Seagrass (Halodule Wrighti) Florida Keys 1996

Metadata also available as

Metadata:


Identification_Information:
Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator:
Southeast Environmental Research Program, Florida International University (FIU)
Publication_Date: 1996
Title: Seagrass (Halodule Wrighti) Florida Keys 1996
Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data
Online_Linkage:
Server=Gleason; Service=5155; Database=GIS_Archive; User=FWC; Version=sde.DEFAULT
Description:
Abstract:
Data on the spatial distribution and temporal dynamics of benthic marine communities is being collected using a stratified-random site selection approach coupled with repeated monitoring of permanent sites. Data on abundance, cover, biomass, species composition, productivity, leaf emergence rates, population demographics and nutrient content are being collected on benthic marine plants (macroalgae and seagrasses).
This is data that shows the extent of the Halodule Wrighti seagrass species, in the Florida Keys. This GIS data set is part of the FKNMS Water Quality CD.
Purpose:
The general objective of seagrass monitoring in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) is to measure the status and trends of seagrass communities to evaluate progress toward protecting and restoring the living marine resources of the Sanctuary. The scope and depth of this monitoring effort are without precedent or peer for seagrass ecosystems throughout the world. Specific objectives are: 1) To provide data needed to make unbiased, statistically rigorous statements about the status and temporal trends of seagrass communities in the Sanctuary as a whole and within defined strata, 2) To help define reference conditions in order to develop resource-based water quality standards, and 3) To provide a framework for testing hypothesized pollutant fate/effect relationships through process-oriented research and monitoring.
Supplemental_Information:
Prior to July 1, 2004, the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) was known as the Florida Marine Research Institute (FMRI). The institute name has not been changed in historical data sets or references to work completed by the Florida Marine Research Institute. The institute name has been changed in references to ongoing research, new research, and contact information.
OVERVIEW Seagrass monitoring will involve in situ measurements of population and community level characteristics. Seagrass communities will be monitored using a stratified random design based on the Sanctuary segmentation framework (Klein and Orlando 1994). Three sets of sites will be monitored: Level I sites (shoot morphometrics and Thalassia productivity) Randomly chosen, permanent sites will be sampled quarterly to estimate Thalassia productivity and analyze shoot morphometrics. This will allow a comparison of the two approaches to characterizing seagrass community status as a function of the information obtained and the costs of sampling and analysis. Level II sites (shoot morphometrics) Wider geographic coverage will be obtained by monitoring additional, randomly chosen sites for shoot morphometrics alone. Sampling will occur annually, with new sites chosen each year. Level III sites (cover-abundance) Even wider geographic coverage will be accomplished by using a rapid, semi-quantitative approach to characterizing seagrass community status through measurement of cover-abundance at randomly chosen sites. Sampling will occur annually, with new sites chosen each year. The mix of site types is intended to monitor trends through quarterly sampling at a few permanent locations (Level I sites) and to annually characterize the broader seagrass population through less intensive, one-time sampling at more locations (Level II and III sites). Sampling methods will be comparable to those being used to monitor seagrass in Florida Bay and Biscayne Bay. Seagrass communities in these areas are being monitored by researchers from Everglades National Park, Florida International University, the University of Virginia, FMRI, EPA/EMAP, and the Dade County Department of Environmental Management. The approach and methods described in this program have been developed with the collaboration of the primary researchers involved in the ongoing programs.
MONITORING LOCATIONS Monitoring locations have been chosen to be compatible with other monitoring programs being conducted by Everglades National Park, Florida International University, FMRI, and EPA/EMAP). Existing benthic maps for the Sanctuary are of limited value for selecting representative seagrass sites (i.e., selecting a probability sample of known seagrass locations). The NOAA/FMRI benthic mapping program scheduled for completion by the spring of 1995 should resolve these inadequacies and data gaps. In the meantime, because seagrass is nearly ubiquitous in the Sanctuary, it is reasonable to select sites by picking random locations. If seagrass is present at the chosen location, a site will be established there; otherwise, the nearest seagrass bed of suitable size on a random compass heading will be chosen. After the benthic mapping program is completed, future sites can be selected as a probability sample from EMAP hexagons where seagrass is present.
