Abstract
Mid Water Benthic Mapping in the U.S. Virgin Islands Track: Ocean, Coastal, and Marine Resources Author(s): Ken Buja An ongoing project of NOAA's Biogeography Program (BP) is mapping the benthic habitats of the U.S. and its territories. In the Virgin Islands, the nearshore habitat was characterized by visually interpreting aerial photography, but this method only reached to depths of 20 meters. For deeper depths, BP scientists used multi-beam sonar and underwater video cameras in selected areas around the Virgin Islands to collect high-resolution bathymetry, habitat hardness, and habitat roughness and video data that provided information about the seafloor. Data from the project will be used to produce maps of the seafloor topography and habitats and spatially-explicit models of how fish species utilize habitats. The project will also help NOAA meet its commitment to the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force to map coral reef ecosystems and provide new information to update nautical charts covering the U.S. Virgin Islands. Ken Buja NOAA Biogeography Program 1305 East West Highway Silver Spring , MD 20910-3281 US Phone: 301-713-3028 E-mail: Ken.Buja@noaa.gov |
|||||
