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Fish community and species distribution predictions for streams and rivers of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Metadata Updated: October 29, 2025

This data release contains predictions of selected  fish community metrics and fish species occurrence using Random Forest models with landscape data for inland reaches across the Chesapeake Bay Watershed (CBW). Predictions were made at four time intervals (2001, 2006, 2011, and 2016) according to changes in landcover using the National Land Cover Database (NLCD). The fish sampling data used to compute these metrics were compiled from various fish sampling programs conducted by state and federal agencies, county governments, universities, and river basin commissions across the watershed. Community metrics describe composition, tolerances, habitat preferences, and functional traits of fish communities (and were derived from Krause and Maloney, 2021). Community analyses were developed for four aggregated Level III ecoregions: Northern Appalachians (NAP), Southern Appalachians [split into two sub-regions; the SAP-Piedmont (Piedmont and Northern Piedmont Ecoregions; SAPPIED] and other ecoregions [SAPNW]) and the Coastal Plains (CPL), and a final index was calculated for each ecoregion as the average of selected metric deciles with higher scores inferring less biologically altered (i.e., better) conditions. Species distribution models were created for key sensitive and gamefish species (including Brook Trout, Northern Hog Sucker, Smallmouth Bass, and Torrent Sucker) to predict species occurrence. Uncertainty was calculated for both approaches using model prediction intervals. For complete data descriptions and data interpretation see associated publication (Maloney et al., 2022; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108488).

Access & Use Information

Public: This dataset is intended for public access and use. License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

Downloads & Resources

Dates

Metadata Created Date September 13, 2025
Metadata Updated Date October 29, 2025

Metadata Source

Harvested from DOI USGS DCAT-US

Additional Metadata

Resource Type Dataset
Metadata Created Date September 13, 2025
Metadata Updated Date October 29, 2025
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Maintainer
Identifier http://datainventory.doi.gov/id/dataset/usgs-61533111d34e0df5fb9c5bc5
Data Last Modified 2022-08-05T00:00:00Z
Category geospatial
Public Access Level public
Bureau Code 010:12
Metadata Context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
Metadata Catalog ID https://ddi.doi.gov/usgs-data.json
Schema Version https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
Catalog Describedby https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json
Harvest Object Id 1f3a35fc-160c-4d93-86d3-7db32018861c
Harvest Source Id 2b80d118-ab3a-48ba-bd93-996bbacefac2
Harvest Source Title DOI USGS DCAT-US
Metadata Type geospatial
Old Spatial -80.6538, 36.5793, -74.4593, 43.0773
Source Datajson Identifier True
Source Hash 53400dccdb91d277a722af829a214f1e0b3d068df7a3ad467b2208a2632083a7
Source Schema Version 1.1
Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": -80.6538, 36.5793, -80.6538, 43.0773, -74.4593, 43.0773, -74.4593, 36.5793, -80.6538, 36.5793}

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