DisMOSH, Cost, MOSHShoreline: Distance to foraging areas for piping plovers (foraging shoreline, cost mask, and least-cost path distance): Cedar Island, VA, 2012–2013

Publication Date

2019-06-25

Time Period

2012

Sturdivant, E.J., Zeigler, S.L., Gutierrez, B.T., and Weber, K.M., 2019, Barrier island geomorphology and shorebird habitat metrics–Four sites in New York, New Jersey, and Virginia, 2010–2014: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P944FPA4.

Type: Publication that references this resource Type: Source Code

The distance to foraging layer (CeI12_DisMOSH.tif) identifies the least-cost path distance for a piping plover chick to travel from the center of each 5x5 m grid cell to low-energy foraging areas with moist substrates. The distance to foraging data was used within a Bayesian network to model the probability that a specific set of landscape characteristics would be associated with piping plover habitat. The movement cost layer (CeI12_Cost.tif) identifies barriers to the movement of piping plover chicks, with barriers including water, human development, and moderate to dense vegetation. A value of 1 indicates possibility of movement and 99,999 indicates a barrier to movement. Barriers were identified using orthoimagery captured in 2013 (see data sources below). The movement cost layer was used to calculate the least-cost path distance (CeI12_DisMOSH.tif) to the nearest foraging area (CeI12_MOSHShoreline.shp). The foraging shorelines shapefile (CeI12_MOSHShoreline.shp) delineates foraging shorelines with moist substrates for piping plovers. Foraging areas were determined from elevations measured in 2012 and orthoimagery captured in 2013. Here, foraging shorelines are defined as low-energy and could include the shorelines of sound- or bay-side beaches, interior ponds, and ephemeral pools. Ocean shorelines were not considered low-energy foraging shorelines. See Zeigler and others (2019) for additional details.

ScienceBase WMS

ScienceBase WCS

• USGS Data Release Products