Level I Sites Level I sites will be located in Segments 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9. Beginning FY96, there will be six sites in each segment. In Segments 5, 7, and 9 (Atlantic side of the Keys), two sites will be located in each of the following strata: nearshore, Hawk Channel, and offshore. No further stratification is planned within the other segments. Because it is advantageous to co-locate biological and water quality monitoring sites, and because seagrass is nearly ubiquitous in the Sanctuary, all Level I (permanent) sites will be located at or near water quality stations. Within each stratum, one of the several water quality stations will be picked at random and the seagrass site will be located at the water quality station or in the nearest seagrass bed on a random heading. Randomization of Level I sites is assured by the process used to position water quality stations.
Level II Sites Level II sites will be located in all segments except number 8. There will be six sites each in Segments 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9; nine sites each in Segments 1 and 2; and three sites in Segment 3. Level II sites will be located randomly within each segment using the EMAP grid. In Segments 5, 7, and 9 (Atlantic side of Keys), the sites will be located within each of the following strata: nearshore, Hawk Channel, and offshore. No further stratification is planned within the other segments.
Level III Sites Level III sites will be located in all segments except number 8. There will be 10 sites in Segment 3 and 30 sites in each of the others. Level III sites will be located randomly within each segment using the EMAP grid. In Segments 5, 7, and 9, sites will be located in each of the following strata: nearshore, Hawk Channel, and offshore. No further stratification is planned within the other segments.
PARAMETERS AND METHODS Monitoring will provide measures of population and community level characteristics in the seagrass community, including seagrass cover, density, growth rate, standing crop, productivity, and seagrass elemental content. The parameters to be measured and the sampling frequency and number of sites for each level of effort are listed in Table 1. Level I sites will be sampled quarterly. Level II and III sampling will occur annually, but new sites will be chosen each year. Sampling techniques to be used in the monitoring program are based on the methodology primarily used by Fourqurean, Zieman, and Durako in Florida Bay to monitor seagrass die-off. The techniques include both rapid, qualitative assessments and more labor-intensive quantitative methods: Productivity plots will be established at each Level I site. Quarterly quantitative measurements will be made of seagrass standing crop and productivity. Shoot morphometrics will be analyzed from randomly selected shoots at each Level I and Level II site. Cover-abundance of seagrass will be estimated at each Level I, Level II, and Level III site. Seagrass elemental content (carbon, nitrogen and Phosphorus) will be determined for all seagrass species present at Level I and Level II sites, following the methods described in Fourqurean et al. (1992). Level I Sites Shoot Morphometrics At Level I sites, ca. 100 short shoots of each seagrass species present will be collected using sediment core tubes. These shoot samples will be analyzed for: no. of species no. of short shoots per species no. of blades per short shoot no. of new shoots, fruits, and flowers no. of leaf scars and no. of leaves per short shoot shoot age (no. of leaf scars + no. of standing leaves) plastochrone interval canopy height
Productivity Measurements Thalassia productivity will be monitored quarterly in five randomly selected 0.02 m2 plots within each Level I site by using a modification of the leaf marking method (Zieman 1974). Prior to productivity measurements, 0.25 m2 quadrats adjacent to productivity plots will be photographed to provide a permanent visual record. Productivity measurements will be made by randomly placing a 0.02 m2 quadrat within each site and marking the base of each blade within the quadrat with a needle. After 10 to 15 days, all of the above-ground biomass (seagrass short shoots and blades, macroalgae) will be harvested. Blades on each short shoot will be bound together, and the short shoot will be lifted out of the sediment. The material from each quadrat will be placed in a plastic bag, stored under ice, and brought to the laboratory for processing. In the laboratory, the material will be cleaned of fine sediment, using fresh water, and sorted. If the samples cannot be processed immediately, they will be stored at ?10?C. Linear and gravimetric measurements will be made on each sample to determine seagrass community parameters. For each sample, the number of short shoots will be determined and linear measurements will then be estimated from a subsample of three randomly selected short shoots. The following measurements will be made for each subsample: Number of blades (per short shoot) Length (cm) of each marked blade Distance (cm) from the base of the blade to the needle mark Number and length (cm) of unmarked blades (fresh-growth) From these measurements, an estimate for the whole sample of the following parameters will be reported: Above-ground standing crop, as Total length (cm) of blades m-2 (cm old blades + cm new blades) Number of short shoots m-2 Mean number of blades per short shoot m-2 Mean number of blades m-2 Productivity (cm new growth on old blades + cm new blades d-1) Leaf area index (m2 total leaf area m-2 ground surface) Blades will be treated with a weak HCl solution to remove carbonates, rinsed with freshwater, and oven-dried at 100?C to a constant weight. Oven dry-weight of the blades will be recorded to determine the following parameters: Standing crop in g m-2 (as oven dry-weight of all blades in a sample) Production in g m-2 d-1 (as oven dry-weight of new leaves and new growth on old leaves divided by number of days growth) Specific growth rate or turnover rate as percent/day (production/standing crop) Seagrass Elemental Content Five samples of representative short shoots of each species will be collected at each level I site for determination of C, N and P content. The number of shoots collected for each sample is a function of species, with 5 Thalassia testudinum, 10 Syringodium filiforme, and 15 Halodule wrightii shoots being collected. These shoots will be selected arbitrarily, and collected in a manner that ensures sampling of complete shoots. These will be stored in a plastic bag on ice and transported back to the laboratory. Leaves will be separated from the shoots, and cleaned of epiphytes by gently scraping with a sharp blade. All blades from a sample will be pooled, rinsed in tap water, and dried to constant weight at 60 C. Dried samples will be homogenized in a mortar and pestle or a mill. Samples will then be stored over desiccant until they are analyzed. Carbon and nitrogen content will be determined for triplicate subsamples from each sample, using an automated, combustion technique. Phosphorus content will be determined in duplicate using a dry-oxidation, acid-hydrolysis procedure (details of methods in Fourqurean et al. 1992).
Other Samples/Observations Qualitative cover-abundance observations (same as for Level III sites; see below) will be recorded to allow cross-comparison of data.
Level II Sites Level II sampling will occur annually, with new sites each year. At each Level II site, 50 randomly selected shoots will be collected and analyzed for shoot morphometrics. The shoots will be processed as described above for Level I sites. C:N:P analysis of samples will follow the procedure outlined above. Qualitative cover-abundance observations (same as for Level III sites; see below) will be recorded to allow cross-comparison of data. Level III Sites Level III sampling will occur annually, with new sites each year. Each Level III site will be surveyed once for seagrass and macroalgal abundance using the Braun-Blanquet cover-abundance scale. Depending on the community type and macrophyte density, a grid or a transect will be set up at each site, and cover-abundance in six to ten 0.25 m2 quadrats located randomly within the grid or along the transect will be assessed according to the following scale: 5 any number, with cover of more than 75% of the quadrat 4 any number, with 50 to 75% cover 3 any number, with 25 to 50% cover 2 any number, with 5-25% cover 1 numerous, but less than 5% cover, or scattered with up to 5% cover + few, with small cover (assigned a value of 0.5) r solitary with small cover (assigned a value of 0.1) The upper four scale values (5, 4, 3, 2) refer only to cover. The lower three scales are primarily estimates of abundance, i.e. the number of individuals per species. Frequency of occurrence, abundance, and density information for a species within a transect will be calculated using the following formulas: Frequency = number of occupied quadrats/total number of quadrats Abundance = sum of Braun-Blanquet scale values/number of occupied quadrats Density = sum of Braun-Blanquet scale values/total number of quadrats The presence/absence of fleshy epiphytic algae, calcareous epiphytic algae, and macroalgae will also be noted.
QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY CONTROL A Quality Assurance Program for seagrass monitoring has been approved by EPA. This program will be amended to cover C:N:P determinations. In accordance with EPA policy, monitoring will adhere to existing rules and regulations governing QA/QC procedures as described in EPA guidance documents. The principal investigators will consult with the EPA Region IV QA/QC Officer on any issues involving QA/QC matters. DATA MANAGEMENT The principal investigators will develop and maintain protocols and procedures under a data management program to ensure that the data generated are accessible to potential users in a timely manner. All original and ancillary data produced under this project will be generated, processed, stored, and archived in a manner that provides detailed documentation of the procedures used at all stages of data collection, reduction, processing, analysis, and storage. Under a cooperative agreement with EPA, FMRI is developing a data management plan and prototype data management system for the monitoring and research programs. The principal investigators will work with FMRI to identify priority data needs, define data entry formats and QA/QC protocols, and resolve data management conventions and issues (e.g., station nomenclature and codes, parameter codes, the geographic datum, missing number codes, error flags).
