Pacific Reef Monitoring and Assessment Program: Line-Point-Intercept (LPI) Surveys for Benthic Cover at Coral Reef Sites across the Pacific Ocean from 2005 to 2012

Description

A REA survey is a collection of inter-disciplinary protocols for gathering data pertaining to ecologically relevant biological components of a reef habitat over small spatial scales. A key facet of a REA survey includes specialists in different disciplines, including Fish, Coral, Algae, and Invertebrates. The REA surveys are conducted along a set of transect lines that are laid out by the first team to enter the water (i.e. the fish team). In this way, all of the biotic observations are referenced with regard to the same spatial coordinates, producing a more integrated biological description of a reef community than would any single, specialized survey.

At each REA survey site, the Line-Point-Intercept methodology is implemented to quantitatively document the benthic cover along two consecutively placed, 25 m line transects (with a 5 m inter-transect distance). The LPI diver determines the benthic composition at pre-determined intervals along the transect line. During the initial years of RAMP (2005-2008) LPI surveys were conducted at 50-cm intervals for a total of 50 data points per transect; subsequently (2010–2012) LPI surveys were conducted at 20-cm intervals for a total of 125 data points per transect.

All living benthic elements (e.g., coral, algae, and other sessile invertebrates) are identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible, often substituting functional group categories for turf algae and crustose coralline algae when identification in the field is extremely difficult. Raw survey data consist of counts of benthic elements, including but not limited to live coral, dead coral, carbonate pavement, sand, coral rubble, fleshy macroalgae, crustose coralline algae, turfalgae, as well as other sessile invertebrates along the two transects. The data allows for the assessment and monitoring of community structure and composition, and provide the basis for computing quantitative estimates of percent benthic cover at higher taxonomic levels like functional group (live coral, macroalgae, turf algae) or on a finer taxonomic resolution such as genus level.

Resources

Name Format Description Link
V0_BENT_LPI.csv Unknown Observations from LPI surveys conducted by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) across the U.S. Pacific Reefs from 2005 - 2012. Open resource
V0_BENT_LPI.csv Unknown Observations from LPI surveys conducted by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) across the U.S. Pacific Reefs from 2005 - 2012. Open resource
V0_BENT_LPI.csv Unknown Observations from LPI surveys conducted by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) across the U.S. Pacific Reefs from 2005 - 2012. Open resource
NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program Website Unknown Link to the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program website Open resource
NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program Website Unknown Link to the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program website 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). 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
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
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
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
NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) PDF NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. 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
Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Website Unknown Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center homepage Open resource
Citation URL Unknown Overview of NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) benthic monitoring efforts Open resource
Citation URL Unknown Overview of NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) benthic monitoring efforts Open resource
Citation URL Unknown Overview of NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) benthic monitoring efforts Open resource
Citation URL Unknown Official NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) website, Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (Pacific RAMP) project page. Open resource
Citation URL Unknown Official NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) website, Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (Pacific RAMP) project page. Open resource
Citation URL Unknown Official NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) website, Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (Pacific RAMP) project page. Open resource
Citation URL Unknown Overview of NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) survey methods Open resource
Citation URL Unknown Overview of NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) survey methods Open resource
Citation URL Unknown Overview of NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) survey methods Open resource

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