Benthic Surveys in Vatia, American Samoa: comprehensive assessment of coral demography (adult and juvenile corals) from belt transect surveys in 2015 and 2020
Data Set (DS) | Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC)GUID: gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:30771 | Updated: October 3, 2024 | Published / External
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Summary
Short Citation
Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, 2025: Benthic Surveys in Vatia, American Samoa: comprehensive assessment of coral demography (adult and juvenile corals) from belt transect surveys in 2015 and 2020, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/30771.
Full Citation Examples
Jurisdictional managers have expressed concerns that nutrients from the village of Vatia, Tutuila, American Samoa, are having an adverse effect on the adjacent coral reef ecosystem. Excess nutrient loads promote increases in algal growth that can have deleterious effects on corals, such as benthic algae outcompeting and overgrowing corals. Nitrogen and phosphorus can also directly impact corals by lowering fertilization success, and reducing both photosynthesis and calcification rates. Land-based contributions of nutrients come from a variety of sources; in Vatia the most likely sources are poor wastewater management from piggeries and septic systems.
NOAA scientists conducted benthic surveys to establish a baseline against which to compare changes in the algal and coral assemblages in response to land-based sources of pollution, including nutrient fluxes.
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) in Vatia Bay American Samoa in 2015, and 2020. 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 species level and genus level for juveniles.
In 2015, the survey implemented a two-stage stratified random sampling (StRS) design to assess the Vatia coral reef community, and a one-stage StRS design in 2020. 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 cardinal position (i.e., north and south) and depth (i.e., shallow: >0–6 m and mid-depth: >6–18 m). Sampling effort allocation was determined based on strata area and sites randomly located within strata. The StRS design effectively reduces estimate variance through stratification using environmental covariates and by sampling more sites rather than more transects per site. Therefore, site-to-site comparisons should proceed with caution.
Distribution Information
-
PDF - Adobe Portable Document Format
Draft Coral Reef Ecosystem Program - Standard Operating Procedures: Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) Benthic Survey Data Collection - latest draft as of March 21, 2016. Refer to the Methodology - Benthic Survey sections only for the survey methodology details, as the other components are not relevant to this particular set of non-RAMP surveys.
-
CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text), 1496 KB
Coral demographic data of adult corals from belt transect surveys conducted by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) in Vatia Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa in 2015.
-
CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text), 118 KB
Coral demographic data of juvenile corals from belt transect surveys conducted by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) in Vatia Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa in 2015.
-
CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text)
Coral demographic data of adult corals from belt transect surveys conducted by the NOAA PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) in Vatia Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa in 2020.
-
CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text)
Coral demographic data of juvenile corals from belt transect surveys conducted by the NOAA PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) in Vatia Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa in 2020.
None
Please cite NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) when using the data.
Example
Cite as: Vargas-Angel, Bernardo; Coral Reef Ecosystem Program; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2017). Benthic Surveys in Vatia, American Samoa since 2015: comprehensive assessment of coral demography (adult and juvenile corals) from belt transect surveys in 2015. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/30771
Controlled Theme Keywords
biota
Child Items
Type | Title |
---|---|
Entity | View: V0_CORAL_OBS_E |
Entity | View: V0_CORAL_OBS_F |
Contact Information
Point of Contact
Bernardo Vargas-Angel
bernardo.vargasangel@noaa.gov
(808)725-5423
Metadata Contact
Brooke Olenski
brooke.olenski@noaa.gov
Extents
-170.67555555556° W,
-170.66666666667° E,
-14.24305555556° N,
-14.25138888889° S
Vatia Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa
2015-11-02 - 2015-11-12
Coral demographic surveys in 2015
2020-01-15 - 2020-01-30
Coral demographic surveys in 2020
Item Identification
Title: | Benthic Surveys in Vatia, American Samoa: comprehensive assessment of coral demography (adult and juvenile corals) from belt transect surveys in 2015 and 2020 |
---|---|
Short Name: | Vatia: BLT 2015 and 2020 |
Status: | Completed |
Publication Date: | 2017 |
Abstract: |
Jurisdictional managers have expressed concerns that nutrients from the village of Vatia, Tutuila, American Samoa, are having an adverse effect on the adjacent coral reef ecosystem. Excess nutrient loads promote increases in algal growth that can have deleterious effects on corals, such as benthic algae outcompeting and overgrowing corals. Nitrogen and phosphorus can also directly impact corals by lowering fertilization success, and reducing both photosynthesis and calcification rates. Land-based contributions of nutrients come from a variety of sources; in Vatia the most likely sources are poor wastewater management from piggeries and septic systems. NOAA scientists conducted benthic surveys to establish a baseline against which to compare changes in the algal and coral assemblages in response to land-based sources of pollution, including nutrient fluxes.
