National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic Images Collected During Photoquadrat Surveys at Climate Stations across the Mariana Archipelago since 2014

Description

The data described here are benthic images (photographs) collected during photoquadrat surveys conducted by the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD, formerly the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division) as part of NOAA's ongoing National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP). The photoquadrat surveys were conducted at coral reef sites according to protocols established by ESD and NCRMP during ESD-led NCRMP missions to the islands of the Mariana Archipelago since 2014.

SCUBA divers conducted benthic photoquadrat surveys at permanent sites established in coral reef habitats by ESD. A select number of these sites were chosen in hard-bottom habitat at ~15-m depths, and a subset of the permanent sites (climate stations) were established at north, south, east, and west points around each of the islands. The divers estimated and delineated each site's rectangular perimeter by temporarily placing measuring tapes with 1-m markers starting from a permanently installed reference stake on the reef. Along the nearshore 10-m side of the survey site and the downslope 5-m side, the measuring tapes marked every meter of the L-shaped 15-m transect used for photoquadrat documentation. The divers photographed the reef at 1-m intervals on both sides of the 15-m tape, generating 30 photographs per survey site.

The benthic images in this dataset are later analyzed by ESD to produce estimates of relative abundance (percentage of benthic cover), frequency of occurrence, benthic community taxonomic composition, and relative generic richness (documented and archived separately at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/36147).

Resources

Name Format Description Link
Climate Images MARIAN 2014 Unknown Photoquadrat benthic images collected at NCRMP climate stations and permanent sites across the Mariana archipelago in 2014 by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) Open resource
Site Info MARIAN 2014.csv Unknown Metadata (site, date, and location) for photoquadrat benthic images collected at climate stations and permanent sites across the Mariana Archipelago in 2014 by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP). Open resource
Site Info MARIAN 2014.csv Unknown Metadata (site, date, and location) for photoquadrat benthic images collected at climate stations and permanent sites across the Mariana Archipelago in 2014 by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP). Open resource
Climate Images MARIAN 2014 Unknown Photoquadrat benthic images collected at NCRMP climate stations and permanent sites across the Mariana archipelago in 2014 by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) Open resource
Climate Images Marianas 2017 Unknown Photoquadrat benthic images collected at NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) climate stations and permanent sites across the Mariana Archipelago in 2017 by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD). Open resource
Climate Images Marianas 2017 Unknown Photoquadrat benthic images collected at NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) climate stations and permanent sites across the Mariana Archipelago in 2017 by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD). Open resource
SiteInfo_Marianas_2017.csv Unknown Metadata (site, date, and location) for photoquadrat benthic images collected at climate stations and permanent sites across the Mariana Archipelago during mission HA1701 by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division. Open resource
SiteInfo_Marianas_2017.csv Unknown Metadata (site, date, and location) for photoquadrat benthic images collected at climate stations and permanent sites across the Mariana Archipelago during mission HA1701 by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division. Open resource
NCRMP_CLIMATE_SITEINFO_MARIAN_2022.csv Unknown Metadata (site, date, and location) for photoquadrat benthic images collected at climate stations and permanent sites across the Mariana Archipelago during RA2201 mission by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division. Open resource
NCRMP_CLIMATE_IMAGES_MARIAN_2022.zip Unknown Photoquadrat benthic images collected at NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) climate stations and permanent sites across the Mariana Archipelago in 2022 by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD). Open resource
NCRMP_CLIMATE_IMAGES_MARIAN_2022.zip Unknown Photoquadrat benthic images collected at NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) climate stations and permanent sites across the Mariana Archipelago in 2022 by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD). Open resource
NCRMP_CLIMATE_SITEINFO_MARIAN_2022.csv Unknown Metadata (site, date, and location) for photoquadrat benthic images collected at climate stations and permanent sites across the Mariana Archipelago during RA2201 mission by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division. 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
National Coral Reef Monitoring Program Unknown NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) website. Open resource
National Coral Reef Monitoring Program 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
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
PIFSC ESD: Coral Reefs in the Pacific Unknown Overview of NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division, Archipelagic Research Program's methods to assess corals. Open resource
PIFSC ESD: Coral Reefs in the Pacific Unknown Overview of NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division, Archipelagic Research Program's methods to assess corals. Open resource
Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Unknown NOAA Fisheries, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center website Open resource
Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Unknown NOAA Fisheries, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center website 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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