Remote Techniques

An assessment of whether the remote technique(s) used to produce this map were appropriate to the environment they were used to survey. If necessary, adjust your assessment to account for technique(s) which, although appropriate, were used in deep water and consequently have a significantly reduced resolution (i.e size of footprint):
3 = technique(s) highly appropriate
2 = technique(s) moderately appropriate
1 = technique(s) inappropriate

Remote Coverage

An assessment of the coverage of the remote sensing data including consideration of heterogeneity of the seabed: (See Coverage x Heterogeneity matrix below)

Coverage scores – use these to determine coverage then combine with heterogeneity assessment to derive final scores
3 = good coverage; 100% (or greater) coverage or AGDS track spacing <50m
2 = moderate coverage; swath approx 50% coverage or AGDS track spacing <100m
1 = poor coverage; large gaps between swaths or AGDS track spacing >100m

Final scores
3 = good coverage OR moderate coverage + low heterogeneity
2 = moderate coverage + moderate heterogeneity OR poor coverage + low heterogeneity
1 = moderate coverage + high heterogeneity OR poor coverage + moderate or high heterogeneity

Remote Positioning

An indication of the positioning method used for the remote data:
3 = differential GPS
2 = GPS (not differential) or other non-satellite ‘electronic’ navigation system
1 = chart based navigation, or dead-reckoning

Remote Standards

An assessment of whether standards have been applied to the collection of the remote data. This field gives an indication of whether some data quality control has been carried out:
3 = remote data collected to approved standards
2 = remote data collected to ‘internal’ standards
1 = no standards applied to the collection of the remote data

Remote Vintage

An indication of the age of the remote data:
3 = < 5yrs old.
2 = 5 to 10 yrs old.
1 = > 10 years old

Biological Ground Truthing Technique

An assessment of whether the ground-truthing techniques used to produce this map were appropriate to the environment they were used to survey. Use scores for soft or hard substrata as appropriate to the area surveyed. 

Soft substrata predominate (i.e. those having infauna and epifauna)
3 = infauna AND epifauna sampled AND observed (video/stills, direct human observation)
2= infauna AND epifauna sampled, but NOT observed (video/stills, direct human observation)
1 = infauna OR epifauna sampled, but not both. No observation.

Hard substrata predominate (i.e. those with no infauna)
3 = sampling included direct human observation (shore survey or diver survey)
2 = sampling included video or stills but NO direct human observation
1 = benthic sampling only (e.g. grabs, trawls)

Physical Ground Truthing Technique

An assessment of whether the combination of geophysical sampling techniques were appropriate to the environment they were used to survey. Use scores for soft or hard substrata as appropriate to the area surveyed.. 

Soft substrata predominate (i.e. gravel, sand, mud)
3 = full geophysical analysis (i.e. granulometry and/or geophysical testing (penetrometry, shear strenght etc))
2 = sediments described following visual inspection of grab or core samples (e.g. slightly shelly, muddy sand)
1 = sediments described on the basis of remote observation (by camera).

Hard substrata predominate (i.e. rock outcrops, boulders, cobbles)
3 = sampling included in-situ, direct human observation (shore survey or diver survey)
2 = sampling included video or photographic observation, but NO in-situ, direct human observation
1 = samples obtained only by rock dredge (or similar)

Ground Truthing Position

An indication of the positioning method used for the ground-truth data:
3 = differential GPS
2 = GPS (not differential) or other non-satellite ‘electronic’ navigation system
1 = chart based navigation, or dead-reckoning

Ground Truthing Sample Density

An assessment of what proportion of the polygons or classes (groups of polygons with the same ‘habitat’ attribute) actually contain ground-truth data:
3 = Every class in the map classification was sampled at least 3 times
2 = Every class in the map classification was sampled
1 = Not all classes in the map classification were sampled (some classes have no ground-truth data)

Ground Truthing Standards Applied

An assessment of whether standards have been applied to the collection of the ground-truth data. This field gives an indication of whether some data quality control has been carried out:
3 = ground-truth samples collected to approved standards
2 = ground-truth samples collected to ‘internal’ standards
1 = no standards applied to the collection of ground-truth samples

Ground Truthing Vintage

An indication of the age of the ground-truth data:
3 = < 5yrs old
2 = 5 to 10 yrs old
1 = > 10 years old

Ground Truthing Interpretation

Remote Interpretation

An indication of the confidence in the interpretation of the remotely sensed data:
3 = Appropriate technique used and documentation provided
2 = Appropriate technique used but no documentation provided
1 = Inappropriate technique used

Note that interpretation techniques can range from ‘by eye’ digitising of side scan by experts to statistical classification techniques.

Detail Level

The level of detail to which the ‘habitat’ classes in the map have been classified:
3 = Classes defined on the basis of detailed biological analysis
2 = Classes defined on the basis of major characterising species or lifeforms
1 = Classes defined on the basis of physical information, or broad biological zones

Map Accuracy

A test of the accuracy of the map:
3 = high accuracy, proven by external accuracy assessment
2 = high accuracy, proven by internal accuracy assessment
1 = low accuracy, proved by either external or internal assessment OR no accuracy assessment made