Developing alternatives for optimal representation of seafloor habitats and associated communities in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary [electronic resource] / Rosamonde R. Cook and Peter J. Auster.
Imprint
Silver Spring, Md. : U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resources Management, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, [2006]
Describes use of a geo-referenced interpretive map of major sediment types with Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (SBNMS) and computer-aided decision support tools to identify potential conservation sites representing 1) all major sediment types and 2) derived habitat types based on both sediment and depth in the smallest amount of space. A type of mathematical optimization known as simulated annealing was used to identify potential sets of alternative habitat conservation areas within SBNMS for demonstration purposes.