General Information

The objective of this study is to map benthic (bottom) habitats in New York/New Jersey Harbor in a geographic information system (GIS) using sediment profiling imagery (SPI). The maps developed in this study identify benthic habitat types and their distribution, and are used to document habitat variability. The use of GIS provides the spatial context needed to evaluate biological resource distributions for management and restoration planning. (For more details, see the Applications section of this introduction.)

The states of New York (NY) and New Jersey (NJ) and the New York District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are preparing habitat restoration plans for NY/NJ Harbor. In order to develop these restoration plans, managers need to 1) determine the types of habitat needed in the harbor to promote fish and wildlife populations, 2) identify locations where those habitats can be created or enhanced, and 3) identify the information needed to evaluate and prioritize specific restoration and enhancement opportunities. Development of these restoration plans depends on obtaining accurate information regarding the harbor’s benthic environments. In October 1994, the USACE began collecting these data using traditional benthic sampling methods and a remote sensing technique called sediment profiling imagery (SPI). The NOAA Coastal Services Center is working with USACE's NY District managers to evaluate these data and develop habitat maps that can be used to assist with restoration planning.

Increased need for a long-term management plan for dredged material from NY/NJ Harbor served as the impetus for restoration planning. Resource managers in New York and New Jersey and the USACE's NY District have prepared a long-term plan for dredged material called the Dredged Material Management Plan (DMMP). Habitat restoration is part of that plan because some forms of habitat restoration make use of dredged material, and some management options (e.g., a containment island) will likely require mitigation.

Background on the Benthic Communities

Studies focusing on the biological resources of the NY/NJ Harbor benthos primarily have concentrated on the Lower Bay region (Lower Bay/Raritan Bay/Sandy Hook Bay; e.g., Walford 1971, Dean 1975, Gandarillas and Brinkhuis 1981, McCloy and Joseph 1984, Cerrato et al. 1989, Steimle and Caracciolo-Ward 1989, MacKenzie 1990). MacKenzie (1990) reviewed the history of fisheries industries since the late 1800s and attributed industry declines to habitat degradation, habitat alteration, and overharvesting. Dean (1975) provided baseline data on the benthic habitats in the bay complex and concluded that the benthos were in generally good condition, noting high abundance and species richness. In contrast, later studies characterized these communities as impoverished (Walford 1971, Gandarillas and Brinkhuis 1981), but Cerrato et al. (1989) described the benthic community in the bay complex as rich and diverse. This latter study was particularly noteworthy as it was one of the most spatially comprehensive and one of the few to examine seasonal variability.

Fewer benthic studies have been conducted in the peripheral bays, but recent efforts to survey the entire harbor have been made by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Adams et al. 1998). Historically, Newark Bay benthic assemblages have been characterized by low diversity (Cerrato 1986, USACE 1998). Adams et al. (1998) determined that biomass was highest in Upper Bay compared to the other harbor sub-basins and noted high abundance of mussels. This study also reported high abundance and species richness in Jamaica Bay benthic communities. Overall, however, comparisons have shown that communities in the Lower Bay region are more species rich and diverse than in these peripheral bays (Cerrato 1986, Adams et al. 1998, USACE 1998).

Mapping the occurrence and distribution of species in this study allows for comparisions with these past surveys, and it allows a more up-to-date evaluation of the status of benthic communities among the NY/NJ Harbor bays.

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