Benthic Grab Sample
Data Specifications
- Area of Coverage: Varies by project. Normally ranges from minimum depths of -1 meter to -30 meters. Project extents are individual bay systems in Maine, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and Florida.
- Date(s) Available: Vary by location, ranging from 1995 to 2004
- Format: ESRI point shapefile
- Resolution: Planimetric resolution is based on the size of the grab and normally is approximately .03 meters. Vertical resolution is dependent on substrate type but normally is less than 0.25 meters.
- Accuracy: 100 percent for observed points
Overview
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Services Center's grab sample data are collected using a variety of small grab sampling devices (such as Ponar and Shipek). The data represent benthic habitats observable at the time of data collection. The grab samples fall into two types: a sediment grab focused on sediment grain size analysis; and a benthic grab focused on identifying biota within the sample.