In CMECS, the geological context—and associated features of the landscape and seascape—are captured in the Geoform Component (GC), which describes the physical structure of the environment across multiple scales. The GC addresses five aspects of the coastal and seafloor morphology: tectonic setting, physiographic setting, geoform origin, geoform, and geoform type. The framework for the GC adopts most of the structures described by Greene et al. (2007) and the estuary types outlined in Madden et al. (2008), but expands the options to include a larger number of coastal and nearshore features. The GC is not intended to be a geological classification per se. Rather, it provides a way to present the structural aspects of the physical environment that are relevant to—and drivers of—biological community distribution. This component does not include surface geology attributes [such as hardbottom, softbottom, sand, gravel, and cobble as in Greene et al. (2007)], because these attributes are included in the Substrate Component that describes the character and composition of the seafloor. Used together, geoform and substrate component units reflect the physical environment in which benthic/attached biota occurs. The GC is organized into four subcomponents that occur along a spatial continuum (Table 6.1): tectonic setting and physiographic setting describe large, global features, while the level 1 and level 2 geoform subcomponents describe meso-and microscale units (extending down to features at the meter scale). Each subcomponent has a general scale range associated with it, but features within these categories will naturally overlap one another—because of the natural gradients and transitions between geologic units and processes. Similarly, regional differences in processes will cause units to respond differently on spatial and temporal scales (Harris et al. 2005).

https://w3id.org/CMECS/CMECS_00000387

In CMECS, the geological context—and associated features of the landscape and seascape—are captured in the Geoform Component (GC), which describes the physical structure of the environment across multiple scales. The GC addresses five aspects of the coastal and seafloor morphology: tectonic setting, physiographic setting, geoform origin, geoform, and geoform type. The framework for the GC adopts most of the structures described by Greene et al. (2007) and the estuary types outlined in Madden et al. (2008), but expands the options to include a larger number of coastal and nearshore features. The GC is not intended to be a geological classification per se. Rather, it provides a way to present the structural aspects of the physical environment that are relevant to—and drivers of—biological community distribution. This component does not include surface geology attributes [such as hardbottom, softbottom, sand, gravel, and cobble as in Greene et al. (2007)], because these attributes are included in the Substrate Component that describes the character and composition of the seafloor. Used together, geoform and substrate component units reflect the physical environment in which benthic/attached biota occurs. The GC is organized into four subcomponents that occur along a spatial continuum (Table 6.1): tectonic setting and physiographic setting describe large, global features, while the level 1 and level 2 geoform subcomponents describe meso-and microscale units (extending down to features at the meter scale). Each subcomponent has a general scale range associated with it, but features within these categories will naturally overlap one another—because of the natural gradients and transitions between geologic units and processes. Similarly, regional differences in processes will cause units to respond differently on spatial and temporal scales (Harris et al. 2005).

G

Geoform Component

cmecs:CMECS_00000387

Geoform Component

Harris, M. S., P. T. Gayes, J. L. Kindinger, J. G. Flocks, D. E. Krantzft, and P. Donovan. 2005. “Quaternary Geomorphology and Modern Coastal Development in Response to an Inherent Geologic Framework: An Example from Charleston, South Carolina.” Journal of Coastal Research 21: 49–64.

Greene, H. G., J. J. Bizzarro, V. M. O’Connell, and C. K. Brylinsky. 2007. “Construction of Digital Potential Marine Benthic Habitat Maps Using a Coded Classification Scheme and Its Applications.” In Mapping the Seafloor for Habitat Characterization, 141–155. Special Paper 47. Edited by B. J. Todd and H. G. Greene. Geological Association of Canada.

Madden, C. J., R. Smith, E. Dettmann, and N. Detenbeck. 2008. “A Typology of Estuaries Supporting the Development of a National Nutrient Criteria Framework for Estuarine Systems.” Chap. 3 in Development of Nutrient Criteria for the Nation’s Estuaries: Technical Document. Edited by P. Glibert et al. Report of the National Nutrient Criteria Development Workgroup. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Original Unit

CMECS Component: Geoform

http://www.w3.org/2002/07/owl#Thing