Port of the Islands 1986-1990 Manatee Distribution Survey Theoretical Flight Path

For a full FGDC compliant metadata record, please click here. Aerial distribution surveys are used by marine mammal biologists from FWC and other agencies to determine the seasonal distribution of manatees. Most surveys are conducted from small, four-seat, high-winged airplanes (Cessna 172 or 182) flying at a height of 500-1000 ft at a speed of 70-90 kts. Small helicopters may be used instead of fixed wing aircraft in urban areas or where waters are particularly opaque and hovering may be required. Surveys are flown along a standardized, theoretical flight route, which was designed to cover all likely manatee habitats in the study area. This "theoretical flight path" indicates the area that was covered during each survey, but it may not be the actual flight route flown on every survey. GPS tracklines recorded during surveys may be available for some flights. The survey area is part of the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge, Collier-Seminole State Park, Cape Romano-Ten Thousand Islands State Aquatic Preserve and Everglades National Park. There are only two towns withing the Ten Thousand Islands: Everglades City and Chokoloskee. The area is a complex landscape of numerous mangrove islands, oyster bars and sand spits separated by tidal creeks and passes. Most of the area is estaurine, with strong tidal influence and freshwater input from numerous creeks and drainage canals.如需获取符合联邦地理数据委员会（Federal Geographic Data Committee，FGDC）规范的完整元数据记录，请点击此处。佛罗里达鱼类和野生动物保护委员会（Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission，FWC）及其他机构的海洋哺乳动物生物学家，通过航空分布调查来探明海牛的季节性分布格局。多数调查任务由四座座席的小型上单翼飞机（赛斯纳172或182型）执行，飞行高度设置为500至1000英尺，航速维持在70至90节。在城市区域或水域透明度极差、需要悬停作业的场景中，可使用小型直升机替代固定翼航空器开展调查。调查沿标准化理论飞行航线实施，该航线的设计初衷是覆盖研究区域内所有潜在的海牛栖息地。此“理论飞行路径”标注了每次调查的实际覆盖范围，但未必与每次调查实际执行的飞行航线完全一致。部分飞行任务在调查期间记录的GPS航迹线数据可对外提供。本次调查区域涵盖万岛国家野生动物保护区、科利尔-塞米诺尔州立公园、卡普罗马诺-万岛州水生保护区以及大沼泽地国家公园的部分属地。万岛区域内仅设有两座城镇：大沼泽地市（Everglades City）与乔科洛斯基（Chokoloskee）。该区域景观结构复杂，由大量红树林岛、牡蛎滩与沙嘴组成，其间以潮汐溪与通航水道相互分隔。区域绝大部分为河口生境，受潮汐作用影响显著，同时有众多溪流与排水渠为其注入淡水补给。