Benthic Habitats of the Florida Keys

The benthic habitats of the Florida Keys were mapped from a series of 450 aerial photographs. Ecologists outlined the boundaries of specific habitat types by interpreting color patterns on the photographs. Benthic habitats were classified into four major categories-corals, seagrasses, hardbottom, and bare substrate-and 24 subcategories, such as sparse seagrass and patch reef. Habitat boundaries were georeferenced and digitized to create computer maps. These digital data were then incorporated into a geographic information system for direct electronic mapping.

Data and Resources

Field Value
accessLevel public
accrualPeriodicity irregular
bureauCode {006:48}
catalog_@context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
catalog_conformsTo https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
catalog_describedBy https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json
identifier Benthic Habitats of the Florida Keys
language {en-US}
modified 1998-01-01
old-spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[-83.0, 24.3], [-80.2, 24.3], [-80.2, 26.0], [-83.0, 26.0], [-83.0, 24.3]]]}
programCode {006:055}
publisher National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (CCMA), Biogeography Program (Point of Contact)
resource-type Dataset
source_datajson_identifier true
source_hash 8f837c4aae544ad0a6970c473fa5a4640be0e167
source_schema_version 1.1
spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[-83.0, 24.3], [-80.2, 24.3], [-80.2, 26.0], [-83.0, 26.0], [-83.0, 24.3]]]}
temporal 1991-12-01T00:00:00/1992-03-01T00:00:00
Groups
  • AmeriGEOSS
  • National Provider
  • North America
Tags
  • aerial-photography
  • amerigeo
  • amerigeoss
  • benthic-habitats
  • ckan
  • coastal-monitoring
  • coral-reefs
  • country-territory-united-states-of-america-florida
  • country-territory-united-states-of-america-florida-monroe-county-alligator-reef-24n080w0001
  • country-territory-united-states-of-america-florida-monroe-county-carysfort-reef-25n080w0013
  • country-territory-united-states-of-america-florida-monroe-county-cheeca-rocks-24n080w0009
  • country-territory-united-states-of-america-florida-monroe-county-coffins-patch-24n080w0010
  • country-territory-united-states-of-america-florida-monroe-county-conch-reef-24n080w0011
  • country-territory-united-states-of-america-florida-monroe-county-davis-reef-24n080w0014
  • country-territory-united-states-of-america-florida-monroe-county-dry-rocks-25n080w0011
  • country-territory-united-states-of-america-florida-monroe-county-eastern-dry-rocks-24n081w0008
  • country-territory-united-states-of-america-florida-monroe-county-eastern-sambos-24n081w0009
  • country-territory-united-states-of-america-florida-monroe-county-elbow-reef-25n080w0020
  • country-territory-united-states-of-america-florida-monroe-county-french-reef-25n080w0022
  • country-territory-united-states-of-america-florida-monroe-county-grecian-rocks-25n080w0019
  • country-territory-united-states-of-america-florida-monroe-county-hens-and-chickens-24n080w0007
  • country-territory-united-states-of-america-florida-monroe-county-looe-key-reef-24n081w0002
  • country-territory-united-states-of-america-florida-monroe-county-molasses-reef-25n080w0003
  • country-territory-united-states-of-america-florida-monroe-county-newfound-harbor-24n081w0010
  • country-territory-united-states-of-america-florida-monroe-county-rock-key-24n081w0011
  • country-territory-united-states-of-america-florida-monroe-county-sand-key-24n081w0012
  • country-territory-united-states-of-america-florida-monroe-county-sombrero-reef-sombrero-key-24n
  • country-territory-united-states-of-america-florida-monroe-county-tennessee-reef-24n080w0016
