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Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification StandardA National Standard to Support Ecosystem-Based Resource ManagementBackgroundCoastal planners and resource managers working in the marine environment routinely face challenges related to data availability and consistency. Often, different types of data from multiple sources must be integrated to fully characterize an area. The lack of a framework in which to accomplish this integration has prompted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coastal Services Center, in partnership with NatureServe and others to develop the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard Version 4 (CMECS). CMECS is an ecological classification system that is universally applicable for coastal and marine systems and complementary to existing wetland and upland systems. OverviewThe CMECS framework accommodates all the physical, biological, and chemical information that collectively determine a marine habitat type. This helps managers better understand the processes impacting these habitats. Unlike many classification systems CMECS is compatible with all observational technologies, which facilitates the integration (cross-walking) of existing data into a single framework. CMECS StructureCMECS Version 4 broadly classifies the environment into aquatic settings, or systems differentiated by salinity, tidal zone, geomorphology, and depth. Within these systems are five underlying components that describe different aspects of the seascape. These components provide a structured way to organize information and a standard terminology for describing them. They can be identified and mapped independently or combined as needed.
CMECS Catalogue of UnitsThe CMECS team has developed an on-line database of units which can be browsed to view each unit within a component ,or use a keyword search to find a particular unit. This database has been completed for the water column, benthic biotic, surface geology, and geoform components based on CMECS version 3.1. Completion of the sub-benthic and updates on all the components is anticipated as the standard is revised based on public input from the FGDC process. Further InformationFederal Geographic Data Committee The CMECS PartnershipNOAA Coastal Services Center (Ocean Service) Contact InformationCMECS is currently available for public review through the Federal Geographic Data Committee. Comments may be submitted via the online form or through email messages (nos.csc.cmecs_wg@noaa.gov), digital documents, or hard-copy materials. Hard copy materials may be shipped to: To explore pilot project or partnership opportunities , or contact the development team, email nos.csc.cmecs_IG@noaa.gov. |
