This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data release represents tabular data that were used to develop the Biological Objectives for the Gulf Coast Project’s Beach Mice Bayesian network model. The USGS partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and their conservation partners to develop a Bayesian Network model that predicts the annual probability of beach mouse presence at a local (30-m) scale. The model was used to predict the annual probability of presence across a portion of the USFWS's Central Gulf and Florida Panhandle Coast Biological Planning Unit. This spatial extent included critical habitat for three endangered subspecies of beach mice (Peromyscus polionotus ssp). The annual probability of beach mouse presence is predicted from both local and neighborhood habitat characteristics that could be influenced by management actions. When coupled with established population objectives, this study can provide insight into how much habitat is available, how much more is needed, and where conservation or restoration efforts can most efficiently achieve established objectives. The results could be used to help guide strategic habitat conservation and adaptive management of beach mice.

This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data release represents tabular and geospatial data for the Biological Objectives for the Gulf Coast Project’s Beach Mice Bayesian network model. The data release was produced in compliance with 'open data' requirements as a way to make the scientific products associated with USGS research efforts and publications available to the public. The release consists of six items: 1. Bayesian network model that predicts the annual probability of beach mouse presence at a 30-m resolution in Florida coastal habitat (Tabular datasets) 2. Bayesian network model beach mice casefile (Tabular dataset) 3. Bayesian network model detection casefile (Tabular dataset) 4. Bayesian network model output of the 2009 annual probability of beach mouse presence at a 30-m resolution in Florida coastal habitat (Raster datasets) 5. Bayesian network model output of the 2010 annual probability of beach mouse presence at a 30-m resolution in Florida coastal habitat (Raster datasets) 6. Bayesian network model output of the 2011 annual probability of beach mouse presence at a 30-m resolution in Florida coastal habitat (Raster datasets) The USGS partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and their conservation partners to develop a Bayesian Network model that predicts the annual probability of beach mouse presence at a local (30-m) scale. The model was used to predict the annual probability of presence across a portion of the USFWS's Central Gulf and Florida Panhandle Coast Biological Planning Unit. This spatial extent included critical habitat for three endangered subspecies of beach mice (Peromyscus polionotus ssp.). The annual probability of beach mouse presence is predicted from both local and neighborhood habitat characteristics that could be influenced by management actions. The model was created using a combination of expert elicitation, simplifying assumptions, literature-derived empirical values, and a beach mouse detection and nondetection survey. When coupled with established population objectives, this study can provide insight into how much habitat is available, how much more is needed, and where conservation or restoration efforts can most efficiently achieve established objectives. The results could be used to help guide strategic habitat conservation and adaptive management of beach mice.

This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data release represents tabular data that were used to develop the Biological Objectives for the Gulf Coast Project’s Beach Mice Bayesian network model. The USGS partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and their conservation partners to develop a Bayesian Network model that predicts the annual probability of beach mice presence at a local (30-m) scale. The model was used to predict the annual probability of presence across a portion of the USFWS's Central Gulf and Florida Panhandle Coast Biological Planning Unit. This spatial extent included critical habitat for three endangered subspecies of beach mice (Peromyscus polionotus ssp). The annual probability of beach mice presence is predicted from both local and neighborhood habitat characteristics that could be influenced by management actions. When coupled with established population objectives, this study can provide insight into how much habitat is available, how much more is needed, and where conservation or restoration efforts can most efficiently achieve established objectives. The results could be used to help guide strategic habitat conservation and adaptive management of beach mice.

This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data release represents tabular data that were used to develop the Biological Objectives for the Gulf Coast Project’s Beach Mice Bayesian network model. The USGS partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and their conservation partners to develop a Bayesian Network model that predicts the annual probability of beach mice presence at a local (30-m) scale. The model was used to predict the annual probability of presence across a portion of the USFWS's Central Gulf and Florida Panhandle Coast Biological Planning Unit. This spatial extent included critical habitat for three endangered subspecies of beach mice (Peromyscus polionotus ssp). The annual probability of beach mice presence is predicted from both local and neighborhood habitat characteristics that could be influenced by management actions. When coupled with established population objectives, this study can provide insight into how much habitat is available, how much more is needed, and where conservation or restoration efforts can most efficiently achieve established objectives. The results could be used to help guide strategic habitat conservation and adaptive management of beach mice.

This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data release represents tabular data that were used to develop the Biological Objectives for the Gulf Coast Project’s Beach Mice Bayesian network model. The USGS partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and their conservation partners to develop a Bayesian Network model that predicts the annual probability of beach mice presence at a local (30-m) scale. The model was used to predict the annual probability of presence across a portion of the USFWS's Central Gulf and Florida Panhandle Coast Biological Planning Unit. This spatial extent included critical habitat for three endangered subspecies of beach mice (Peromyscus polionotus ssp). The annual probability of beach mice presence is predicted from both local and neighborhood habitat characteristics that could be influenced by management actions. When coupled with established population objectives, this study can provide insight into how much habitat is available, how much more is needed, and where conservation or restoration efforts can most efficiently achieve established objectives. The results could be used to help guide strategic habitat conservation and adaptive management of beach mice.

