Description
The data described here result from benthic photo-quadrat surveys conducted along transects at stratified random sites across the American Samoa in 2015, 2018, and 2023 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: Taxa identification occurs at three functional group levels of benthic cover. Tier 1 (e.g., coral, soft coral, macroalgae, turf algae, etc.), Tier 2 (e.g., Coral = massive hard coral, branching hard coral, foliose hard coral, encrusting hard coral, etc.; Macroalga = upright macroalgae), and Tier 3 (e.g., Coral = Astreopora sp, Favia sp, Pocillopora, etc.; Macroalgae = Caulerpa sp, Dictyosphaeria sp, Padina sp, etc.). If Tier 3 resolution is not possible, the next finest resolution is used.
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.
The data from the benthic cover surveys can be accessed online via the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Ocean Archive.
Resources
| Name | Format | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCRMP_BIA_CNET_STRS_SAMOA_2023 | Unknown | Image analysis data derived from photoquadrat benthic images at NCRMP Stratified Random Survey sites across American Samoa in 2023 by the NOAA Ecosystem Science Division (ESD) | Open resource |
| MV_BIA_CNET_ANALYSIS_DATA SAMOA 2015.csv | Unknown | Image analysis data derived from photoquadrat benthic images at stratified random sites across American Samoa in 2015 by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) | Open resource |
| BENTHIC_COVER_SAMOA_StRS_2018.csv | Unknown | Open resource | |
| Citation URL | Unknown | Coral Point Count with Excel Extensions (CPCe) Home Page | Open resource |
| Citation URL | Unknown | CoralNet Home Page | Open resource |
| NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program Website | Unknown | Link to the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program website | 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 |
| 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 |
| NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) | NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. | Open resource | |
| PIFSC Website | Unknown | Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Website | Open resource |
| Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Website | Unknown | Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center homepage | Open resource |
| Citation URL | Unknown | Online Resource | Open resource |
Tags
- 743
- algae
- algal cover
- american samoa
- american samoa (14s170w0000)
- amsm
- aquatic habitat
- baseline studies
- belt transect
- benthic
- benthic biology
- benthic communities
- benthic habitat
- benthos analysis
- biosphere
- blue-green algae
- coastal processes
- community dynamics
- coral
- coral communities
- coral cover
- coralnet
- coral point count
- coral reef
- coral reef conservation program
- coral reef ecology
- coral reef ecosystem division
- coral reef ecosystem program
- coral reefs
- coral reef studies
- corals
- country/territory
- cred
- crep
- crustose coralline algae
- derived products
- doc/noaa/nmfs/pifsc
- doc/noaa/nmfs/pifsc/esd
- earth science
- ecological dynamics
- ecosystems
- ecosystem sciences division
- encrusting macroalgae
- esd
- hard coral cover
- hard coral cover live percentage
- in situ biological
- machine-learning algorithm
- macroinvertebrates
- manu'a group
- marine biology
- marine ecosystems
- marine invertebrates
- marine plants
- microbiota
- mollusks
- national coral reef monitoring program
- national marine fisheries service
- nmfs
- noaa
- numeric data sets
- ocean basin
- oceans
- octocoral cover
- ofu (14s169w0002)
- ofu island
- ofu island (14s169w0013)
- olosega (14s169w0016)
- olosega island
- olosega island (14s169w0014)
- pacific islands fisheries science center
- pacific ocean
- photograph
- photograph analysis
- photographic analysis
- pifsc
- point counts
- quadrat monitoring
- rainier
- ramp
- rapid assessment studies
- reef
- reef and/or bottom regime - percent cover
- reef assessment and monitoring program
- reef habitat
- reef monitoring and assessment
- robot-assisted annotations
- rose atoll (14s168w0001)
- rose atoll marine national monument
- seagrass
- south pacific ocean
- sponges
- swains atoll (11s171w0001)
- ta'u island (14s169w0012)
- transect monitoring
- tridacna
- turf algae
- tutuila island (14s170w0016)
- united states of america
- u.s. department of commerce
- us doc
- vegetation
- visual estimate
- zoology