National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic Cover Derived from Analysis of Benthic Images Collected during Stratified Random Surveys (StRS) across the Mariana Archipelago since 2014

Description

This data has been combined into a US Pacific-wide InPort record: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/77771.

The data described here result from benthic photo-quadrat surveys conducted along transects at stratified random sites across the Mariana archipelago in 2014, 2017, and 2022 as a part of Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) surveys for corals and fish. Benthic habitat imagery were quantitatively analyzed using the Coral Point Count with Excel extensions (CPCe; Kohler and Gill, 2006) software from 2010-2014 and using the web-based annotation tool CoralNet (Beijbom et al. 2016) from 2015 to present. Images are analyzed to produce three functional group levels of benthic cover: Tier 1 (e.g., hard coral, soft coral, macroalgae, turf algae, etc.), Tier 2 (e.g., Hard Coral = massive, branching, foliose, encrusting, etc.; Macroalgae = upright macroalgae, encrusting macroalgae, bluegreen macroalgae, and Halimeda, etc.), and Tier 3 (e.g., Hard Coral = Astreopora sp, Favia sp, Pocillopora, etc.; Macroalgae = Caulerpa sp, Dictyosphaeria sp, Padina sp, etc.).

A stratified random sampling (StRS) design was employed to survey the coral reef ecosystems across the region. The survey domain encompassed the majority of the mapped area of reef and hard bottom habitats in the 0-30 m depth range. The stratification scheme included island, reef zone, and depth. Sampling effort was allocated based on strata area and sites were randomly located within strata. Sites were surveyed using photo-quadrats along transects to collect benthic imagery to ultimately produce estimates of relative abundance (benthic cover), frequency of occurrence, benthic community taxonomic composition and relative generic richness.

The StRS design effectively reduces estimate variance through stratification using environmental covariates and by sampling more sites rather than sampling more transects at a site. Therefore, site-level estimates and site to site comparisons should be used with caution.

Resources

Name Format Description Link
CNET_CLASSIFICATION_SCHEME_2022.csv Unknown Updated classification scheme that defines categories in photoquad annotations using CoralNet. Open resource
NCRMP_BIA_CNET_ANALYSIS_StRS_MARIAN_2022.csv Unknown Benthic cover data derived from analysis of photoquadrat benthic images collected from stratified random sites across the Mariana archipelago in 2022 by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division. Open resource
PIFSC_H-17-02_2017_SOP_ImageAnalysis_CN.pdf Unknown PIFSC Administrative Report, January 2017: Analysis of benthic survey images via CoralNet : a summary of standard operating procedures and guidelines Open resource
PIFSC_H-17-02_2017_SOP_ImageAnalysis_CN.pdf Unknown PIFSC Administrative Report, January 2017: Analysis of benthic survey images via CoralNet : a summary of standard operating procedures and guidelines Open resource
PIFSC_H-17-02_2017_SOP_ImageAnalysis_CN.pdf Unknown PIFSC Administrative Report, January 2017: Analysis of benthic survey images via CoralNet : a summary of standard operating procedures and guidelines Open resource
MV_BIA_CNET_ANALYSIS_DATA MARIAN 2014.csv Unknown Image analysis data derived from photoquadrat benthic images at stratified random sites across the Mariana archipelago in 2014 by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) Open resource
MV_BIA_CNET_ANALYSIS_DATA MARIAN 2014.csv Unknown Image analysis data derived from photoquadrat benthic images at stratified random sites across the Mariana archipelago in 2014 by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) Open resource
MV_BIA_CNET_ANALYSIS_DATA MARIAN 2014.csv Unknown Image analysis data derived from photoquadrat benthic images at stratified random sites across the Mariana archipelago in 2014 by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) Open resource
MV_BIA_CNET_ANALYSIS_DATA MARIAN 2017.csv Unknown Benthic cover data derived from analysis of photoquadrat benthic images collected from stratified random sites across the Mariana archipelago in 2017 by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division. Open resource
MV_BIA_CNET_ANALYSIS_DATA MARIAN 2017.csv Unknown Benthic cover data derived from analysis of photoquadrat benthic images collected from stratified random sites across the Mariana archipelago in 2017 by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division. Open resource
MV_BIA_CNET_ANALYSIS_DATA MARIAN 2017.csv Unknown Benthic cover data derived from analysis of photoquadrat benthic images collected from stratified random sites across the Mariana archipelago in 2017 by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division. Open resource
NCRMP_BIA_CNET_ANALYSIS_StRS_MARIAN_2022.csv Unknown Benthic cover data derived from analysis of photoquadrat benthic images collected from stratified random sites across the Mariana archipelago in 2022 by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division. Open resource
CNET_CLASSIFICATION_SCHEME_2022.csv Unknown Updated classification scheme that defines categories in photoquad annotations using CoralNet. Open resource
NCRMP_BIA_CNET_ANALYSIS_StRS_MARIAN_2022.csv Unknown Benthic cover data derived from analysis of photoquadrat benthic images collected from stratified random sites across the Mariana archipelago in 2022 by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division. Open resource
CNET_CLASSIFICATION_SCHEME_2022.csv Unknown Updated classification scheme that defines categories in photoquad annotations using CoralNet. Open resource
Citation URL Unknown Coral Point Count with Excel Extensions (CPCe) Home Page Open resource
Citation URL Unknown Coral Point Count with Excel Extensions (CPCe) Home Page Open resource
Citation URL Unknown Coral Point Count with Excel Extensions (CPCe) Home Page Open resource
Citation URL Unknown CoralNet Home Page Open resource
Citation URL Unknown CoralNet Home Page Open resource
Citation URL Unknown CoralNet Home Page Open resource
GCMD Keyword Forum Page Unknown Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2024. GCMD Keywords, Version 19. 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 Open resource
GCMD Keyword Forum Page Unknown Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2024. GCMD Keywords, Version 19. 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 Open resource
GCMD Keyword Forum Page Unknown 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 Open resource
Citation URL Unknown NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) website. Open resource
Citation URL Unknown NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) website. Open resource
Citation URL Unknown NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) website. Open resource
Full Metadata Record Unknown View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. Open resource
Full Metadata Record Unknown View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. Open resource
Full Metadata Record Unknown View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. Open resource
NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) PDF NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. Open resource
NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) PDF NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. Open resource
NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) PDF NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. Open resource
Citation URL Unknown Online Resource Open resource
Citation URL Unknown Online Resource Open resource
Citation URL Unknown Online Resource Open resource
Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Website Unknown Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center homepage Open resource
Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Website Unknown Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center homepage Open resource
Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Website Unknown Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center homepage Open resource

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