  • country-territory-united-states-of-america-florida-monroe-county-western-sambos-24n081w0014
  • earth-science-biosphere-aquatic-habitat-benthic-habitat
  • earth-science-biosphere-aquatic-habitat-reef-habitat-description
  • earth-science-biosphere-zoology-corals-reef-monitoring-and-assessment-mapping-habitat-mapping
  • earth-science-oceans-coastal-processes-coral-reefs
  • earth-science-oceans-marine-biology-marine-plants-seagrass
  • geo
  • geographic-information-habitats
  • geoss
  • national
  • north-america
  • ocean-basin-atlantic-ocean-gulf-of-mexico-florida
  • ocean-basin-atlantic-ocean-north-atlantic-ocean-florida
  • ocean-basin-atlantic-ocean-north-atlantic-ocean-florida-reef-tract-lower-florida-keys-eastern-d
  • ocean-basin-atlantic-ocean-north-atlantic-ocean-florida-reef-tract-lower-florida-keys-eastern-s
  • ocean-basin-atlantic-ocean-north-atlantic-ocean-florida-reef-tract-lower-florida-keys-looe-key-
  • ocean-basin-atlantic-ocean-north-atlantic-ocean-florida-reef-tract-lower-florida-keys-newfound-
  • ocean-basin-atlantic-ocean-north-atlantic-ocean-florida-reef-tract-lower-florida-keys-rock-key-
  • ocean-basin-atlantic-ocean-north-atlantic-ocean-florida-reef-tract-lower-florida-keys-sand-key-
  • ocean-basin-atlantic-ocean-north-atlantic-ocean-florida-reef-tract-lower-florida-keys-western-s
  • ocean-basin-atlantic-ocean-north-atlantic-ocean-florida-reef-tract-middle-florida-keys-coffins-
  • ocean-basin-atlantic-ocean-north-atlantic-ocean-florida-reef-tract-middle-florida-keys-sombrero
  • ocean-basin-atlantic-ocean-north-atlantic-ocean-florida-reef-tract-upper-florida-keys-alligator
  • ocean-basin-atlantic-ocean-north-atlantic-ocean-florida-reef-tract-upper-florida-keys-carysfort
  • ocean-basin-atlantic-ocean-north-atlantic-ocean-florida-reef-tract-upper-florida-keys-cheeca-ro
  • ocean-basin-atlantic-ocean-north-atlantic-ocean-florida-reef-tract-upper-florida-keys-conch-ree
  • ocean-basin-atlantic-ocean-north-atlantic-ocean-florida-reef-tract-upper-florida-keys-davis-ree
  • ocean-basin-atlantic-ocean-north-atlantic-ocean-florida-reef-tract-upper-florida-keys-dry-rocks
  • ocean-basin-atlantic-ocean-north-atlantic-ocean-florida-reef-tract-upper-florida-keys-elbow-ree
  • ocean-basin-atlantic-ocean-north-atlantic-ocean-florida-reef-tract-upper-florida-keys-french-re
  • ocean-basin-atlantic-ocean-north-atlantic-ocean-florida-reef-tract-upper-florida-keys-grecian-r
  • ocean-basin-atlantic-ocean-north-atlantic-ocean-florida-reef-tract-upper-florida-keys-hens-and-
  • ocean-basin-atlantic-ocean-north-atlantic-ocean-florida-reef-tract-upper-florida-keys-molasses-
  • ocean-basin-atlantic-ocean-north-atlantic-ocean-florida-reef-tract-upper-florida-keys-tennessee
  • oceans
  • photo
  • united-states
isopen False
license_id notspecified
license_title License not specified
maintainer National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service (NOS), National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (CCMA), Biogeography Program
maintainer_email steve.rohmann@noaa.gov
metadata_created 2025-11-22T01:08:44.666756
metadata_modified 2025-11-22T01:08:44.666760
notes The benthic habitats of the Florida Keys were mapped from a series of 450 aerial photographs. Ecologists outlined the boundaries of specific habitat types by interpreting color patterns on the photographs. Benthic habitats were classified into four major categories-corals, seagrasses, hardbottom, and bare substrate-and 24 subcategories, such as sparse seagrass and patch reef. Habitat boundaries were georeferenced and digitized to create computer maps. These digital data were then incorporated into a geographic information system for direct electronic mapping.
num_resources 1
num_tags 65
title Benthic Habitats of the Florida Keys