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) in Vatia Bay American Samoa in 2015, and 2020. 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 species level and genus level for juveniles. In 2015, the survey implemented a two-stage stratified random sampling (StRS) design to assess the Vatia coral reef community, and a one-stage StRS design in 2020. 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 cardinal position (i.e., north and south) and depth (i.e., shallow: >0–6 m and mid-depth: >6–18 m). Sampling effort allocation was determined based on strata area and sites randomly located within strata. The StRS design effectively reduces estimate variance through stratification using environmental covariates and by sampling more sites rather than more transects per site. Therefore, site-to-site comparisons should proceed with caution. |
Purpose: |
These data were generated from benthic surveys undertaken in Vatia Bay to establish a comprehensive baseline, status, and trends for benthic composition and coral demographics, and are part of a broader NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) funded project led by NCCOS and ESD to assess eutrophication impacts on coral ecosystem health in the bay. These efforts feed into the higher-level CRCP objectives by establishing an in-situ tracking system to assess the effects of management and mitigation strategies and activities in the target watersheds to reduce land-based sources of pollution. |
Other Citation Details: |
Vargas-Angel B, Schumacher BD. 2018. Baseline surveys for coral reef community structure and demographics in Vatia Bay and Faga'alu Bay, American Samoa. Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, PIFSC Special Publication, SP-18-002, 38 p. https://doi.org/10.7289/V5/SP-PIFSC-18-002. and Vargas-Ángel B, Huntington B. 2020. Status and Trends Assessment of Benthic Coral Reef Communities in Vatia Bay, American Samoa, 2015–2020. Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, PIFSC Data Report, DR-20-020, 34p. https://doi.org/10.25923/r7dd-wg50, https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/27437 |
Supplemental Information: |
Monthly water quality sampling for nitrate/nitrite, ammonium, urea, total nitrogen, orthophosphorus, and total phosphorus data are also collected as part of this project to quantify the nutrient dynamics of the Bay. These additional data are described separately by the NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS); see citation below. Whitall, D, M Curtis, A Mason, B Vargas-Angel. 2019. Excess Nutrients in Vatia Bay, American Samoa: Spatiotemporal Variability, Source Identification and Impact on Coral Reef Ecosystems. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 266. Silver Spring. 69 pages. doi:10.25923/j8cp-x570 |
Keywords
Theme Keywords
Thesaurus | Keyword |
---|---|
ISO 19115 Topic Category |
biota
|
UNCONTROLLED | |
CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus | Numeric Data Sets > Biology |
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus | EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals |
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus | EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Coral Diseases |
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus | EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Coral Mortality |
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus | EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Damage Assessment > Pollution |
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus | EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment |
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus | EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Baseline studies |
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus | EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Benthos Analysis > Transect Monitoring > Belt Transect |
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus | EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Coral Colony Size and Condition |
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus | EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > In Situ Biological |
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus | EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs |
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus | EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology |
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus | EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Benthic biology |
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus | EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Coral |
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus | EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Coral Communities |
