The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the City of South Padre Island, Texas, collected baseline seagrass, benthic invertebrate, and water-quality data for a near-shore area of the Laguna Madre near South Padre Island in July 2021. Sample and data collection points were located within a grid consisting of eight transects and three sampling points on each transect. The data included in this data release are presented in a comma-separated values (csv) file format.

The dataset includes benthic infaunal abundance data derived from the EPA National Coastal Assessment and Southern California Coastal Water Research Program Bight ’03 studies west coast shelf assessment studies in 2003, that were combined to form a composite data matrix of 255 stations by 1470 taxa. NCA successfully sampled 146 stations from Cape Flattery, WA, to Pt. Conception, CA in the period June 1 - 26, 2003 (NOAA Cruise AR-03-01-NC), with data from one additional NCA station off Santa Catalina Island provided to the study by SCCWRP. Fifty stations each within Washington and Oregon and 47 stations from California were successfully sampled. An additional 110 stations, located within the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (27) and throughout the Southern California Bight (83, Pt. Conception, CA to the Mexican border), were successfully sampled for some or all of the NCA parameters within the target depth range by participants in the Bight ’03 survey (Ranasinghe et al. 2007). Benthic macrofaunal samples were obtained from these 257 stations, but two stations (OR03-0010, CA03-4339) failed quality assurance checks, and the final total included benthic samples from 255 stations. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Henkel, S., and W. Nelson. Assessment of spatial patterns in benthic macrofauna of the U.S. west coast continental shelf. Journal of Biogeography. Blackwell Publishing, Malden, MA, USA, 45(12): 2701-2717, (2018).

The dataset includes benthic infaunal abundance data derived from the EPA National Coastal Assessment and Southern California Coastal Water Research Program Bight ’03 studies west coast shelf assessment studies in 2003, that were combined to form a composite data matrix of 255 stations by 1470 taxa. NCA successfully sampled 146 stations from Cape Flattery, WA, to Pt. Conception, CA in the period June 1 - 26, 2003 (NOAA Cruise AR-03-01-NC), with data from one additional NCA station off Santa Catalina Island provided to the study by SCCWRP. Fifty stations each within Washington and Oregon and 47 stations from California were successfully sampled. An additional 110 stations, located within the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (27) and throughout the Southern California Bight (83, Pt. Conception, CA to the Mexican border), were successfully sampled for some or all of the NCA parameters within the target depth range by participants in the Bight ’03 survey (Ranasinghe et al. 2007). Benthic macrofaunal samples were obtained from these 257 stations, but two stations (OR03-0010, CA03-4339) failed quality assurance checks, and the final total included benthic samples from 255 stations. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Henkel, S., and W. Nelson. Assessment of spatial patterns in benthic macrofauna of the U.S. west coast continental shelf. Journal of Biogeography. Blackwell Publishing, Malden, MA, USA, 45(12): 2701-2717, (2018).

Data is in support of a survey of benthic communities in across a salinity gradient Pensacola Bay during Summer 2016. Data describe the fauna community composition and corresponding sediment parameters (including sediment grain size and trace metal concentrations). Benthic habitat condition is estimated using benthic index approaches developed for Gulf estuaries (GOM B-IBI and EMAP-E). All taxonomic nomenclature follows the World Register of Marine Species (http://www.marinespecies.org/). Samples were collected using a 232 cm2 surface area box corer, and 0.5-mm mesh sieve. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Nestlerode, J., M. Murrell, J. Hagy, L. Harwell, and J. Lisa. Bioassessment of a Northwest Florida Estuary Using Benthic Macroinvertebrates. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management. Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, KS, USA, 16(2): 245-256, (2020).

Data is in support of a survey of benthic communities in across a salinity gradient Pensacola Bay during Summer 2016. Data describe the fauna community composition and corresponding sediment parameters (including sediment grain size and trace metal concentrations). Benthic habitat condition is estimated using benthic index approaches developed for Gulf estuaries (GOM B-IBI and EMAP-E). All taxonomic nomenclature follows the World Register of Marine Species (http://www.marinespecies.org/). Samples were collected using a 232 cm2 surface area box corer, and 0.5-mm mesh sieve. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Nestlerode, J., M. Murrell, J. Hagy, L. Harwell, and J. Lisa. Bioassessment of a Northwest Florida Estuary Using Benthic Macroinvertebrates. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management. Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, KS, USA, 16(2): 245-256, (2020).

