NOAA/EPA/NatureServe/USGS – June 2012

The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) has approved the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS) as the first-ever comprehensive federal standard for classifying and describing coastal and marine ecosystems.  CMECS offers a simple, standard framework and common terminology for describing natural and human influenced ecosystems from the upper tidal reaches of estuaries to the deepest portions of the ocean. The framework is organized into two settings, biogeographic and aquatic, and four components, water column, geoform, substrate, and biotic. Each describes a separate aspect of the environment and biota. Settings and components can be used in combination or independently to describe ecosystem features. The hierarchical arrangement of units of the settings and components allows users to apply CMECS to the scale and specificity that best suits their interests. Modifiers allow users to customize the classification to meet specific needs. Biotopes can be described when there is a need for more detailed information on the biota and their environment. The document can be downloaded by clicking here. A searchable online catalog of CMECS units and their descriptions is available here. For press release, click here. For more information contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it