REPORTING The principal investigators will produce a site map, quarterly data reports, and an annual report. The principal investigators will be responsible for ensuring the results are compiled and the complete data set is submitted in a timely fashion to FMRI for inclusion into the Sanctuary database.
Site Map and Coordinates Upon completion of the first survey, the principal investigators will produce a summary map of the monitoring network with a listing of sites, GPS coordinates, and water depths.
Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Single_Date/Time:
Calendar_Date: 1996
Time_of_Day: unknown
Currentness_Reference: publication date
Status:
Progress: Complete
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None planned
Spatial_Domain:
Bounding_Coordinates:
West_Bounding_Coordinate: -83.103285
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -80.064266
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 25.705338
South_Bounding_Coordinate: 24.315575
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: FWRItheme
Theme_Keyword: benthic
Theme_Keyword: habitat (rivers, estuaries, ecology, hard bottom)
Theme_Keyword: marine vegetation (mangroves, seagrasses, seaweeds, sea oats)
Theme_Keyword: water quality
Theme_Keyword: GIS
Theme_Keyword: mapping
Theme_Keyword: aquatic health
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Category
Theme_Keyword: geoscientificInformation
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: FWRIplace
Place_Keyword: Florida
Place_Keyword: Florida Keys
Place_Keyword: Dry Tortugas
Place_Keyword: Dry Tortugas National Park
Place_Keyword: Everglades National Park
Place_Keyword: Florida Bay
Place_Keyword: Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Place_Keyword: Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge
Place_Keyword: John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
Place_Keyword: Key West National Wildlife Refuge
Place_Keyword: Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary
Place_Keyword: Lower Keys
Place_Keyword: Middle Keys
Place_Keyword: southwest Florida
Place_Keyword: Upper Keys
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: Florida Counties
Place_Keyword: Monroe
Place_Keyword: Dade
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: Florida Waterbodies
Place_Keyword: Atlantic Ocean
Place_Keyword: Gulf of Mexico
Place_Keyword: Florida Bay
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: FWC Region
Place_Keyword: FWC Region-South
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: Water Management Districts
Place_Keyword: South Florida Water Management District
Access_Constraints:
Available with Caution. All data must be verified by Principal Investigator or Group Database Analyst prior to release. It is strongly recommended that this data is directly acquired from FWC and not indirectly through other sources which may have changed the data in some way. FWC makes no claims as to the data's suitability for other purposes.
Use_Constraints:
Acknowledgement of the FWC-FWRI (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission-Fish and Wildlife Research Institute) as the data source, and FIU as the originator, would be appreciated in any products developed from these data, and such acknowledgment as is standard for citation and legal practices for data source is expected by users of this data. Please cite the original metadata when using portions of the record to create a similar record of slightly altered data, such as reprojection. If any data are modified or adjusted, please share the edited information with FWC. Users should be aware that comparison with other data sets for the same area from other time periods may be inaccurate due to inconsistencies resulting from changes in mapping conventions, data collection, and computer processes over time. FWC shall not be liable for improper or incorrect use of this data. These data are not legal documents and are not to be used as such. This is not a survey data set and should not be utilized as such. These data are not to be used for navigation.
Point_of_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Organization_Primary:
Contact_Organization: FIU (Florida International University)
Contact_Person: Fourqurean, James
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: physical address
Address:
Southeast Environmental Research Program, Florida International University
City: Miami
State_or_Province: FL
Postal_Code: 33199
Contact_Voice_Telephone: (305) 348-4084
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: (305) 348-4096
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: fourqure@fiu.edu
Security_Information:
Security_Classification_System: FMRI-DC
Security_Classification: Available with Caution
Security_Handling_Description: Available with Caution
Native_Data_Set_Environment:
Microsoft Windows 2000 Version 5.0 (Build 2195) Service Pack 1; ESRI ArcCatalog 8.1.2.671