This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data release represents tabular data that were used to develop the Biological Objectives for the Gulf Coast Project’s Beach Mice Bayesian network model. The USGS partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and their conservation partners to develop a Bayesian Network model that predicts the annual probability of beach mice presence at a local (30-m) scale. The model was used to predict the annual probability of presence across a portion of the USFWS's Central Gulf and Florida Panhandle Coast Biological Planning Unit. This spatial extent included critical habitat for three endangered subspecies of beach mice (Peromyscus polionotus ssp). The annual probability of beach mice presence is predicted from both local and neighborhood habitat characteristics that could be influenced by management actions. When coupled with established population objectives, this study can provide insight into how much habitat is available, how much more is needed, and where conservation or restoration efforts can most efficiently achieve established objectives. The results could be used to help guide strategic habitat conservation and adaptive management of beach mice.

This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data release represents data for the creation of a spatially explicit Bayesian network model that predicts Brown Pelican nests on islands across the U.S. portion of the Gulf of Mexico. Well-targeted management plans are needed to achieve Brown Pelican population objectives (number of breeding pairs) because conservation and restoration opportunities are limited and costly. To aid the design of such plans, we estimated population objectives for 10 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Gulf Coast Biological Planning Units (BPUs). We then developed a Bayesian network model that uses an island’s characteristics to predict pelican nest count, a proxy measure for breeding pairs. We used the model and 2000-2015 bird survey data to estimate each BPU’s total nest count given the existing islands’ characteristics. We then used the model to hypothesize island-specific actions and simulate management scenarios that implemented these actions opportunistically (randomly selected islands) or strategically (target islands with the highest nest count) until the population objective was met. We then estimated each BPU’s (1) total number of islands; (2) total nesting, roosting, and loafing habitat needed to achieve its population objective (habitat objective); and (3) the effort required to achieve the habitat objective (management efficiency).

During the 21st century, sea-level rise will have a wide range of effects on coastal environments, human development and infrastructure in coastal areas. Consequently there is a need to develop modeling or other analytical approaches that can be used to evaluate potential impacts to inform coastal management. This shapefile provides the data that were used to develop and evaluate the performance of a Bayesian network (BN) that was developed to predict long-term shoreline change associated with sea-level rise. The data consist of information compiled as part of the U.S. Geological Survey Coastal Vulnerability Index for the U.S. Atlantic coast. In this work, the Bayesian network is used to define relationships between driving forces, geologic constraints, and coastal response which are represented by observations of local rates of relative sea-level rise, wave height, tide range, geomorphic classification, coastal slope, and shoreline change rate. Using this information, the BN is used to make probabilistic predictions of shoreline retreat in response to different future sea-level rise rates.

Sandy ocean beaches are a popular recreational destination, often surrounded by communities containing valuable real estate. Development is on the rise despite the fact that coastal infrastructure is subjected to flooding and erosion. As a result, there is an increased demand for accurate information regarding past and present shoreline changes. To meet these national needs, the Coastal and Marine Geology Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is compiling existing reliable historical shoreline data along open-ocean sandy shores of the conterminous United States and parts of Alaska and Hawaii under the National Assessment of Shoreline Change project. There is no widely accepted standard for analyzing shoreline change. Existing shoreline data measurements and rate calculation methods vary from study to study and prevent combining results into state-wide or regional assessments. The impetus behind the National Assessment project was to develop a standardized method of measuring changes in shoreline position that is consistent from coast to coast. The goal was to facilitate the process of periodically and systematically updating the results in an internally consistent manner.

Sandy ocean beaches are a popular recreational destination, often surrounded by communities containing valuable real estate. Development is on the rise despite the fact that coastal infrastructure is subjected to flooding and erosion. As a result, there is an increased demand for accurate information regarding past and present shoreline changes. To meet these national needs, the Coastal and Marine Geology Program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is compiling existing reliable historical shoreline data along open-ocean sandy shores of the conterminous United States and parts of Alaska and Hawaii under the National Assessment of Shoreline Change project. There is no widely accepted standard for analyzing shoreline change. Existing shoreline data measurements and rate calculation methods vary from study to study and prevent combining results into state-wide or regional assessments. The impetus behind the National Assessment project was to develop a standardized method of measuring changes in shoreline position that is consistent from coast to coast. The goal was to facilitate the process of periodically and systematically updating the results in an internally consistent manner.