Data is in support of a survey of benthic communities in across a salinity gradient Pensacola Bay during Summer 2016. Data describe the fauna community composition and corresponding sediment parameters (including sediment grain size and trace metal concentrations). Benthic habitat condition is estimated using benthic index approaches developed for Gulf estuaries (GOM B-IBI and EMAP-E). All taxonomic nomenclature follows the World Register of Marine Species (http://www.marinespecies.org/). Samples were collected using a 232 cm2 surface area box corer, and 0.5-mm mesh sieve. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Nestlerode, J., M. Murrell, J. Hagy, L. Harwell, and J. Lisa. Bioassessment of a Northwest Florida Estuary Using Benthic Macroinvertebrates. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management. Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, KS, USA, 16(2): 245-256, (2020).

Collection of benthic infauna and epifauna used a 0.04 m2 Ted Young Modified Van Veen grab. Three replicate benthic samples were collected at 23 sites to total 69 samples in Year 1. The samples were immediately sieved over a 0.5 mm mesh screen. The residue remaining on the screen was fixed in 3.7% formaldehyde solution in seawater, buffered with sodium borate and containing Rose Bengal to stain organisms. A fourth grab was collected for sediment analysis. Sediment for grain size analysis was wet-sieved through a 63μm-mesh sieve in distilled water with dispersant to disaggregate and separate the silt and clay fraction from the sand-sized fraction. Silt and clay mass was determined by drying a known volume of the water-particle mixture passing through the sieve. The sand fraction was dried and then sieved into the following size fractions: <63 µm (silt), 63-125 µm (very fine sand), 125-250 µm (fine sand), 250-500 µm (medium sand), 500-1000 µm (coarse sand), >1000 µm (very coarse sand). Each fraction was weighed. The mass of the <4φ fraction was further analyzed using a Spectrex model PC-2000 laser particle counter (Spectrex Corporation, Redwood City, CA) Counts of particles were obtained corresponding to these additional size categories: 5φ (4-8 µm very fine silt), and 6φ (16-31 µm, medium silt), 7φ (8-16 µm, fine silt), 8 φ ( 4-8 µm, very fine silt), and 9 φ (2-4 µm, clay). Particle counts were converted to mass by multiplying the fractional volume percent in each size category by the total mass of the <4φ fraction determined during wet sieving.

The NOAA Office for Coastal Management's Coastal Change Analysis Program, in cooperation with the St. Johns River and South Florida Water Management Districts, used the C-CAP protocol to map SAV and other benthic habitat in Indian River. The project incorporated underwater videography, field point observations, and transect data. Analytical photogrammetry was used to accomplish the mapping. The benthic data is classified according to the System for Classification of Habitats in Estuarine and Marine Environments (SCHEME). This system is fully described in "Development of a System for Classification of Habitats in Estuarine and Marine Environments (SCHEME) for Florida, Report to U.S. EPA - Gulf of Mexico Program, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Marine Research Institute.Review Draft 12/04/02." Original contact information: Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Phone: 843-740-1202 Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov

In 2006 and 2007 the NOAA Office for Coastal Management purchased services to process existing digital multi-spectral imagery (ADS-40) and create digital benthic habitat data from this imagery for selected Texas coastal bend bays.The Center worked cooperatively with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Texas A and M University Center for Coastal Studies to develop benthic habitat data, primarily Submerged Aquatic Vegetation(SAV) for several coastal bays. This data will support the state's recently adopted Seagrass Monitoring Program which calls for regional mapping of SAV for status and trends assessment. The Center, Texas A and M, and TPWD have coordinated on the requirements of this project. Original contact information: Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Phone: 843-740-1202 Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov

In 2006 and 2007 the NOAA Office for Coastal Management purchased services to process existing digital multi-spectral imagery (ADS-40) and create digital benthic habitat data from this imagery for selected Texas coastal bend bays.The Center worked cooperatively with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Texas A and M University Center for Coastal Studies to develop benthic habitat data, primarily Submerged Aquatic Vegetation(SAV) for several coastal bays. This data will support the state's recently adopted Seagrass Monitoring Program which calls for regional mapping of SAV for status and trends assessment. The Center, Texas A and M, and TPWD have coordinated on the requirements of this project. Original contact information: Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management Phone: 843-740-1202 Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov