gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:10010 eng UTF8 dataset Mixed Southeast Fisheries Science Center (305)361-5761 75 Virginia Beach Drive Miami FL 33149 USA www.sefsc.noaa.gov WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Website Website for this organization information 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. EST resourceProvider Rozas, Lawrence P Contact by email preferred. pointOfContact 2026-03-04T19:17:18 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata Part 2 Extensions for imagery and gridded data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) Terracing at Pierce Marsh in Galveston Bay 2001-2002 Pierce Marsh Terracing 2001-2002 2001 creation 2003 revision 2017 publication NOAA/NMFS/EDM 10010 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/10010 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Full Metadata Record View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. information tableDigital Marsh terracing is used to restore coastal wetlands by converting shallow nonvegetated bottom to intertidal marsh. Terraces are constructed from excavated bottom sediments, and are commonly arranged in a checkerboard pattern of square cells with open corners to form terrace fields. The project was located in shallow estuarine waters, and used bottom sediments or upland soils to construct intertidal areas planted with smooth cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora. We used a quantitative sampling device to compare nekton densities and biomass in habitat types of marsh terraces of three cell sizes at Pierce Marsh in Galveston Bay to a nearby reference marsh. Within terrace cells, density, biomass, and species richness were generally higher in marsh vegetation than over nonvegetated bottom. We also used Geographic Information System (GIS) and high-resolution aerial photography to classify areas into land (marsh vegetation) and water and applied fishery density models to assess fishery support. These models describe finescale distribution patterns for brown shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus, white shrimp Litopenaeus setiferus, and blue crab Callinectes sapidus across shallow estuarine habitat types (emergent marsh and shallow open water) of Galveston Bay. We show that populations of most fishery species increase as cell size decreases. However, as cell size decreases, the cost of terrace construction increases much faster than population size. Therefore, terrace fields constructed of medium or large cells would be more cost effective in providing fishery habitat than would terraces composed of small cells. Based on our modeling results, restored sites supported relatively high populations of fishery species compared to pre-restoration conditions. However, restoration sites did not support populations’ equivalent to a reference marsh system. Restoration projects should maximize the area of marsh vegetation and create a high degree of water-marsh interspersion to provide the most benefit for fishery species. The purposes of this study were to evaluate marsh terracing as a method for restoring estuarine habitat and fishery production in Galveston Bay, and to test whether cell size affects the fishery value of habitat created by marsh terracing. completed Baumer, Tim J 409-766-3784 4700 Avenue U Galveston TX 77551 tim.baumer@noaa.gov Contact by email preferred. pointOfContact Ditty, James 409-766-3782 409-766-3508 4700 Avenue U Galveston TX 77551-5997 Jim.Ditty@noaa.gov custodian Rozas, Lawrence P Contact by email preferred. custodian notPlanned Gulf of Mexico place NODC SEA AREA NAMES Callinectes sapidus Farfantepenaeus aztecus Litopenaeus setiferus Spartina alterniflora abundance cost to benefit distribution fisheries independent data marsh terracing modelling non-vegetative bottom nursery habitats theme 2001-2002 temporal Galveston Bay, Texas Pierce Marsh place DOC/NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC > Southeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce dataCentre Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords 2017-04-24 publication 8.5 Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords GCMD Keyword Forum Page 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 information custodian Galveston Fisheries Ecology Projects project InPort otherRestrictions Cite As: Southeast Fisheries Science Center, [Date of Access]: Terracing at Pierce Marsh in Galveston Bay 2001-2002 [Data Date Range], https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/10010. NOAA provides no warranty, nor accepts any liability occurring from any incomplete, incorrect, or misleading data, or from any incorrect, incomplete, or misleading use of the data. It is the responsibility of the user to determine whether or not the data is suitable for the intended purpose. otherRestrictions Access Constraints: None unclassified NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) NOAA/NMFS/EDM 10010 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nmfs/sefsc/dmp/pdf/10010.pdf WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. information crossReference eng; US oceans -94.97576 -94.956894 29.19163 29.324421 Gulf Of Mexico | Currentness: Ground Condition 2001 2002 false eng false Data Table Spreadsheet misc_descriptors.csv 2021-10-21 publication samples_table_description.csv 2021-10-21 publication samples_column_descriptions.csv 2021-10-21 publication Pierce_Marsh2001-2002tblSamples.csv 2021-10-21 publication Pierce Marsh 2001-2002 tblSamples.xlsx 2021-10-21 publication fishlength_table_description.csv 2021-10-21 publication fishlength_column_descriptions.csv 2021-10-21 publication Pierce_Marsh2001-2002tblFishlength.csv 2021-10-21 publication Pierce Marsh 2001-2002 tblFishLength.xlsx 2021-10-21 publication fishmass_table_description.csv 2021-10-21 publication fishmass_column_descriptions.csv 2021-10-21 publication Pierce_Marsh2001-2002tblFishmass.csv 2021-10-21 publication Pierce Marsh 2001-2002 tblFishMass.xlsx 2021-10-21 publication invertlength_table_description.csv 2021-10-21 publication invertlength_column_descriptions.csv 2021-10-21 publication Pierce_Marsh2001-2002tblInvertlength.csv 2021-10-21 publication Pierce Marsh 2001-2002 tblInvertLength.xlsx 2021-10-21 publication Pierce Marsh 2001-2002 tblPenaeids.xlsx 2021-10-21 publication penaeids_table_description.csv 2021-10-21 publication penaeids_column_descriptions.csv 2021-10-21 publication Pierce_Marsh2001-2002tblPenaeids.csv 2021-10-21 publication zip Zip Southeast Fisheries Science Center (305)361-5761 75 Virginia Beach Drive Miami FL 33149 USA https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/about/southeast-fisheries-science-center WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Southeast Fisheries Science Center Website About SEFSC information 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. EST Contact by email preferred. distributor https://grunt.sefsc.noaa.gov/parr/10010.zip WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link 10010.zip zip file on SEFSCc PARR Data Server containing all data files for this dataset and a readme file download dataset Accuracy Data were entered into spreadsheets and checked against the raw data sheet to avoid entry errors After sample collection, field data were entered into an Excel spreadsheet or database file (DBF) using database manager software. A text file was created to describe these data and associated variables. Entered data were checked against the field sheets by two biologists to minimize entry errors. Samples were processed in the laboratory, sorted, specimens identified and measured, and information was entered into an Excel spreadsheet or DBF file. Files were printed out and compared against original data sheets by two biologists for data entry errors. Corrections were made at this time, the electronic file was saved, and a back-up copy made. Hard copies of the QCd files were printed and stored in the project folder along with the original field and laboratory data sheets. The electronic file was also sorted and examined by the Lab Supervisor or other project personnel in a variety of ways to look for outliers, missing data, and other potential errors. Verified data files were then saved electronically on the Galveston Laboratory server and backed-up as needed. Ditty, James 409-766-3782 Jim.Ditty@noaa.gov processor