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National Estuarine Research Reserve System - NERRS - Vegetation Monitoring Data

Published by Office for Coastal Management | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce | Metadata Last Checked: April 12, 2026 | Last Modified: 2010-01-01T00:00:00.000+00:00
The National Estuarine Research Reserve System has developed a consistent protocol for monitoring vegetation across the nations estuaries. Eventually, the goal is to be monitoring vegetation regularly at every Reserve, allowing for robust spatial and temporal analyses of estuarine vegetation trends. To date, 18 Reserves have implemented this vegetation monitoring protocol. The vegetation community that is assessed varies by reserve. The protocol has been implemented for submerged aquatic vegetation such as eelgrass and algae, as well as for emergent vegetation such as salt marshes and mangroves. The vegetation monitoring protocol involves permanent sampling plots along fixed transects. Parameters monitored include percent cover of all plant species, as well as stem density and canopy height of the common species. Elevation is also assessed for each plot when feasible. The complete monitoring protocol provides more details. These data will be valuable for tracking changes in abundance of particular species of interest, or in species composition over time. For instance, the transects can be used to detect landward migration of vegetation communities in the face of projected sea level rise. The National Estuarine Research Reserves is a network of 30 reserves protected for long-term research, ecosystem monitoring, education, and coastal stewardship. Established by the Coastal Zone Management Act, the reserve system is a partnership program between NOAA and the coastal states. NOAA provides funding, national guidance, and technical assistance. Each reserve is managed on daily basis by a lead state agency or university with input from local partners. These data are collected as part of the NERRS System-Wide Monitoring Program (SWMP), which includes (1) abiotic indicators of water quality and weather; (2) biological monitoring; and (3) watershed, habitat, and land use mapping. Data were collected under individual Reserve NOAA grant/cooperative agreements and managed by the CDMO under NOAA grant/cooperative agreement #NA24NOSX420C0061-T1-01 (2024) and prior grants. For more information on Reserve locations and programs, please visit www.nerrsdata.org or https://coast.noaa.gov/nerrs/.

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EARTH SCIENCE EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > COASTAL EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > COASTAL > MANGROVE SWAMP EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > COASTAL > SALT MARSH EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > COASTAL > SAV/SEA GRASS BED EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > ESTUARY EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > ESTUARY > BRACKISH MARSH

Complete Metadata
@type dcat:Dataset
accessLevel non-public
contactPoint 
                                            {
  "fn": "Ide, Melissa",
  "@type": "vcard:Contact",
  "hasEmail": "mailto:melissa@baruch.sc.edu"
}
describedByType application/octet-steam
description The National Estuarine Research Reserve System has developed a consistent protocol for monitoring vegetation across the nations estuaries. Eventually, the goal is to be monitoring vegetation regularly at every Reserve, allowing for robust spatial and temporal analyses of estuarine vegetation trends. To date, 18 Reserves have implemented this vegetation monitoring protocol. The vegetation community that is assessed varies by reserve. The protocol has been implemented for submerged aquatic vegetation such as eelgrass and algae, as well as for emergent vegetation such as salt marshes and mangroves. The vegetation monitoring protocol involves permanent sampling plots along fixed transects. Parameters monitored include percent cover of all plant species, as well as stem density and canopy height of the common species. Elevation is also assessed for each plot when feasible. The complete monitoring protocol provides more details. These data will be valuable for tracking changes in abundance of particular species of interest, or in species composition over time. For instance, the transects can be used to detect landward migration of vegetation communities in the face of projected sea level rise. The National Estuarine Research Reserves is a network of 30 reserves protected for long-term research, ecosystem monitoring, education, and coastal stewardship. Established by the Coastal Zone Management Act, the reserve system is a partnership program between NOAA and the coastal states. NOAA provides funding, national guidance, and technical assistance. Each reserve is managed on daily basis by a lead state agency or university with input from local partners. These data are collected as part of the NERRS System-Wide Monitoring Program (SWMP), which includes (1) abiotic indicators of water quality and weather; (2) biological monitoring; and (3) watershed, habitat, and land use mapping. Data were collected under individual Reserve NOAA grant/cooperative agreements and managed by the CDMO under NOAA grant/cooperative agreement #NA24NOSX420C0061-T1-01 (2024) and prior grants. For more information on Reserve locations and programs, please visit www.nerrsdata.org or https://coast.noaa.gov/nerrs/.
distribution 
                                            [
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "varies",
    "accessURL": "https://cdmo.baruch.sc.edu",
    "mediaType": "text/html",
    "description": "Annual csv files named with three letter reserve code followed by VEG, followed by the 4 number year. Ex: SFBVEG2024",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-stream"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP)",
    "format": "PDF",
    "mediaType": "application/pdf",
    "description": "NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort.",
    "downloadURL": "https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nos/ocm/dmp/pdf/47712.pdf",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-stream"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "GCMD Keyword Forum Page",
    "accessURL": "https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords",
    "mediaType": "text/html",
    "description": "Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 22. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-stream"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "Full Metadata Record",
    "accessURL": "https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/47712",
    "mediaType": "text/html",
    "description": "View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset.",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-stream"
  }
]
identifier https://data.noaa.gov/waf/NOAA/nos/ocm/iso/xml/47712.xml
issued 2010-01-01T00:00:00.000+00:00
keyword 
                                            [
  "EARTH SCIENCE",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > COASTAL",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > COASTAL > MANGROVE SWAMP",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > COASTAL > SALT MARSH",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > COASTAL > SAV/SEA GRASS BED",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > ESTUARY",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > ESTUARY > BRACKISH MARSH",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > VEGETATION",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > VEGETATION > VEGETATION COVER",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > VEGETATION > VEGETATION SPECIES",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > COASTAL PROCESSES > ESTUARIES",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > COASTAL PROCESSES > MANGROVES",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > ALABAMA",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > ALASKA",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > CALIFORNIA",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > CONNECTICUT",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > DELAWARE",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > FLORIDA",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > GEORGIA",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > GREAT LAKES",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > HAWAII",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > MAINE",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > MARYLAND",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > MASSACHUSETTS",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > MISSISSIPPI",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > NEW HAMPSHIRE",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > NEW JERSEY",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > NEW YORK",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > NORTH CAROLINA",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > OHIO",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > OREGON",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > RHODE ISLAND",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > SOUTH CAROLINA",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > TEXAS",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > VIRGINIA",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > WASHINGTON",
  "CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > WISCONSIN",
  "OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN",
  "OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > GULF OF AMERICA",
  "DOC/NOAA/NOS/OCM > Office of Coastal Management, National Ocean Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce",
  "NERRS"
]
landingPage https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/47712
language 
                                            []
license https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
modified 2010-01-01T00:00:00.000+00:00
publisher 
                                            {
  "name": "Office for Coastal Management",
  "@type": "org:Organization"
}
references 
                                            [
  "https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nos/ocm/dmp/pdf/47712.pdf"
]
rights otherRestrictions, unclassified
spatial -62.4,17.706,-160.4,61.648
temporal 2004-01-01T00:00:00+00:00/2004-01-01T00:00:00+00:00
title National Estuarine Research Reserve System - NERRS - Vegetation Monitoring Data

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