Great Bay Estuary Eelgrass, 1996

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Metadata:


Identification_Information:
Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Dr. Frederick Short, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
Publication_Date: 19970630
Title: Great Bay Estuary Eelgrass, 1996
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
Online_Linkage:
<URL:http://www.granit.unh.edu/data/search?dset=eelgrass/eelgrass1996>
Description:
Abstract:
Note that yearly variations in collection methods exist. Following is a summary of methods that have been used.

The dataset shows the locations where eelgrass was observed in the Great Bay Estuary based on low-altitude aerial surveillance. The study area includes the following waterbodies: Great Bay, the mouth of the Squamscott River, the tidal portion of the Lamprey River, the tidal portion of the Oyster River, the tidal portion of the Bellamy River, the Piscataqua River and Portsmouth Harbor and its associated creeks. Aerial photographs are taken of the study area at 3000 feet at low spring tide with roughly 60% overlap on a calm day without preceding rain events and when the sun is at a low angle to minimize reflection (between 7 am and 10 am). Photographs are taken in late summer, usually late August or early September, depending on tides and weather, to reflect the maximum eelgrass annual biomass. 35 mm film (ASA 200) or a digital camera is used to acquire the images. Typically 300 images are needed to cover the entire Great Bay Estuary. The orientation of the photographs is near-vertical. This is a slight deviation from the NOAA Coastal Change Analysis Program protocol, but follows a published method (Short and Burdick, 1986). The photographs, in the form of 35mm slides or digital computer images, are projected on a screen and the eelgrass images are transferred to a base map. These maps are then digitized using GIS software. The eelgrass habitat mapped from the aerial imagery is verified using the ground truthing data by placing the ground-truthing locations onto the digital image using GIS software. Ground-truthing is done from a small boat during the same season as the photographs are taken. Ground-truth observations are made at low tide. Samples are collected with an eelgrass sampling hook. Positions are determined using GPS. The ground-truth surveys assess 10-20% of the eelgrass beds mapped in the estuary. The aerial survey is completed yearly. The first survey in the series was completed in 1986.

Purpose:
The dataset was developed to monitor the distribution of eelgrass within the Great Bay Estuary over time. The surveys have been completed yearly since 1986 to track trends over time. A quality assurance project plan is available at: <http://prep.unh.edu/resources/qapps/unh_eelgrass_zostera-qapp-unh&des-10.pdf>.
Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 19960801
Ending_Date: 19960930
Currentness_Reference: Ground Date
Status:
Progress: Complete
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: Annually
Spatial_Domain:
Bounding_Coordinates:
West_Bounding_Coordinate: -70.911297
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -70.677157
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 43.153869
South_Bounding_Coordinate: 43.049923
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Category
Theme_Keyword: biota
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Theme_Keyword: Eelgrass
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Theme_Keyword: Estuary
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Theme_Keyword: Estuarine
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Category
Place_Keyword: oceans
Place_Keyword: Northeast
Place_Keyword: New England
Place_Keyword: New Hampshire
Place_Keyword: Great Bay
Place_Keyword: Little Harbor
Place_Keyword: Piscataqua River
Place_Keyword: Lamprey River
Place_Keyword: Oyster River
Place_Keyword: Bellamy River
Place_Keyword: Portsmouth Harbor
Place_Keyword: Squamscott River
Place_Keyword: New Castle
Place_Keyword: Rye
Place_Keyword: Portsmouth
Place_Keyword: Newington
Place_Keyword: Greenland
Place_Keyword: Stratham
Place_Keyword: Newfields
Place_Keyword: Newmarket
Place_Keyword: Durham
Place_Keyword: Dover
Place_Keyword: Madbury
Place_Keyword: Eliot
Place_Keyword: Kittery
Place_Keyword: Maine
Access_Constraints: None
Use_Constraints:
User is required to read metadata completely before using the data. The information provided in this coverage is a subset of spatial databases developed by the University of New Hampshire and used by the NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES). Development of these databases is an ongoing project; they may not contain all existing and potential sites, stations, or threats. The NHDES is not responsible for the use or interpretation of this information, or for any inaccuracies in the site names, tax map and lot information, or locations. All information is subject to verification. These data are to be used for planning purposes only; distribution is discouraged.
Point_of_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Phil Trowbridge, P.E.
Contact_Organization: New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
Contact_Position: Coastal Scientist
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: Mailing and Physical Address
Address: 29 Hazen Drive, PO Box 95
City: Concord
State_or_Province: New Hampshire
Postal_Code: 03302
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 603-271-3503
Native_Data_Set_Environment:
Microsoft Windows XP Version 5.1 (Build 2600) Service Pack 2; ESRI ArcGIS 10.0.4.4000

