Completeness report for biological classification: Photographs were only classified where there was enough visibility for accuracy. Two co-occurring biotic groups and two associated taxa were included as modifiers to the CMECS classification system. The Associated Taxa Modifier is used in addition to, but does not overlap, the Biotic Group and Co-occurring Element classifications. The biotic groups Small Surface-Burrowing Fauna and Larger Deep-Burrowing Fauna were combined into Burrowing Fauna as the resolution of the photographs does not allow a higher level of distinction between the two. Similarly the biotic groups Small Tube-Building Fauna and Larger Tube-Building Fauna were combined. Inferred Fauna was added as a Biotic Group to modify the CMECS classification where no faunal activity is apparent visually, but the absence of fauna cannot be assumed due to a lack of a physical sample. Biotic Community was added to characterize species in the primary Biotic Group as applicable.
In the CMECS Benthic Biotic Component, biotic classifications are defined by the dominance of stable, sessile, or slow moving species visible in the photo. Each photo was reviewed and classified with a primary and two co-occurring biotic groups as applicable in accordance with CMECS guidance. Two associated taxa were included where applicable; if more than two occurred, the two most dominant taxa were selected. Note that the imaged area of a photo is the mapping unit and that area is most often within 0.5 to 1.25 meters from left to right, depending on the height of the camera off the seafloor when the photograph was taken.
The Spatial Join tool was run a second time with the sediment samples as the join features to calculate the field name of the closest sediment sample (field NEAR_SMP) and the sediment classification of the nearest sample (field NEAR_CLASS) for each bottom photo. A one-to-one join operation with the closest match option was used and the distance between the target feature and closest join feature was calculated (field DST_TO_SMP). The field calculator was then used to round the distance in meters from each bottom photo to the nearest sample (field DST_TO_SMP) to the nearest tenth.
Finally, a spreadsheet of the biological classification of the photos was joined to the bottom photographs shapefile based on the photo name (field PICNAME).