Cross walking to the New Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS)

Cross walking to the New Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS) Mark Finkbeiner and Chris Robinson NOAA Coastal Services Center EBM Tools Webinar 16 May 2013

Outline What is CMECS Value of, and process for, crosswalking Approach for developing the crosswalk tool Tool demonstration

CMECS Structure Components Biogeographic Setting Water Column Component (WC) Biotic Component (BC) Substrate Component (SC) Geoform Component (GC) Structure and features of water column Assemblages of benthic and suspended/floating organisms Character and composition of surface and near surface substrates Geomorphic and structural character of coast or seafloor Modifiers Aquatic Setting Biotope: Combination of abiotic features and associated species

Why crosswalk? Crosswalk considerations Crosswalk Considerations Translate historical data Integrate data from different sources Test CMECS Scale/resolution differences Unit threshold differences Classification detail differences Habitat vs. landscape elements Source data/map considerations

Unit to Unit Relationships Equal Nearly Equal Greater Than Less Than Overlapping No Equivalent SCHEME Sand Mixed Fines Macroalgae Concrete Blocks Detrital Floor Sediment Depth CMECS Sand Sandy Mud Benthic or Floating Macroalgae Construction Rubble Organic Detritus

SCHEME CMECS SCHEME vegetation classes crosswalk to equivalent Biotic Component units SCHEME units include percent cover as classifier SCHEME modifiers generally crosswalk to anthropogenic geoforms and biotic subgroups Equal Nearly Equal Greater Than Less Than Overlapping No Equivalent

Classifications to be Crosswalked System for Classifying Habitats in Estuarine and Marine Environments (SCHEME) Habitat and Land Cover for Classification for National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) Cowardin NOAA Biogeography Greene et al. Auster et al. ShoreZone (planned) EUNIS (planned)

Goals for a Crosswalk Tool GIS Based Tool (ArcGIS 10.x) Translates benthic cover data into CMECS system Initially built for SCHEME Flexibility for additional crosswalks (No hardcoding) Start with and end with spatial data outputs

Approach Builds on source system hierarchical structure and units Settings added as attributes to component feature layers Model addresses Geoform, Substrate, and Biotic Components Modifiers yet to be addressed External Look up tables drive the model decisions Strictly numeric code for CMECS units

Model Interface

Model Process Flow input data biotic component compares input code to CMECS codes and selects features Assigns CMECS codes to selected features substrate component Component Crosswalk Tables CMECS Code Database geoform component ESRI File Geodatabase

Input Data input data biotic component compares input code to CMECS codes and selects features Assigns CMECS codes to selected features substrate component Component Crosswalk Tables CMECS Code Database geoform component ESRI File Geodatabase

Input Data Benthic Cover Shapefile or feature class format Requires Numeric Codes for Class Scheme Unconsolidated Sediments Continuous SRV Discontinuous SRV Attached Macroalgae Mollusk Reef Emergent Marsh

Look Up Tables input data biotic component compares input code to CMECS codes and selects features Assigns CMECS codes to selected features substrate component Component Crosswalk Tables CMECS Code Database geoform component ESRI File Geodatabase

Look Up Table Spreadsheet/DBF format Stores Input Class to CMECS crosswalk rules SCHEME Code SCHEME Class SCHEME Subclass 1 SCHEME Subclass 2 SCHEME Subclass 3 SCHEME Subclass 4 Geoform Code Origin Geoform Geoform Type 31Reef/Hardbottom Coral Reef 704Biogenic Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef 311Reef/Hardbottom Coral Reef reef) 70501Biogenic Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef Aggregate Coral Reef 3111Reef/Hardbottom Coral Reef reef) Linear Reef 70508Biogenic Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef Linear Coral Reef 31111Reef/Hardbottom Coral Reef reef) Linear Reef Reef Terrace (High Profile) 70508Biogenic Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef Linear Coral Reef 31112Reef/Hardbottom Coral Reef reef) Linear Reef Remnant (Low Profile) 70508Biogenic Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef Linear Coral Reef 3112Reef/Hardbottom Coral Reef reef) Spur and Groove 70511Biogenic Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef Spur and Groove Coral Reef 31121Reef/Hardbottom Coral Reef reef) Spur and Groove High Relief Spur and Groove 70511Biogenic Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef Spur and Groove Coral Reef 31122Reef/Hardbottom Coral Reef reef) Spur and Groove Low Relief Spur and Groove 70511Biogenic Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef Spur and Groove Coral Reef 3113Reef/Hardbottom Coral Reef reef) Reef Rubble 70501Biogenic Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef 3125Reef/Hardbottom Coral Reef Patch Reefs Pinnacles 70504Biogenic Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef Coral Pinnacle 313Reef/Hardbottom Coral Reef Patchy Coral and/or Rock in Unconsolidated Bottom 70509Biogenic Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef Patch Coral Reef 33Reef/Hardbottom Annelid Reefs 708Biogenic Worm Reef 34Reef/Hardbottom Hardbottom 6Geologic 341Reef/Hardbottom Hardbottom Bedrock 650Geologic 342Reef/Hardbottom Hardbottom Pavement 644Geologic Pavement Area

