National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Coral demographic data (adult and juvenile corals, species, colony length, condition, etc.) collected during Stratified Random Surveys (StRS) across the US Pacific since 2013 derived from in-situ diver surveys and structure-from-motion imagery

Description

The data described here result from benthic coral demographic surveys within belt transects of specified length and width for two life stages (juveniles and adults) across the US Pacific since 2013. This data is collected as part of the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) and Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD; formerly the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division) led National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) missions around the Mariana Archipelago, American Samoa, Pacific Remote Island Areas, and the Hawaiian Archipelago since 2013.

The in-situ diver coral demographic surveys are part of the Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) surveys for corals and fish conducted during ESD-led NCRMP missions. From 2013 to 2017, a two-stage stratified random sampling (StRS) design was used to survey the coral reef ecosystems across sub-island sectors and three depth strata (shallow: 0-6m, mid: 6-18m and deep: >18m). Starting in 2018 a one-stage StRS design was employed. These sites represent a broad range of depths (1-25 m), habitat types (aggregate reef, patch reef, pavement, rock and boulder and rubble), coral cover, and diving conditions. Allocation of sampling effort was proportional to strata area and variance in coral density. 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.

Starting in 2023 coral demographic data was also derived by the GIS analysis of benthic Structure from Motion (SfM) imagery. The source imagery was collected during in-water surveys conducted by divers, and is documented separately here: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/63095.During each SfM survey, an 18m transect line was deployed along the isobath and photographed using underwater cameras while swimming in a back and forth swim pattern for later processing. At depths of 0-18m, SfM surveys were conducted over a 3 x 20m area and at depths >18m, a 3 x 13m area was surveyed, both with the transect running down the middle of the survey area. The photographs were processed using Agisoft Metashape software to generate orthomosaic images that were analyzed in ArcGIS for juvenile and adult coral colony demographic metrics.

The data provide information on adult coral colony counts, morphology, size, partial mortality (old and recent dead), presence and causation of disease and other compromised health conditions, including bleaching. Juvenile colony surveys include morphology and size. Taxonomic identification of adult colonies is to the lowest taxonomic level possible and genus level for juveniles. Some segment observations were repeated for internal quality control starting in 2019, and indicated with a repeat segment flag and transectnum = -999; use column OG_OR_RPT_SEG to filter for only original segments. Refer to data dictionaries for details on column conditions.

The raw data also include individual observations of crustose coralline algae diseases and Alcyonarian disease type and lesion size as well as the presence of other Anthozoans, such as other cnidarians including Alcyonareans, Zoantharians, Corallimorpharians, and Antipatharians (does not apply to PMNM surveys conducted in 2014 and 2015 or surveys conducted after 2017).

Resources

Name Format Description Link
Benthic Monitoring Briefs since 2016 Unknown NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) Benthic Monitoring Briefs available for FTP download for surveys starting in 2016. Monitoring briefs provide timely release of a summary overview of monitoring effort and preliminary data following a research expedition led by ESD, including Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program cruises and other missions. This type of report is intended as an initial and provisional summary of the data collected, and the information contained in these briefs is subject to change.
NCRMP_CORAL_ADU_OBS_2013-2023.csv Unknown Metadata for each survey site (site information, survey date, and location), site characteristics (depth, reef type, habitat), data collection method (Diver or SfM) and individual adult coral colony observations identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible (usually species) including morphology, empirical size measurement, and all other recorded colony attributes including partial mortality and condition. Surveys were conducted by the NOAA Fisheries Ecosystem Sciences Division across the US Pacific from 2013 to present. Note a repeat segment flag was included in 2019 to mark those repeated for internal review. To use without repeats, filter for OG_OR_RPT= 0 or filter out TRANSECTNUM = -999. Analysis is recommended at genus level; note any changes to genus codes using the reference table provided. Open resource
REFERENCE_GENUS_SPCODE.csv Unknown Lookup table for species and taxon codes used by the NOAA Fisheries Ecosystem Sciences Division across the US Pacific. Note: 'AAAA' is used to denote no colonies observed. Genus is provided as it is recommended that analysis is performed at that level. This table also indicates any changes to taxonomic codes that are present in the original data. Open resource
NCRMP_CORAL_JUV_OBS_2013-2023.csv Unknown Metadata for each survey site (site information, survey date and location), site characteristics (depth, reef type, habitat), data collection method (diver or SfM), and individual juvenile coral colony observations identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible (genus) including morphology and empirical size measurement. Surveys were conducted by the NOAA Fisheries Ecosystem Sciences Division across the US Pacific from 2013 to present. Note a repeat segment flag was included in 2019 to mark those repeated for internal review. To use without repeats, filter for OG_OR_RPT_SEG = 0 or TRANSECTNUM = -999. Analysis is recommended at genus level; note any changes to genus codes using the reference table provided. 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
Ecosystem Sciences Division Standard Operating Procedures: Data Collection for Rapid Ecological Assessment Benthic Surveys, 2018 Update Unknown SOPs for Benthic REA Surveys from 2018 Open resource
Processing Photomosaic Imagery of Coral Reefs Using Structure-from-Motion Standard Operating Procedures Unknown SOP for data collection from Structure from Motion surveys. 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
NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) PDF NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. Open resource
Coral Reefs in the Pacific Unknown NOAA Fisheries Website Open resource
Survey Methods Unknown NOAA Fisheries, Pacific Islands website Open resource
NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Region - Science Overview Unknown NOAA Fisheries Website Open resource
Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Website Unknown Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center homepage Open resource

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