Data_Quality_Information:
Logical_Consistency_Report:
Note that yearly variations in collection methods exist. Following is a summary of methods that have been used.

The eelgrass habitat mapped from the aerial imagery is verified using the ground truthing data by placing the ground-truthing locations onto the digital image using GIS software. Ground-truthing is done from a small boat during the same season as the photographs are taken. Ground-truth observations are made at low tide. Samples are collected with an eelgrass sampling hook. Positions are determined using GPS. The ground-truth surveys assess 10-20% of the eelgrass beds mapped in the estuary. Overlapping polygon areas are identified and removed using a topology rule.

Completeness_Report: The dataset is complete. There are no known omissions.
Lineage:
Source_Information:
Source_Time_Period_of_Content:
Source_Currentness_Reference: Publication Date
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date: 19960801
Ending_Date: 19960930
Type_of_Source_Media: Digital
Source_Citation_Abbreviation: UNH
Source_Contribution: UNH
Source_Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator: Dr. Frederick Short, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
Publication_Date: 19970630
Title: Great Bay Eelgrass 1996
Process_Step:
Process_Description:
The photographs, in the form of 35mm slides or digital computer images, are projected on a screen and the eelgrass images are transferred to a base map by hand (i.e., the polygons are hand-drawn on a hardcopy map of the estuary). The polygons on the hardcopy maps are later digitized.
Process_Date: 19970630
Process_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: Phil Trowbridge
Contact_Organization: New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
Contact_Position: Coastal Scientist
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: Mailing and Physical Address
Address: 29 Hazen Drive, PO Box 95
City: Concord
State_or_Province: New Hampshire
Postal_Code: 03302
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 603-271-8872

