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 American Samoa since 2015.
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/25383).
Resources
| Name | Format | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCRMP_CLIMATE_IMAGES_SAMOA_2023 | Unknown | Photoquadrat benthic images collected at NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) climate stations and permanent sites across American Samoa in 2023 by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD). | Open resource |
| NCRMP_CLIMATE_SITEINFO_SAMOA_2023.csv | Unknown | Metadata (site, date, and location) for photoquadrat benthic images collected at climate stations and permanent sites across American Samoa during RA2301 mission by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division. | Open resource |
| Climate Images SAMOA 2015 | Unknown | Photoquadrat benthic images collected at NCRMP climate stations and permanent sites across American Samoa in 2015 by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) | Open resource |
| Site Info SAMOA 2015.csv | Unknown | Metadata (site, date, and location) for photoquadrat benthic images collected at climate stations and permanent sites across American Samoa in 2015 during mission HA1501 by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division. | Open resource |
| Climate Images SAMOA 2018 | Unknown | Photoquadrat benthic images collected at NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) climate stations and permanent sites across American Samoa in 2018 by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD). | Open resource |
| Site Info SAMOA 2018.csv | Unknown | Metadata (site, date, and location) for photoquadrat benthic images collected at climate stations and permanent sites across American Samoa in 2018 during mission HA1801 by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division. | Open resource |
| National Coral Reef Monitoring Program | Unknown | NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) website. | Open resource |
| Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Keywords | Unknown | 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. | 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 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 Website | Unknown | Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center homepage | Open resource |
Tags
- 743
- american samoa
- american samoa (14s170w0000)
- aquatic habitat
- benthic
- benthic biology
- benthic habitat
- biosphere
- camera
- cameras
- central pacific ocean
- climate change
- coastal processes
- coral
- coral communities
- 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
- doc/noaa/nmfs/pifsc
- doc/noaa/nmfs/pifsc/esd
- earth science
- ecosystems
- ecosystem sciences division
- esd
- habitat - benthic
- habitats
- hi'ialakai
- imagery
- in situ
- in situ biological
- manu'a group
- marine biology
- marine ecosystems
- national coral reef monitoring program
- national marine fisheries service
- nmfs
- noaa
- ocean
- ocean basin
- ocean chemistry
- oceans
- ofu (14s169w0002)
- ofu island
- ofu island (14s169w0013)
- olosega (14s169w0016)
- olosega island
- olosega island (14s169w0014)
- pacific islands fisheries science center
- pacific ocean
- pacific reef and assessment monitoring program
- photograph
- photoquadrat images
- pifsc
- rainier
- ramp
- reef
- reef assessment and monitoring program
- reef habitat
- reef monitoring and assessment
- rose atoll (14s168w0001)
- rose atoll marine national monument
- south pacific ocean
- swains atoll (11s171w0001)
- ta'u island (14s169w0012)
- triennial
- tutuila island (14s170w0016)
- united states of america
- u.s. department of commerce
- us doc
- visual images
- zoology