National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic cover derived from analysis of images collected during stratified random surveys (StRS) across American Samoa

Description

The benthic cover data in this collection result from the analysis of images produced by benthic photo-quadrat surveys. These surveys were conducted along transects at stratified random sites across American Samoa as a part of the ongoing National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP). Benthic cover data derived from this imagery are also included in this collection. A stratified random sampling (StRS) design was employed to survey the coral reef ecosystems throughout 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. The imagery were then analyzed to produce estimates of relative abundance (percent cover), frequency of occurrence, benthic community taxonomic composition, and relative generic richness. Benthic habitat imagery were quantitatively analyzed using a web-based annotation tool called CoralNet (Beijbom et al. 2015). In general, 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.).

Resources

Name Format Description Link
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2023. GCMD Keywords, Version 17. 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
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2023. GCMD Keywords, Version 17. 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
0 Institution web page https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/ecosystem_sciences/
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2023. GCMD Keywords, Version 17. 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
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2023. GCMD Keywords, Version 17. 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
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2023. GCMD Keywords, Version 17. 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
21 ERDDAP acts as a middleman between you and various remote data servers. ERDDAP offers an easy-to-use, consistent way to request data: via the OPeNDAP standard. Many datasets can also be accessed via ERDDAP's Web Map Service (WMS). ERDDAP returns data in the common file format of your choice. ERDDAP offers all data as .html table, ESRI .asc and .csv, Google Earth .kml, OPeNDAP binary, .mat, .nc, ODV .txt, .csv, .tsv, .json, and .xhtml. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/erddap/tabledap/CRCP_Benthic_Cover_American_Samoa.html
0 Information for contacts at NCEI. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact
0 Institution web page http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred
0 Institution web page http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred
0 Institution web page https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/ecosystem_sciences/
0 Institution web page http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred
0 Institution web page http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred
0 Institution web page https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/ecosystem_sciences/
0 Institution web page http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred
0 Information for contacts at NCEI. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact
0 InPort Record https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/25247
0 NCEI Documents only accession https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0157633
0 Institution web page https://coralreef.noaa.gov
0 InPort Record https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/25274
0 Navigate directly to the URL for a descriptive web page with download links. https://doi.org/10.7289/v52v2dfw
0 O. Beijbom, P. J. Edmunds, C. Roelfsema, J. Smith, D. I. Kline, B. Neal, M. J. Dunlap, V. Moriarty, T-Y. Fan, C-J. Tan, S. Chan, T. Treibitz, A. Gamst, B. G. Mitchell, D. Kriegman. "Towards automated annotation of benthic survey images: variability of human experts and operational modes of automation". PLOS One, July 2015. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0130312
0 Search for data granules belonging to this collection (a granule is the smallest aggregation of data that can be independently described and retrieved). https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/metadata/granule/geoportal/?from=0&size=10&esdsl=%7B%22query%22%3A%7B%22bool%22%3A%7B%22must%22%3A%5B%7B%22query_string%22%3A%7B%22analyze_wildcard%22%3Atrue%2C%22query%22%3A%22fileid%3ANCRMP-StRS-Images-AmSam.*%22%7D%7D%5D%7D%7D%7D#searchPanel
0 Search for data granules belonging to this collection (a granule is the smallest aggregation of data that can be independently described and retrieved). https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/metadata/granule/geoportal/?from=0&size=10&esdsl=%7B%22query%22%3A%7B%22bool%22%3A%7B%22must%22%3A%5B%7B%22query_string%22%3A%7B%22analyze_wildcard%22%3Atrue%2C%22query%22%3A%22fileid%3ANCRMP-StRS-Images-AmSam.*%22%7D%7D%5D%7D%7D%7D#searchPanel
0 Kohler, K.E. and S.M. Gill, 2006. Coral Point Count with Excel extensions (CPCe): A Visual Basic program for the determination of coral and substrate coverage using random point count methodology. Computers and Geosciences, Vol. 32, No. 9, pp. 1259-1269, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cageo.2005.11.009. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cageo.2005.11.009
0 Navigate directly to the URL for a descriptive web page with download links. https://doi.org/10.7289/v52v2dfw
0 Information for contacts at NCEI. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact
0 Institution web page http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred
0 Institution web page https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/ecosystem_sciences/
0 Institution web page http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred
0 Institution web page https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/ecosystem_sciences/
0 Institution web page http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred
0 Institution web page http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred
0 Institution web page https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/ecosystem_sciences/
0 Institution web page http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred
0 Institution web page https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/ecosystem_sciences/
0 Information for contacts at NCEI. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. 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
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. 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
0 InPort Record https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/25247
0 NCEI Documents only accession https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0157633
0 Institution web page https://coralreef.noaa.gov
0 InPort Record https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/25274
0 related journal article https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cageo.2005.11.009
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. 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
0 O. Beijbom, P. J. Edmunds, C. Roelfsema, J. Smith, D. I. Kline, B. Neal, M. J. Dunlap, V. Moriarty, T-Y. Fan, C-J. Tan, S. Chan, T. Treibitz, A. Gamst, B. G. Mitchell, D. Kriegman. "Towards automated annotation of benthic survey images: variability of human experts and operational modes of automation". PLOS One, July 2015. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0130312
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. 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
0 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. 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
21 ERDDAP acts as a middleman between you and various remote data servers. ERDDAP offers an easy-to-use, consistent way to request data: via the OPeNDAP standard. Many datasets can also be accessed via ERDDAP's Web Map Service (WMS). ERDDAP returns data in the common file format of your choice. ERDDAP offers all data as .html table, ESRI .asc and .csv, Google Earth .kml, OPeNDAP binary, .mat, .nc, ODV .txt, .csv, .tsv, .json, and .xhtml. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/erddap/tabledap/CRCP_Benthic_Cover_American_Samoa.html