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: 232

Spatial_Reference_Information:
Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:
Planar:
Grid_Coordinate_System:
Grid_Coordinate_System_Name: State Plane Coordinate System 1983
State_Plane_Coordinate_System:
SPCS_Zone_Identifier: 2800
Transverse_Mercator:
Scale_Factor_at_Central_Meridian: 0.999967
Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -71.666667
Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 42.500000
False_Easting: 984250.000000
False_Northing: 0.000000
Planar_Coordinate_Information:
Planar_Coordinate_Encoding_Method: coordinate pair
Coordinate_Representation:
Abscissa_Resolution: 0.002048
Ordinate_Resolution: 0.002048
Planar_Distance_Units: survey feet
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: eelgrass1996
Entity_Type_Definition:
Each polygon of eelgrass habitat is assigned an attribute in the density field of the attribute table. The values in the density field are qualitative assessments of the eelgrass density in each polygon.
Entity_Type_Definition_Source: NHDES
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: AREA
Attribute_Definition: Area of the eelgrass in square feet.
Attribute_Definition_Source: UNH
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Unrepresentable_Domain: Calculated value
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: PERIMETER
Attribute_Definition: Perimeter of the eelgrass area in feet.
Attribute_Definition_Source: UNH
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Unrepresentable_Domain: Calculated value.
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: DENSITY
Attribute_Definition:
Qualitative assessments of the eelgrass density in each polygon
Attribute_Definition_Source: UNH
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: d
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:
Dense. Eelgrass covers 90-100% of the bottom. The bottom is not visible in the aerial photos. The shoot density or biomass level for eelgrass of this density is approximately 250 grams per square meter.
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: UNH
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: sb
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:
Some bottom. Eelgrass covers 60-90% of the bottom. Some bottom is visible in the aerial photos but the majority is covered by eelgrass. The shoot density or biomass level for eelgrass of this density is approximately 85 grams per square meter.
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: UNH
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: h
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:
Half. Eelgrass covers 30-60% of the bottom. Approximately half the bottom is visible in the aerial photos. The shoot density or biomass level for eelgrass of this density is approximately 55 grams per square meter.
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: UNH
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: p
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:
Partial. Eelgrass covers 10-30% of the bottom. Eelgrass is present but the majority of the bottom is still visible in the bed. The shoot density or biomass level for eelgrass of this density is approximately 25 grams per square meter.
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: UNH
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: pr
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:
Present. Eelgrass is present but the density could not be determined.
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: UNH
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: unk
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:
Present. Eelgrass is present but the density could not be determined.
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: UNH
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: r
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:
Ruppia. Ruppia maritima is a different species of submerged aquatic vegetation than the Zostera marina that is mapped for this program. Ruppia can be found in the Great Bay Estuary at low levels, particularly in association with salt marsh pannes and in the upper reaches of the estuary. Ruppia was mapped if it appeared in large beds in parts of the tributaries where eelgrass could be expected.
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: UNH
Enumerated_Domain:
Enumerated_Domain_Value: NULL
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition:
No eelgrass. Polygon represents an island or area without eelgrass.
Enumerated_Domain_Value_Definition_Source: UNH
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: HECTARES
Attribute_Definition: Eelgrass area in hectares.
Attribute_Definition_Source: UNH
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Unrepresentable_Domain: Calculated value.
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: ACRES
Attribute_Definition: Acreage of the eelgrass area.
Attribute_Definition_Source: UNH
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Unrepresentable_Domain: Calculated value.
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: YEAR_
Attribute_Definition: The year that the data was collected.
Attribute_Definition_Source: UNH
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Unrepresentable_Domain: Calculated value.

Distribution_Information:
Distributor:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Organization_Primary:
Contact_Organization: Complex Systems Research Center, University of New Hampshire
Contact_Person: GRANIT Database Manager
Contact_Position: GRANIT Database Manager
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: Morse Hall, University of New Hampshire
City: Durham
State_or_Province: NH
Postal_Code: 03824
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 603-862-1792
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 603-862-0188
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: granit@unh.edu
Hours_of_Service: 8:30AM-5PM. EST
Resource_Description: Downloadable Data
Distribution_Liability:
Digital data in NH GRANIT represent the efforts of the contributing agencies to record information from the cited source materials. Complex Systems Research Center, under contract to the NH Office of Energy and Planning, and in consultation with cooperating agencies, maintains a continuing program to identify and correct errors in these data. OEP, CSRC, and the cooperating agencies make no claim as to the validity or reliability or to any implied uses of these data.
Standard_Order_Process:
Digital_Form:
Digital_Transfer_Information:
Format_Name: ESRI shapefile
Transfer_Size: <1 MB
Digital_Transfer_Option:
Online_Option:
Computer_Contact_Information:
Network_Address:
Network_Resource_Name: URL:<http://www.granit.sr.unh.edu>
Fees:
No charge when downloaded from the Internet. Cost of reproduction for provision on CD/ROM of other media.
Ordering_Instructions:
Email GRANIT (granit@unh.edu) or order from web site (www.granit.sr.unh.edu).
Turnaround: Two weeks
Technical_Prerequisites: None

Metadata_Reference_Information:
Metadata_Date: 20120522
Metadata_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Organization_Primary:
Contact_Organization: NH Department of Environmental Services
Contact_Person: George Hastings
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: 29 Hazen Drive, PO Box 95
City: Concord
State_or_Province: New Hampshire
Postal_Code: 03302
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 603-271-3503
Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998
Metadata_Time_Convention: local time
Metadata_Extensions:
Online_Linkage: <http://www.esri.com/metadata/esriprof80.html>
Profile_Name: ESRI Metadata Profile
Metadata_Extensions:
Online_Linkage: <http://www.esri.com/metadata/esriprof80.html>
Profile_Name: ESRI Metadata Profile

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