HABITAT - polygons will be annotated using a modification of the Florida Land Use
and Cover Classification System (FLUCCS). The categories to be used are
listed and described below.
FLUCCS code 9116, Seagrass, continuous, dense -- The dominant feature of these
seagrass beds is that they are continuous in nature, with
interconnected areas of seagrass. These beds may contain many
small interspersed patches of sparsely vegetated or unvegetated
bottom, and thus would have a lower limit of about 50 - 60%
cover of seagrass. Only sand patches greater than 0.25 acres
should be distinguished within a continuous, dense bed. Species
composition is not mapped.
FLUCCS code 9113, Areas 0.25 acres or greater in size that consist of primarily
(greater than 50%) bare bottom in which many small patches
(each less than 0.25 acres) of seagrass are scattered, and
where the seagrass patches are not interconnected. (For this
study, the lower limit of what constitutes a seagrass bed is
approximately 10% cover; areas with <10% cover are considered
"unvegetated bottom"
FLUCCS code 5400, Barren substrate with little or no perceptible seagrass (<10%)
or only algae.
FLUCCS code 9121, In a few cases, beds of algae may be distinguishable from
seagrass. Where these areas are identifiable on the photography
AND field checked during field trips conducted for seagrass
mapping they should be mapped (if >10% cover), although this is
not a high priority and there is no intent to accurately map all
algae beds as part of this project. (In some cases, drift algae
will accumulate in seagrass beds. In these cases, the area should
be mapped as seagrass, and the density should be based on seagrass
density only, not algae.)