Barrier island habitat map and vegetation survey, Dauphin Island, AL, 2015

This dataset includes barrier island land cover types collected from mid-November 2015 to mid-December 2015 along randomly placed transects at seven sites throughout the east end of Dauphin Island. Specifically, this data collection included characterizing land cover types and measuring horizontal position and elevation. We characterized plant community composition and structure for a subset of these points (see Vegetation Survey Data Table). This work was conducted through a joint effort by the State of Alabama, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to evaluate the feasibility of various restoration alternatives and how specific alternatives might increase the resiliency and sustainability of Dauphin Island. The overarching goal of the aforementioned effort is to preserve and enhance the ecological functions and values of the island. This product provides a powerful tool for tracking changes to barrier island habitats over time. This data release includes the following three components, which are included in the attached ZIP file: 1) Dauphin Island Habitat Map (Raster data) 2) Land Cover and Vegetation Field Data Points (Vector data) 3) Vegetation Survey Data (Tabular data)