Tags

  • crep
  • coral cover
  • ofu island (14s169w0013)
  • r5lm8g
  • united states of america
  • american samoa (14s170w0000)
  • reef monitoring and assessment
  • aquatic habitat
  • corals
  • tridacna
  • benthic habitat
  • coral reef ecosystem division
  • benthic
  • marine plants
  • pifsc
  • photograph analysis
  • in situ biological
  • biosphere
  • photographic analysis
  • machine-learning algorithm
  • national coral reef monitoring program
  • tutuila island (14s170w0016)
  • oceans
  • algae
  • marine invertebrates
  • american samoa
  • hard coral cover
  • numeric data sets
  • coral point count
  • rapid ecological assessment
  • algal cover
  • hard coral cover live percentage
  • baseline studies
  • macroinvertebrates
  • oceanography
  • coralnet
  • sponges
  • quadrat monitoring
  • swains atoll (11s171w0001)
  • habitats
  • national coral reef monitoring program (ncrmp)
  • ta'u island (14s169w0012)
  • pacific islands fisheries science center
  • manu'a group
  • olosega island (14s169w0014)
  • earth science
  • benthic biology
  • seagrass
  • triennial
  • vegetation
  • rea
  • olosega island
  • ramp
  • crustose coralline algae
  • y4ulfu
  • 843gh6
  • marine biology
  • coral communities
  • cred
  • mollusks
  • encrusting macroalgae
  • 5h5w7y
  • visual images
  • microbiota
  • benthos analysis
  • amsm
  • 743
  • lgfh3g
  • blue-green algae
  • transect monitoring
  • ofu (14s169w0002)
  • f1ndt2
  • reef habitat
  • reef assessment and monitoring program
  • ofu island
  • coral reef ecology
  • ocean basin
  • ecosystem sciences division
  • coral
  • esd
  • coastal processes
  • linear transect (point)
  • octocoral cover
  • olosega (14s169w0016)
  • zoology
  • coral reefs
  • rose atoll (14s168w0001)
  • pacific ocean
  • rapid assessment studies
  • country/territory
  • belt transect
  • turf algae
  • robot-assisted annotations
  • coral reef ecosystem program

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