Fall 2010 Sub-Aquatic Vegetation Map for Gulf of Mexico

A 0.3-meter resolution map of sub-aquatic vegetation was produced for the SAV Technical Working Group in cooperation with BP. The map was derived from visible and near-infrared imagery using object-based image analysis and Classification and Regression Tree statistical methods, with manual edits by USGS personnel. Polygons were dissolved with a minimum mapping unit of 4 square meters.

Use Cases

• Monitoring coastal ecosystem health based on sub-aquatic vegetation classification.
• Analyzing environmental impacts of industrial activities using high-resolution geospatial data.
• Training or validating machine learning models for object-based image analysis of satellite imagery.
• Conducting change detection studies for specific regions like the Chandeleur Islands or Horn Island.

Strengths

• High-resolution 0.3-meter imagery from Aerometric.
• Map refined through manual photo interpretation and review by USGS personnel.
• Enforced a minimum mapping unit of 4 square meters for polygon consistency.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic/temporal bias inherent to the specific 2010 collection period and Gulf of Mexico region.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Derived from imagery using object-based image analysis (OBIA) and Classification and Regression Tree (CART) statistical analysis, with manual edits.

Time Range

Fall 2010

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 22:23:51.734449; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Gulf of Mexico, referencing North Atlantic Ocean, Horn Island, Chandeleur Islands