Benthic photoquadrat imagery and benthic cover data collected in Nu'uuli Pala Lagoon and Backreef in American Samoa from 2024-11-11 to 2024-11-21

Description

This metadata record describes the benthic imagery, raw benthic cover, mean benthic cover, and mean macroalgae cover data of Nu'uuli Pala Lagoon and Backreef in American Samoa, produced from the benthic imagery analysis performed by the Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) of the Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) and funded by the Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP). Benthic imagery was collected at 20 randomly-selected sites during coral demographic surveys by the NOAA ESD during the 2024 fly-in mission to American Samoa (MP2502). After processing and sorting site photos, imagery was qualitatively analyzed using the web-based CoralNet image annotation tool. CoralNet projects random points on each image, and the benthic elements falling directly underneath each point are identified by trained scientists. Data from benthic surveys of Nu'uuli Pala Lagoon and Backreef establishes a comprehensive biological baseline for land-based sources of pollution impacts on benthic composition and coral demography. These efforts feed into the higher-level CRCP objectives by establishing an in-situ tracking system to assess the effects of management and mitigation strategies and activities in the target watersheds to reduce land-based sources of pollution impacts on coral reefs.

Resources

Name Format Description Link
0 List of survey sites, including site id, location (latitude/longitude), and survey date, where photoquads were collected. https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0308219
0 Photoquadrat benthic images collected in 2024 at 20 randomly selected sites (30 photos per site) in Nu'uuli, Tutuila, American Samoa via belt transect surveys of coral demography by the NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division , Archipelagic Research Program (ESD, ARP). https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0308219
0 View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/74828
0 Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center homepage https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov
0 CoralNet home page. The online tool used to analyze the benthic images for benthic cover. http://coralnet.ucsd.edu/
21 NOAA CRCP page 'Reduce Land-Based Sources of Pollution'; includes other related links https://coralreef.noaa.gov/issues/lbsp.html
0 Overview of research and programs at the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/pacific-islands#science
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 22. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
33 NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nmfs/pifsc/dmp/pdf/74828.pdf
0 Raw benthic cover data derived from analysis of benthic images collected during belt transect surveys conducted by the NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division, (ESD) in Nu'uuli Pala Lagoon and Backreef, Tutuila, American Samoa in 2024. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0308219
0 Mean macroalgae cover data calculated from ESD_BIA_CNET_ANALYSIS_Nuuuli_2024.csv. Benthic images collected during belt transect surveys conducted by the NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division, (ESD) in Nu'uuli Pala Lagoon and Backreef, Tutuila, American Samoa in 2024. https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0308219
0 Mean benthic cover data calculated from ESD_BIA_CNET_ANALYSIS_Nuuuli_2024.csv. Benthic images collected during belt transect surveys conducted by the NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division, (ESD) in Nu'uuli Pala Lagoon and Backreef, Tutuila, American Samoa in 2024. https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0308219
0 Raw benthic cover data derived from analysis of benthic images collected during belt transect surveys conducted by the NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division, (ESD) in Nu'uuli Pala Lagoon and Backreef, Tutuila, American Samoa in 2024. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0308219
0 List of survey sites, including site id, location (latitude/longitude), and survey date, where photoquads were collected. https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0308219
0 Photoquadrat benthic images collected in 2024 at 20 randomly selected sites (30 photos per site) in Nu'uuli, Tutuila, American Samoa via belt transect surveys of coral demography by the NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division , Archipelagic Research Program (ESD, ARP). https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0308219
0 Mean benthic cover data calculated from ESD_BIA_CNET_ANALYSIS_Nuuuli_2024.csv. Benthic images collected during belt transect surveys conducted by the NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division, (ESD) in Nu'uuli Pala Lagoon and Backreef, Tutuila, American Samoa in 2024. https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0308219
0 Mean macroalgae cover data calculated from ESD_BIA_CNET_ANALYSIS_Nuuuli_2024.csv. Benthic images collected during belt transect surveys conducted by the NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division, (ESD) in Nu'uuli Pala Lagoon and Backreef, Tutuila, American Samoa in 2024. https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0308219
0 View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/74828
0 Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center homepage https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov
0 CoralNet home page. The online tool used to analyze the benthic images for benthic cover. http://coralnet.ucsd.edu/
21 NOAA CRCP page 'Reduce Land-Based Sources of Pollution'; includes other related links https://coralreef.noaa.gov/issues/lbsp.html
0 Overview of research and programs at the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/pacific-islands#science
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 22. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords
33 NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nmfs/pifsc/dmp/pdf/74828.pdf

Tags

  • coral cover
  • doc/noaa/nmfs/pifsc
  • united states of america
  • reef monitoring and assessment
  • aquatic habitat
  • coral reef
  • corals
  • benthic habitat
  • benthic
  • ecosystems
  • pifsc
  • biosphere
  • photographic analysis
  • plants
  • anthozoans/hexacorals
  • oceans
  • algae
  • coral reef conservation program
  • benthic cover
  • american samoa
  • hard coral cover
  • macroalgal cover
  • aua (14s170w0028)
  • noaa
  • numeric data sets
  • algal cover
  • nmfs
  • biological classification
  • baseline studies
  • imagery
  • marine ecosystems
  • coralnet
  • us doc
  • archipelagic research program
  • pacific islands fisheries science center
  • u.s. department of commerce
  • earth science
  • macroalgae (seaweeds)
  • benthic biology
  • national marine fisheries service
  • vegetation
  • fleshy macroalgae
  • crustose coralline algae
  • 31454
  • land-based source pollution
  • encrusting macroalgae
  • benthos analysis
  • develop monitoring capacity of american samoan jurisdictional partners and observing lbsp impacts on
  • transect monitoring
  • reef habitat
  • image analyses
  • coral reef ecology
  • ocean basin
  • cnidarians
  • ecosystem sciences division
  • esd
  • coastal processes
  • lbsp
  • benthic communitiies
  • hard or stony corals
  • tutuila island
  • benthic species
  • reef
  • zoology
  • coral reefs
  • pacific ocean
  • animals/invertebrates
  • country/territory
  • belt transect
  • turf algae
  • south pacific ocean
  • coral reef studies

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