18%) was found at the south site with fish density 2.79 and 2.18 ind/m2 at 3 and 10 m depth, respectively. Interpolation on fish density data in each habitat class resulted in standing stock reef fish estimation: LC (5,340,698 ind), DC (56,254,356 ind), Sa (13,370,154 ind), Sg (1,776,195 ind) and Mx (14,557,680 ind)