GL_LAKE_ONTARIO 2023 ESI: Benthic Polygons for Submerged Aquatic Vegetation

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration vector polygons map the distribution of submerged aquatic vegetation in the U.S. portion of Lake Ontario. The data characterize shoreline habitats, sensitive biological resources, and human-use resources by their sensitivity to oil spills. Associated tables contain species-specific abundance, seasonality, and life history information for use with this spatial layer.

Use Cases

• Modeling oil spill sensitivity and impact based on benthic habitat polygons.
• Mapping the distribution of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) based on vector polygon data.
• Analyzing coastal resource vulnerability based on the Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) framework.
• Integrating species abundance and seasonality data with spatial habitat layers for ecological studies.

Strengths

• Data is part of a standardized Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) framework for oil spill response.
• Includes associated data tables with species-specific attributes like abundance and seasonality.
• Study area is explicitly defined, covering specific islands and major bays in U.S. Lake Ontario.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Likely contains data gathered through field surveys or remote sensing for the Environmental Sensitivity Index program.

Time Range

2023

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 22:19:48.318023; freshness should be verified.

Geography

United States portion of Lake Ontario, including specified islands and bays in New York.