Atlantic Estuarine Fish Habitat (Southeast Blueprint Indicator)

Reason for Selection This indicator captures many factors influencing Atlantic estuarine fish habitat quality and promotes consistency with the priorities of the Atlantic Coast Fish Habitat Partnership. Estuarine habitat provides critical food resources and serves as a refuge from predators for many recreational and commercial fish, crabs and small animals (Naturally Resilient Communities 2017). Submerged aquatic vegetation in coastal and estuarine ecosystems is a food source for waterfowl and, along with marsh edges and seagrass, serves as important nursery habitat for many species (Dennison et al. 1993). Oyster reefs and beds also help to improve surrounding water quality, buffer coasts from waves, and reduce erosion (Naturally Resilient Communities 2017). Input Data Atlantic Coast Fish Habitat Partnership (ACFHP) Fish Habitat Conservation Area Mapping and Prioritization Project: South Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic, and South Florida Estuarine Analysis Base Blueprint 2022 extent Southeast Blueprint 2023 extent Mapping Steps Convert the South Atlantic Estuarine Analysis from vector to a 30 m raster using the FINALSCORE field. Convert the Mid-Atlantic Estuarine Analysis from vector to a 30 m raster using the TotalPoints field. Convert the South Florida Estuarine Analysis from vector to a 30 m raster using the FINALSCORE field. Combine the above rasters using the ArcPy Spatial Analyst Cell Statistics “MAX” function. Reclassify the above raster into 9 classes, seen in the final indicator values below. Clip to the spatial extent of Base Blueprint 2022. As a final step, clip to the spatial extent of Southeast Blueprint 2023. Note: For more details on the mapping steps, code used to create this layer is available in the Southeast Blueprint 2025 Data Download under > 6_Code. Final indicator values Indicator values are assigned as follows: 8 = Final score of 80 (areas of excellent fish habitat) 7 = Final score of 70 (areas of excellent fish habitat) 6 = Final score of 60 (restoration opportunity areas) 5 = Final score of 50 (restoration opportunity areas) 4 = Final score of 40 (restoration opportunity areas) 3 = Final score of 30 (restoration opportunity areas) 2 = Final score of 20 (restoration opportunity areas) 1 = Final score of 10 (degraded areas of opportunity) 0 = Final score of 0 (degraded areas of opportunity) Known Issues This indicator underestimates scores in parts of Georgia and North Florida that weren’t well-surveyed for oyster reefs at the time of the ACFHP assessment. Disclaimer: Comparing with Older Indicator Versions There are numerous problems with using Southeast Blueprint indicators for change analysis. Please consult Blueprint staff if you would like to do this (email [e-mail]). Literature Cited Dennison, William C., Robert J. Orth, Kenneth A. Moore, J. Court Stevenson, Virginia Carter, Stan Kollar, Peter W. Bergstrom, Richard A. Batiuk, Assessing Water Quality with Submersed Aquatic Vegetation: Habitat requirements as barometers of Chesapeake Bay health, BioScience, Volume 43, Issue 2, February 1993, Pages 86–94. [https://doi.org/10.2307/1311969]. Martin, Erik, Kat Hoenke, and Lisa Havel. Atlantic Coast Fish Habitat Partnership. Fish Habitat Conservation Area Mapping and Prioritization Project: A Prioritization of Atlantic Coastal, Estuarine, and Diadromous Fish Habitats for Conservation. August 2020. [https://www.atlanticfishhabitat.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/ACFHP-Mapping-and-Prioritization-Final-Report.pdf]. Naturally Resilient Communities. 2017. Solution: Oyster Reefs. [https://nrcsolutions.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/NRC_Solutions_Oyster_Reefs.pdf].选取依据：本指标涵盖诸多影响大西洋河口鱼类栖息地质量的因素，且契合大西洋海岸鱼类栖息地合作联盟（Atlantic Coast Fish Habitat Partnership, ACFHP）的优先保护目标。河口栖息地可为众多休闲与商业性鱼类、蟹类及小型动物提供关键食物资源，同时作为其躲避天敌的庇护场所（Naturally Resilient Communities 2017）。沿海与河口生态系统中的沉水水生植被（Submerged Aquatic Vegetation）是水禽的食物来源，同时与滨岸沼泽边缘及海草一同，成为诸多物种的重要育苗栖息地（Dennison等1993）。牡蛎礁（Oyster Reefs）与牡蛎床同样能够改善周边水环境质量、抵御海岸风浪侵袭并减轻侵蚀作用（Naturally Resilient Communities 2017）。 输入数据：大西洋海岸鱼类栖息地合作联盟（ACFHP）鱼类栖息地保护区域制图与优先性评估项目：2022年版南大西洋、中大西洋及南佛罗里达河口分析基础蓝图；2023年版东南蓝图空间范围。 制图流程：1. 利用FINALSCORE字段，将南大西洋河口分析矢量数据转换为30米分辨率的栅格数据；2. 利用TotalPoints字段，将中大西洋河口分析矢量数据转换为30米分辨率的栅格数据；3. 利用FINALSCORE字段，将南佛罗里达河口分析矢量数据转换为30米分辨率的栅格数据；4. 使用ArcPy空间分析（ArcPy Spatial Analyst）的像元统计（Cell Statistics）“MAX”（最大值）函数合并上述栅格数据；5. 将合并后的栅格重分类为9个等级，对应最终指标值详见下文；6. 以2022年版基础蓝图的空间范围进行裁剪；7. 最后以2023年版东南蓝图的空间范围完成最终裁剪。 注：如需了解制图流程的更多细节，可在2025年版东南蓝图数据下载模块的>6_代码路径下获取生成该图层的代码。 最终指标值：指标值赋值规则如下：8 = 最终得分80（优质鱼类栖息地区域）；7 = 最终得分70（优质鱼类栖息地区域）；6 = 最终得分60（具备修复潜力区域）；5 = 最终得分50（具备修复潜力区域）；4 = 最终得分40（具备修复潜力区域）；3 = 最终得分30（具备修复潜力区域）；2 = 最终得分20（具备修复潜力区域）；1 = 最终得分10（退化且具备修复潜力区域）；0 = 最终得分0（退化且具备修复潜力区域）。 已知问题：本指标对佐治亚州及北佛罗里达部分区域的得分存在低估，该区域在ACFHP评估阶段未针对牡蛎礁开展充分的野外调查。 免责声明：旧版指标对比说明 使用东南蓝图指标开展变化趋势分析存在诸多问题，若需进行此类分析，请咨询蓝图项目工作人员（邮箱：[e-mail]）。 引用文献：1. Dennison, William C.等. 利用沉水水生植被评估水环境质量：以栖息地需求作为切萨皮克湾健康状况的指示指标. 《生物科学》，第43卷，第2期，1993年2月，第86–94页. [https://doi.org/10.2307/1311969]；2. Martin, Erik, Kat Hoenke, Lisa Havel. 大西洋海岸鱼类栖息地合作联盟. 《鱼类栖息地保护区域制图与优先性评估项目：大西洋沿岸、河口及溯河产卵鱼类栖息地保护优先性排序》. 2020年8月. [https://www.atlanticfishhabitat.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/ACFHP-Mapping-and-Prioritization-Final-Report.pdf]；3. Naturally Resilient Communities. 2017. 《解决方案：牡蛎礁》. [https://nrcsolutions.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/NRC_Solutions_Oyster_Reefs.pdf]。