CRCP Project | 31090 |
CRCP Project | Eutrophication Impacts on Coral Ecosystem Health in Vatia, American Samoa |
NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS | CORAL |
NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS | CORAL - CENSUS |
NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS | CORAL - COLONY SIZE |
NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS | CORAL - SPECIES IDENTIFICATION |
NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS | survey - biological |
NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS | survey - coral reef |
NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS | survey - swimmer/diver |
NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS | Coral Reef Conservation Program |
NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS | US DOC; NOAA; NMFS; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center; Ecosystem Sciences Division; Coral Reef Ecosystem Program |
None | Coral Reef Ecosystem Division |
None | Coral Reef Ecosystem Program |
None | CRED |
None | CREP |
None | Ecosystem Sciences Division |
None | ESD |
None | Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center |
None | PIFSC |
Spatial Keywords
Thesaurus | Keyword |
---|---|
UNCONTROLLED | |
CoRIS Place Thesaurus | COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > Tutuila Island > Vatia Bay (14S170W0028) |
CoRIS Place Thesaurus | OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Tutuila Island > Vatia Bay (14S170W0028) |
NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS | South Pacific Ocean |
None | Vatia |
Physical Location
Organization: | Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center |
---|---|
City: | Honolulu |
State/Province: | HI |
Country: | USA |
Data Set Information
Data Set Scope Code: | Data Set |
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Data Set Type: | CSV Files |
Maintenance Frequency: | None Planned |
Data Presentation Form: | Table (digital) |
Entity Attribute Overview: |
Raw data include individual colony records with the corresponding physical data which reflect the description of the site. An individual colony record for adult corals includes colony species/genus identification, morphology, maximum diameter (centimeter), percent old dead, percent recent dead, cause of recent dead general category, cause of recent dead specific category, condition, extent and severity. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/30772 Juvenile coral colony records include colony species/genus identification, morphology, maximum diameter (centimeter). https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/30773 The physical record for juvenile and adult corals includes the following: region, island, site, date (day, month, year), latitude (decimal degrees), longitude (decimal degrees), transect, segment, segment length, segment width, minimum depth (feet), and maximum depth. |
Distribution Liability: |
While every effort has been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the limits of the current state of the art, NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by errors or omissions in the data, nor as a result of the failure of the data to function on a particular system. NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. |
Data Set Credit: | PIFSC Coral Reef Ecosystem Program and funded by the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program |
Support Roles
Data Steward
Date Effective From: | 2015 |
---|---|
Date Effective To: | |
Contact (Person): | Vargas-Angel, Bernardo |
Address: |
1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu, HI 96818 USA |
Email Address: | bernardo.vargasangel@noaa.gov |
Phone: | (808)725-5423 |
Contact Instructions: |
Email preferred |
Distributor
Date Effective From: | 2017 |
---|---|
Date Effective To: | |
Contact (Organization): | NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) |
Email Address: | ncei.info@noaa.gov |
URL: | NCEI Contact Information |
Metadata Contact
Date Effective From: | 2021 |
---|---|
Date Effective To: | |
Contact (Person): | Olenski, Brooke |
Email Address: | brooke.olenski@noaa.gov |
Originator
Date Effective From: | 2015 |
---|---|
Date Effective To: | |
Contact (Organization): | NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) |
Address: |
1305 East West Highway 10th Floor Silver Spring, MD 20910-3281 |
Phone: | (301) 713-3155 |
URL: | https://coralreef.noaa.gov |
Contact Instructions: |
Funders |
Originator
Date Effective From: | 2015 |
---|---|
Date Effective To: | |
Contact (Organization): | Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) |
Address: |
1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu, HI 96818 USA |
Email Address: | pifsc.info@noaa.gov |
Phone: | 808-725-5360 |
