Comprehensive Habitat Type Dataset for the Central Texas Coast

The Comprehensive Habitat Type Dataset was developed by merging NOAA Benthic Habitat Atlas (BHA), Ecological Mapping Systems of Texas (aka Texas Ecological Systems Database, TESD), and National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) data within the study area for the ICF 2012 project (CGP LCC 2012-002 Employing the Conservation Design Approach on Sea-Level Rise Impacts on Coastal Avian Habitats along the Central Texas Coast). BHA data was used to depict mangroves, oysters, and patchy, continuous, and discontinuous seagrass beds where BHA existed within the study area. NWI data was used for all wetland/intertidal environments where NWI data existed within the study area. TESD data was used for all upland environments, and weltand/intertidal and/or benthic environments where NWI or BHA data did not exist. Land cover types were given easy to understand names, and arranged hierarchically into three levels-- Micro-, Meso-, and MacroHabitat Types. Using qualititative avian habitat use information from literature as well as spatially explicit habitat use data when available, MicroHabitat Types were then indexed for potential use by each avian species considered. An index of 3 represents potential high use habitat types, an index of 2 represents potential low use habitat types, and an index of 1 represents habitat types that would be used only incidentally. Habitat types with an index of 0 or no index preprent habitat types that would not be used at all for that particular species.