Look Up Table Spreadsheet/DBF format Stores Input Class to CMECS crosswalk rules SCHEME Code SCHEME Class SCHEME Subclass 1 SCHEME Subclass 2 SCHEME Subclass 3 SCHEME Subclass 4 Geoform Code Origin Geoform Geoform Type 31Reef/Hardbottom Coral Reef 704Biogenic Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef 311Reef/Hardbottom Coral Reef reef) 70501Biogenic Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef Aggregate Coral Reef 3111Reef/Hardbottom Coral Reef reef) Linear Reef 70508Biogenic Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef Linear Coral Reef 31111Reef/Hardbottom Coral Reef reef) Linear Reef Reef Terrace (High Profile) 70508Biogenic Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef Linear Coral Reef 31112Reef/Hardbottom Coral Reef reef) Linear Reef Remnant (Low Profile) 70508Biogenic Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef Linear Coral Reef 3112Reef/Hardbottom Coral Reef reef) Spur and Groove 70511Biogenic Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef Spur and Groove Coral Reef 31121Reef/Hardbottom Coral Reef reef) Spur and Groove High Relief Spur and Groove 70511Biogenic Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef Spur and Groove Coral Reef 31122Reef/Hardbottom Coral Reef reef) Spur and Groove Low Relief Spur and Groove 70511Biogenic Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef Spur and Groove Coral Reef 3113Reef/Hardbottom Coral Reef reef) Reef Rubble 70501Biogenic Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef 3125Reef/Hardbottom Coral Reef Patch Reefs Pinnacles 70504Biogenic Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef Coral Pinnacle 313Reef/Hardbottom Coral Reef Patchy Coral and/or Rock in Unconsolidated Bottom 70509Biogenic Shallow/Mesophotic Coral Reef Patch Coral Reef 33Reef/Hardbottom Annelid Reefs 708Biogenic Worm Reef 34Reef/Hardbottom Hardbottom 6Geologic 341Reef/Hardbottom Hardbottom Bedrock 650Geologic 342Reef/Hardbottom Hardbottom Pavement 644Geologic Pavement Area

CMECS Codes input data biotic component compares input code to CMECS codes and selects features Assigns CMECS codes to selected features substrate component Component Crosswalk Tables CMECS Code Database geoform component ESRI File Geodatabase

CMECS Codes Facilitate automation and tool development Assist maplabeling Usability of data Incorporate new units CMECS Code Biotic Setting Biotic Class Biotic Subclass Biotic Group Biotic Community 4 Planktonic Biota 401 Planktonic Biota Zooplankton 40101 Planktonic Biota Zooplankton Crustacean Holoplankton 4010101 Planktonic Biota Zooplankton Crustacean Holoplankton Amphipod Aggregation 401010101 Planktonic Biota Zooplankton Crustacean Holoplankton Amphipod Aggregation Hyperia Aggregation 401010102 Planktonic Biota Zooplankton Crustacean Holoplankton Amphipod Aggregation Caprellid Aggregation

Output Data input data biotic component compares input code to CMECS codes and selects features Assigns CMECS codes to selected features substrate component Component Crosswalk Tables CMECS Code Database geoform component ESRI File Geodatabase

Output Data 3 Feature Classes (Polygons) Geoform Component Attributes: Geoform origin, Geoform and Geoform Types Tectonic and Physiographic Setting Placeholders Levels calculated based on size (area) Biotic and Substrate Attributes: Hierarchy is fully articulated Leaves records with null values additional modeling with ancillary data or manual attribution

Output Data Biotic Feature Class Aquatic Vascular Vegetation Benthic Macroalgae Mollusk Reef Biota Emergent Tidal Marsh

Output Data Geoform Feature Class Mollusk Reef

Output Data Substrate Feature Class Unconsolidated Mineral Substrate

Next Steps Provide Look Up Tables for common classification systems NWI (Cowardin et al.) NOAA Biogeography Gary Greene et al. Develop documentation and user support materials Distribute via Digital Coast Collaborate with ESRI on future development of the tool and CMECS

Resources CMECS Web Site www.csc.noaa.gov/cmecs CMECS Unit Catalogue www.cmecscatalog.org CMECS Development Team nos.csc.cmecs_ig@noaa.gov mark.finkbeiner@noaa.gov chris.robinson@noaa.gov