URL: | https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov |
Business Hours: | 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. |
Point of Contact
Date Effective From: | 2015 |
---|---|
Date Effective To: | |
Contact (Person): | Vargas-Angel, Bernardo |
Address: |
1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu, HI 96818 USA |
Email Address: | bernardo.vargasangel@noaa.gov |
Phone: | (808)725-5423 |
Contact Instructions: |
Email preferred |
Extents
Currentness Reference: | Ground Condition |
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Extent Group 1
Extent Description: |
Vatia Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa |
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Extent Group 1 / Geographic Area 1
W° Bound: | -170.67555555556 | |
---|---|---|
E° Bound: | -170.66666666667 | |
N° Bound: | -14.24305555556 | |
S° Bound: | -14.25138888889 | |
Description |
Vatia Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa |
Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 1
Time Frame Type: | Range |
---|---|
Start: | 2015-11-02 |
End: | 2015-11-12 |
Description: |
Coral demographic surveys in 2015 |
Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 2
Time Frame Type: | Range |
---|---|
Start: | 2020-01-15 |
End: | 2020-01-30 |
Description: |
Coral demographic surveys in 2020 |
Access Information
Security Class: | Unclassified |
---|---|
Security Classification System: |
Not applicable |
Security Handling Description: |
Not applicable |
Data Access Policy: |
NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) Data Sharing Recommendations, version 9.0 updated August 12, 2015: CREP welcomes the opportunity to collaborate on research issues contributing to the scientific basis for better management of marine ecosystems. CREP has a very diverse set of field activities that generates large volumes of data using an array of data collection protocols. The following recommendations are for your consideration as you use this data: 1) Data analyses should take all field exigencies into account. The most effective way to do this would be active collaboration with CREP principal investigators. 2) In all presentations, product releases, or publications using data generated by CREP, proper acknowledgement of both CREP and the individuals responsible for data collection is expected. Citing the DOI (if available) is preferred, a non-DOI example is listed below. 3) If you collect or generate data for the same study areas, CREP requests that you share relevant information on complimentary data collections. 4) Those receiving data are strongly urged to inform the CREP Data Management Team of any errors and discrepancies that are discovered during the course of using these data. They are further urged to bring to the attention of the Team all problems and difficulties encountered in using these data. This information is necessary in order to improve the collections and to facilitate more efficient and economical data processing and retrieval. The users are asked to supply copies of any missing data that may be located, and to provide information as to significant subsets and special aggregations of data that are developed in using the material provided. Example citation: "This publication makes use of data products provided by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with funding support from the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP). The analysis and interpretations presented here are solely that of the current authors.” |
Data Access Procedure: |
Data can be accessed online via the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Ocean Archive. |
Data Access Constraints: |
None |
Data Use Constraints: |
Please cite NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) when using the data. Example Cite as: Vargas-Angel, Bernardo; Coral Reef Ecosystem Program; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2017). Benthic Surveys in Vatia, American Samoa since 2015: comprehensive assessment of coral demography (adult and juvenile corals) from belt transect surveys in 2015. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/30771 |
Metadata Access Constraints: |
None |
Metadata Use Constraints: |
None |
Distribution Information
Distribution 1
Download URL: | https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0146680 |
---|---|
Distributor: | NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) (2017 - Present) |
File Name: | Draft_StRS_coralsurvey_2014.pdf |
Description: |
Draft Coral Reef Ecosystem Program - Standard Operating Procedures: Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) Benthic Survey Data Collection - latest draft as of March 21, 2016. Refer to the Methodology - Benthic Survey sections only for the survey methodology details, as the other components are not relevant to this particular set of non-RAMP surveys. |