Data_Quality_Information:
Attribute_Accuracy:
Attribute_Accuracy_Report:
All entities and attributes have been identified. The accuracy of the attributes has not been verified by FMRI.
Positional_Accuracy:
Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:
Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report:
+/- 5 meters. Positional accuracy has not been verified by FMRI.
Lineage:
Process_Step:
Process_Description: Polygons were interpolated from points.
Process_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Organization_Primary:
Contact_Organization: FIU (Florida International University)
Contact_Person: Fourqurean, James
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: physical address
Address:
Southeast Environmental Research Program, Florida International University
City: Miami
State_or_Province: FL
Postal_Code: 33199
Contact_Voice_Telephone: (305) 348-4084
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: (305) 348-4096
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: fourqure@fiu.edu
Process_Step:
Process_Description: Metadata imported.
Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: C:\DOCUME~1\CHRIS~1.DAU\LOCALS~1\Temp\xml19C.tmp
Process_Step:
Process_Description: Dataset copied.
Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: Server=Gleason; Service=5153; User=fmri; Version=SDE.DEFAULT
Process_Date: 20100913
Process_Time: 14532600

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: 6571

Spatial_Reference_Information:
Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:
Planar:
Map_Projection:
Map_Projection_Name: Albers Conical Equal Area
Albers_Conical_Equal_Area:
Standard_Parallel: 24
Standard_Parallel: 31.5
Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -84
Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 24
False_Easting: 400000
False_Northing: 0
Planar_Coordinate_Information:
Planar_Coordinate_Encoding_Method: Coordinate Pair
Coordinate_Representation:
Abscissa_Resolution: 0.005724
Ordinate_Resolution: 0.005724
Planar_Distance_Units: meters
Geodetic_Model:
Horizontal_Datum_Name: North American Datum of 1983
Ellipsoid_Name: Geodetic Reference System 80
Semi-major_Axis: 6378137
Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 298.257222

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:
Detailed_Description:
Entity_Type:
Entity_Type_Label: FMRI.seagrass_hwri_fknms_poly
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: BBSCORE
Attribute_Definition:
Braun-Blanquet Score - This score represents the relative density of this seagrass species. These values need to be reclassified to show the general trend of the densities.
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: GRIDCODE
Attribute_Definition: Unknown
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: ID
Attribute_Definition: Internal ID
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: OBJECTID
Attribute_Definition: Internal ID used by SDE
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: SHAPE
Attribute_Definition: Feature geometry.
Attribute_Definition_Source: ESRI
Attribute_Domain_Values:
Unrepresentable_Domain: Coordinates defining the features.
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: SHAPE.AREA
Attribute_Definition:
Area of polygon (in square meters). Automatically calculated by SDE
Attribute:
Attribute_Label: SHAPE.LEN
Attribute_Definition:
Length of polygon perimeter (in meters). Automatically calculated by SDE

Distribution_Information:
Distributor:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: GISLibrarian
Contact_Organization:
FWC-FWRI (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission-Fish and Wildlife Research Institute)
Contact_Position: GIS Data Librarian
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address:
Fish and Wildlife Research Institute 100 Eighth Avenue Southeast
City: St. Petersburg
State_or_Province: Florida
Postal_Code: 33701
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 727-896-8626
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 727-893-1679
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: GISLibrarian@MyFWC.com
Hours_of_Service: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Eastern time
Distribution_Liability:
This data set is in the public domain, and the recipient may not assert any proprietary rights thereto nor represent it to anyone as other than a FWC-FWRI produced data set or the appropriate originator; it is provided "as-is" without warranty of any kind, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. The user assumes all responsibility for the accuracy and suitability of this data set for a specific application. In no event will the staff of the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute be liable for any damages, including lost profits, lost savings, or other incidental or consequential damages arising from the use of or the inability to use this data set.
Standard_Order_Process:
Digital_Form:
Digital_Transfer_Information:
Format_Name: SHP
Digital_Transfer_Option:
Fees:
None. However, persons or organizations requesting information must provide transfer media if FTP is not available and must pay express shipping costs if express shipping is required.
Ordering_Instructions:
Contact GIS Librarian by e-mail, telephone, or letter explaining which products are needed and providing a brief description of how the products will be used. Also, provide name and address of the person or organization requesting the products.
Turnaround:
Usually within 10 business days, although, complex requests may take longer
Custom_Order_Process:
These data have caveats. Contact GIS Librarian for details. If these data are maintained by an agency other than FWC-FWRI, then the source agency should be contacted directly for requests.

Metadata_Reference_Information:
Metadata_Date: 20020509
Metadata_Review_Date: 20060503
Metadata_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person: GISLibrarian
Contact_Organization:
FWC-FWRI (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission-Fish and Wildlife Research Institute)
Contact_Position: GIS Data Librarian
Contact_Address:
Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address:
Fish and Wildlife Research Institute 100 Eighth Avenue Southeast
City: St. Petersburg
State_or_Province: Florida
Postal_Code: 33701
Country: USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone: 727-896-8626
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 727-893-1679
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: GISLibrarian@MyFWC.com
Hours_of_Service: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Eastern time
Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998
Metadata_Time_Convention: local time
Metadata_Access_Constraints: No restrictions on metadata.
Metadata_Use_Constraints: Metadata must be distributed with the data set.
Metadata_Security_Information:
Metadata_Security_Classification_System: FMRI-MC
Metadata_Security_Classification: Available
Metadata_Security_Handling_Description: Metadata must be distributed with the data set.

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