Benthic surveys along a water quality gradient in Aua, American Samoa: comprehensive assessment of coral demography (adult and juvenile corals) from belt transect surveys in 2022

Description

This metadata record describes the coral demographic data of Aua Reef, American Samoa, generated from observations by divers of the Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) of the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC). Benthic coral demographic surveys were conducted within belt transects of specified length and width for two life stages (juveniles and adults) in Aua, American Samoa in September 2022. Surveys were conducted at 18 randomly-selected sites and provide information on adult coral colony counts, morphology, size, partial mortality (old and recent dead), presence of disease and other compromised health conditions, including bleaching. Juvenile colony surveys include morphology and size. Taxonomic identification of adult colonies is to the species level (where possible) and genus level for juveniles. The survey design and site selection of stratified-random sites (StRS) follows protocols established by the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP). Data from benthic surveys of Aua Reef 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 Coral demographic data of adult corals from belt transect surveys conducted by the NOAA PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) of Aua Reef, American Samoa in September 2022 https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0277490
0 Coral demographic data of juvenile corals from belt transect surveys conducted by the NOAA PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) of Aua Reef, American Samoa in September 2022. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0277490
0 View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/67995
0 Link to the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program website https://coralreef.noaa.gov
0 Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center homepage https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov
21 NOAA CRCP page 'Reduce Land-Based Sources of Pollution'; includes other related links https://coralreef.noaa.gov/issues/lbsp.html
0 Overview of NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division, Archipelagic Research Program's methods to assess corals. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/pacific-islands/ecosystems/coral-reefs-pacific
0 Overview of research and programs at the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/pacific-islands#science
0 The information provided on this page seeks to define how the GCMD Keywords are structured, used and accessed. It also provides information on how users can participate in the further development of the keywords. https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/learn/find-data/idn/gcmd-keywords
33 NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nmfs/pifsc/dmp/pdf/67995.pdf

Tags

  • benthic missions
  • doc/noaa/nmfs/pifsc
  • united states of america
  • reef monitoring and assessment
  • corals
  • coral - colony size
  • pifsc
  • in situ biological
  • biosphere
  • coral - species identification
  • survey - coral reef
  • oceans
  • coral reef conservation program
  • american samoa
  • survey - biological
  • aua (14s170w0028)
  • noaa
  • numeric data sets
  • coral - census
  • nmfs
  • baseline studies
  • biology
  • us doc
  • archipelagic research program
  • in situ
  • pacific islands fisheries science center
  • u.s. department of commerce
  • earth science
  • coral colony size and condition
  • benthic biology
  • national marine fisheries service
  • reef damage assessment
  • crcp
  • coral diseases
  • 31303
  • marine biology
  • land-based source pollution
  • coral communities
  • chartered vessel
  • pollution
  • linking watershed management actions to reef health in american samoa
  • benthos analysis
  • survey - swimmer/diver
  • transect monitoring
  • coral reef ecology
  • ocean basin
  • ecosystem sciences division
  • coral
  • esd
  • coastal processes
  • lbsp
  • coral mortality
  • tutuila island
  • arp
  • zoology
  • coral reefs
  • pacific ocean
  • country/territory
  • belt transect
  • south pacific ocean

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