File Date/Time: | 2016-03-21 00:00:00 |
File Type (Deprecated): | |
Distribution Format: | PDF - Adobe Portable Document Format |
Distribution 2
Download URL: | https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0165016 |
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Distributor: | NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) (2017 - Present) |
File Name: | V0_CORAL_OBS_E VATIA.csv |
Description: |
Coral demographic data of adult corals from belt transect surveys conducted by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) in Vatia Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa in 2015. |
File Date/Time: | 2016-03-14 00:00:00 |
File Type (Deprecated): | csv (comma-separated values) |
Distribution Format: | CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) |
File Size: | 1496 KB |
Distribution 3
Download URL: | https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0165016 |
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Distributor: | NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) (2017 - Present) |
File Name: | V0_CORAL_OBS_F VATIA.csv |
Description: |
Coral demographic data of juvenile corals from belt transect surveys conducted by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) in Vatia Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa in 2015. |
File Date/Time: | 2016-02-17 00:00:00 |
File Type (Deprecated): | csv (comma-separated values) |
Distribution Format: | CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) |
File Size: | 118 KB |
Distribution 4
Download URL: | https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0240417 |
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Distributor: | NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) (2017 - Present) |
File Name: | V0_CORAL_OBS_E VATIA_2020.csv |
Description: |
Coral demographic data of adult corals from belt transect surveys conducted by the NOAA PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) in Vatia Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa in 2020. |
File Date/Time: | 2021-05-04 00:00:00 |
File Type (Deprecated): | csv (comma-separated values) |
Distribution Format: | CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) |
Distribution 5
Download URL: | https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0240417 |
---|---|
Distributor: | NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) (2017 - Present) |
File Name: | V0_CORAL_OBS_F VATIA_2020.csv |
Description: |
Coral demographic data of juvenile corals from belt transect surveys conducted by the NOAA PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) in Vatia Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa in 2020. |
File Date/Time: | 2021-05-04 00:00:00 |
File Type (Deprecated): | csv (comma-separated values) |
Distribution Format: | CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) |
URLs
URL 1
URL: | https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/projects/detail?key=245 |
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URL Type: |
Online Resource
|
File Resource Format: | HTML |
Description: |
NCCOS Project Details: Nutrient Dynamics and Changes to Benthic Communities in Vatia, American Samoa |
URL 2
URL: | ftp://ftp.library.noaa.gov/noaa_documents.lib/NMFS/PIFSC/PIFSC_special_publication/SP-16-001.pdf |
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URL Type: |
Online Resource
|
File Resource Format: | |
Description: |
A summary of the monitoring activities conducted in Vatia Bay by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program. |
URL 3
URL: | https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred/corals.php |
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URL Type: |
Online Resource
|
File Resource Format: | PHP |
Description: |
Overview of NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program's methods to assess corals. |
Technical Environment
Description: |
PIFSC Oracle database views: v0_coral_obs_e and v0_coral_obs_f (date and location selection criteria required to subset the dataset) |
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Data Quality
Accuracy: |
Observations were made by experienced benthic survey personnel who have been trained, undergone a series of calibration surveys and coral taxon identification testing, and have met a set of minimum standards for colony assessment and taxon identification in each region. The accuracy of species and genus level identification was high. The lowest taxonomic level of coral identification was genus except for a select number of species that were consistently identified to species by all divers conducting the surveys. Handheld GPS units were used to locate sites and mark site locations. |
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Analytical Accuracy: |
