Author(s):
Ellen Raabe* - United States Geological Survey
Lisa Robbins - U.S. Geological Survey
Myra Schwarz - ETI Professionals
Abstract:
Spectacular views of earth from space have become commonplace on the Internet with new application tools, such as Google Earth. The Florida Shelf Habitat Mapping Project (FLaSH) website takes the concept of a bird's-eye view of the earth to the world beneath the waves. The FLaSH web pages invite exploration of the underwater world via Google Earth, bathymetric maps, underwater video, fly-through adventures, and resource tools. The viewer can visit the complex physical and biological world of the Florida Shelf and learn about the submerged terrain. Data for the Florida Shelf originates from many sources, dates, and formats. A multi-agency effort is underway to coordinate and prioritize the compilation of suitable data sets for an integrated information system of Florida's coastal and ocean resources. Water quality, fishery sustainability, sea level and climate change impacts, and economic issues drive the need for enhanced public awareness of the environment that surrounds, supports, and shapes our coastal communities. The FLaSH website places existing data in a user-friendly environment and within the larger context of the Florida Shelf. Accessible data, presented in a geographic context, offers citizens, managers, and scientists an opportunity to visualize coastal resources and to consider options in resource management.