The taxon code AAAA is included where the segment was surveyed and no individual colonies were found in both the juvenile and adult colony records. These are true zeros. The value -9 is a placeholder or missing value for the fields: colony length, colony width (juveniles), extent, and severity. The value -1 is included where a coral colony is a fragment. |
Bias: |
While colony lengths are derived from physical measurements, recent and old mortality are visual estimates; surveyors calibrate to reduce inter-observer bias |
Comparability: |
Site GPS location and depth are appropriately collected to allow spatiotemporal comparisons. |
Completeness Measure: |
Complete. All planned demographic data were collected. |
Completeness Report: |
Only forereef, hard bottom habitats were surveyed. |
Conceptual Consistency: |
Survey methods were consistent across all sites. |
Quality Control Procedures Employed: |
The quality control occurred at two major stages - 1) data entry and 2) data management. Data entry quality control included both review and manual error correction steps. Data management quality control included several standard error queries followed by correction prior to ingestion into Oracle database. |
Data Management
Have Resources for Management of these Data Been Identified?: | Yes |
---|---|
Approximate Percentage of Budget for these Data Devoted to Data Management: | Unknown |
Do these Data Comply with the Data Access Directive?: | Yes |
Is Access to the Data Limited Based on an Approved Waiver?: | No |
Approximate Delay Between Data Collection and Dissemination: | Unknown |
Actual or Planned Long-Term Data Archive Location: | NCEI-MD |
Approximate Delay Between Data Collection and Archiving: | Unknown |
How Will the Data Be Protected from Accidental or Malicious Modification or Deletion Prior to Receipt by the Archive?: |
NOAA IRC and NOAA Fisheries ITS resources and assets. |
Lineage
Lineage Statement: |
The data described here were collected via belt transect surveys of coral demography (adult and juvenile corals) by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) following the same protocol to that established by the NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP). |
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Sources
Baseline surveys for coral reef community structure and demographics in Vatia and Faga'alu Bay, American Samoa
Contact Role Type: | Originator |
---|---|
Contact Type: | Organization |
Contact Name: | NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center |
Citation URL: | https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/17369 |
Citation URL Name: | PIFSC special publication ; SP-18-002 |
Citation URL Description: |
Vargas-Angel, B., B.D. Schumacher. (2018). Baseline Surveys for Coral Reef Community Structure and Demographics in Vatia and Faga'alu Bay, American Samoa NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, PIFSC Special Publication, SP-18-002, 38 p. 4 |
Ecosystem Sciences Division standard operating procedures: data collection for rapid ecological assessment benthic surveys
Contact Role Type: | Originator |
---|---|
Contact Type: | Organization |
Contact Name: | NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center |
Citation URL: | https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/18267 |
Citation URL Name: | NOAA technical memorandum NMFS-PIFSC ; 71 |
Citation URL Description: |
Swanson, D., Bailey, H., Schumacher, B., Ferguson, M., and B. Vargas-Ángel. 2018. Ecosystem Sciences Division Standard Operating Procedures: Data Collection for Rapid Ecological Assessment Benthic Surveys. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-PIFSC-71, 63 p. https://doi.org/10.25923/39jh-8993 |
Ecosystem Sciences Division Standard Operating Procedures: Data Collection for Rapid Ecological Assessment Benthic Surveys, 2019 Update
Contact Role Type: | Originator |
---|---|
Contact Type: | Organization |
Contact Name: | NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center |
Citation URL: | https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/23951 |
Citation URL Name: | NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-PIFSC ; 96 |
Citation URL Description: |
Winston W, Couch C, Huntingon B, Vargas-Ángel B. 2020. Ecosystem Sciences Division standard operating procedures: data collection for rapid ecological assessment benthic surveys,2019 update. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-PIFSC-96, 56 p |
Status and Trends Assessment of Benthic Coral Reef Communities in Vatia Bay, American Samoa, 2015–2020
Contact Role Type: | Originator |
---|---|
Contact Type: | Organization |
Contact Name: | NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center |
Citation URL: | https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/27437 |
Citation URL Name: | PIFSC Data Report DR-20-020. Issued 25 November 2020. https://doi.org/10.25923/r7dd-wg50 |
Citation URL Description: |
Vargas-Ángel, B., and Huntington, B. 2010. Status and Trends Assessment of Benthic Coral Reef Communities in Vatia Bay, American Samoa, 2015–2020PIFSC Data Report DR-20-020. Issued 25 November 2020. https://doi.org/10.25923/r7dd-wg50 |
Process Steps
Process Step 1
Description: |
Biological surveys implemented a modified stratified random sampling design to assess the survey domain which encompassed the hard-bottom reef habitat from 0 to 18 m in depth within Vatia Bay. Based on the geomorphology of the reef, the stratification scheme combined two depth categories (shallow: 0–6 m and mid-depth: 6–18 m) and two cardinal positions (north and south) into four distinct strata: i.e., mid-depth north, mid-depth south, shallow north, and shallow south). A digital map of the survey domain was overlaid with a 30 m × 30 m grid designating potential survey sites in all four strata. Sampling effort was allocated relative to strata area and survey sites were randomly selected within each stratum Belt-transects were the focal point of the biological surveys. Coral community composition was assessed within a number of 1.0 m × 2.5 m segments located at the 0–2.5 m, 5.0–7.5 m, 10–12.5 m, 15–17.5 m mark along each transect; bottom-time permitting, covering a total area ranging 5–10 m2 per transect. Over time, protocols were adjusted to increase efficiency such that two, 18-m transects in 2015, and one 18-m transect in 2020. Within segments, all adult coral colonies (≥5 cm maximum diameter) whose center fell within 0.5 m on either side of the transect line were identified to the genus-level and measured for size (maximum diameter to nearest cm). Juvenile coral colonies (<5 cm), distinguished by the presence of a distinct tissue and skeletal boundary (not a remnant of a larger colony), were surveyed within three 1.0 m × 1.0 m segments at the 0–1.0 m, 5.0–6.0 m, and 10.0–11.0 m mark of each transect (covering 3 m2 per transect). Juvenile colonies were identified to genus and measured for size (maximum diameter to nearest 5 mm). For the estimation of benthic cover, still photographs were collected using the photoquadrat method at predetermined points along the transect line with a high-resolution digital camera mounted on a pole. In 2015, photographs were taken every meter from the 1-m to the 15-m mark on each of the two transects per site (n = 30) and in 2020, every meter from the 1-m to the 30-m mark along an extended belt-transect line (n = 30). Photoquadrats were analyzed implementing the computer software CoralNet. These data are documented separately. Survey protocols followed the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program methodologies historically implemented by NOAA's Ecosystem Sciences Division. |
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Process Contact: | Swanson, Dione W |
Phone (Voice): | (808)725-5417 |
Email Address: | dione.swanson@noaa.gov |
Source: | Ecosystem Sciences Division standard operating procedures: data collection for rapid ecological assessment benthic surveys |
Child Items
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Type | Title |
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Entity | View: V0_CORAL_OBS_E | |
Entity | View: V0_CORAL_OBS_F |
Related Items
Item Type | Relationship Type | Title |
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Data Set (DS) | Cross Reference |
Benthic Surveys in Faga'alu, American Samoa: comprehensive assessment of coral demography (adult and juvenile corals) from belt transect surveys in 2013, 2015, and 2020 |
Data Set (DS) | Cross Reference |
Benthic Surveys in Vatia, American Samoa since 2015: benthic images collected during belt transect surveys in 2015 and 2020 Eutrophication Impacts on Coral Ecosystem Health in Vatia, American Samoa since 2015: benthic images |
Data Set (DS) | Cross Reference |
Benthic Surveys in Vatia, American Samoa: benthic cover derived from analysis of benthic images collected during belt transect surveys of coral demography in 2015 and 2020 |
Catalog Details
Catalog Item ID: | 30771 |
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GUID: | gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:30771 |
Metadata Record Created By: | Annette M DesRochers |
Metadata Record Created: | 2016-02-16 19:10+0000 |
Metadata Record Last Modified By: | SysAdmin InPortAdmin |
Metadata Record Last Modified: | 2024-10-03 18:16+0000 |
Metadata Record Published: | 2021-09-01 |
Owner Org: | PIFSC |
Metadata Publication Status: | Published Externally |
Do Not Publish?: | N |
Metadata Last Review Date: | 2021-09-01 |
Metadata Review Frequency: | 1 Year |
Metadata Next Review Date: | 2022-09-01 |