Data Management Plan

DMP Template v2.0.1 (2015-01-01)

Please provide the following information, and submit to the NOAA DM Plan Repository.

Reference to Master DM Plan (if applicable)

As stated in Section IV, Requirement 1.3, DM Plans may be hierarchical. If this DM Plan inherits provisions from a higher-level DM Plan already submitted to the Repository, then this more-specific Plan only needs to provide information that differs from what was provided in the Master DM Plan.

URL of higher-level DM Plan (if any) as submitted to DM Plan Repository:

Always left blank

1. General Description of Data to be Managed

1.1. Name of the Data, data collection Project, or data-producing Program:

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

Taken From: Item Identification | Title

1.2. Summary description of the data:

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 nutrient fluxes.

The benthic cover data described here were generated from the quantitative analysis of photoquadrat benthic images using image analysis software, whereby random points are projected on each image and the benthic elements falling directly underneath each point are identified. The images were collected at 18 and 24 stratified randomly selected sites in 2015 and 2020 respectively, during belt transect surveys of coral demography by the NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD; former Coral Reef Ecosystem Program CREP). Five of the 18 sites surveyed in 2015 were resurveyed periodically in 2016 (January, March, June, September, and December) to assess any short-term temporal changes in the benthic composition.

The benthic cover data can be accessed online via the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Ocean Archive. The benthic images and coral demography data are described and archived separately.

Taken From: Item Identification | Abstract
Notes: Only a maximum of 4000 characters will be included.

1.3. Is this a one-time data collection, or an ongoing series of measurements?

One-time data collection

Taken From: Extents / Time Frames | Time Frame Type
Notes: Data collection is considered ongoing if a time frame of type "Continuous" exists.

1.4. Actual or planned temporal coverage of the data:

2015-11-02 to 2015-11-12, 2020-01-23 to 2020-01-29

Taken From: Extents | Time Frame - Start, Time Frame - End
Notes: All time frames from all extent groups are included.

1.5. Actual or planned geographic coverage of the data:

W: -170.67555555556, E: -170.66666666667, N: -14.24305555556, S: -14.25138888889

Location extent of Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) surveys in Vatia Bay in 2015 and 2020

Taken From: Extents | Geographic Area Bounds, Geographic Area Description
Notes: All geographic areas from all extent groups are included.

1.6. Type(s) of data:
(e.g., digital numeric data, imagery, photographs, video, audio, database, tabular data, etc.)

Table (digital)

Taken From: Data Set Information | Data Presentation Form

1.7. Data collection method(s):
(e.g., satellite, airplane, unmanned aerial system, radar, weather station, moored buoy, research vessel, autonomous underwater vehicle, animal tagging, manual surveys, enforcement activities, numerical model, etc.)

No information found

Taken From: Acquisition Information | Instruments, Platforms

1.8. If data are from a NOAA Observing System of Record, indicate name of system:

Always left blank due to field exemption

1.8.1. If data are from another observing system, please specify:

Always left blank due to field exemption

2. Point of Contact for this Data Management Plan (author or maintainer)

2.1. Name:

Lori H Luers

Taken From: Support Roles (Metadata Contact) | Person
Notes: The name of the Person of the most recent Support Role of type "Metadata Contact" is used. The support role must be in effect.

2.2. Title:

Metadata Contact

Always listed as "Metadata Contact"

2.3. Affiliation or facility:

Taken From: Support Roles (Metadata Contact) | Organization
Notes: The name of the Organization of the most recent Support Role of type "Metadata Contact" is used. This field is required if applicable.

2.4. E-mail address:

lori.luers@noaa.gov

Notes: The email address is taken from the address listed for the Person assigned as the Metadata Contact in Support Roles.

2.5. Phone number:

No information found

Notes: The phone number is taken from the number listed for the Person assigned as the Metadata Contact in Support Roles. If the phone number is missing or incorrect, please contact your Librarian to update the Person record.

3. Responsible Party for Data Management

Program Managers, or their designee, shall be responsible for assuring the proper management of the data produced by their Program. Please indicate the responsible party below.

3.1. Name:

Bernardo Vargas-Angel

Taken From: Support Roles (Data Steward) | Person
Notes: The name of the Person of the most recent Support Role of type "Data Steward" is used. The support role must be in effect.

3.2. Position Title:

Data Steward

Always listed as "Data Steward"

4. Resources

Programs must identify resources within their own budget for managing the data they produce.

4.1. Have resources for management of these data been identified?

Yes

Taken From: Data Management | Have resources for management of these data been identified?

4.2. Approximate percentage of the budget for these data devoted to data management (specify percentage or "unknown"):

Unknown

Taken From: Data Management | Approximate percentage of budget for these data devoted to data management

5. Data Lineage and Quality

NOAA has issued Information Quality Guidelines for ensuring and maximizing the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of information which it disseminates.

5.1. Processing workflow of the data from collection or acquisition to making it publicly accessible
(describe or provide URL of description):

Lineage Statement:
The methodology to analyze benthic imagery using CoralNet to derive benthic cover values. The data described here were derived from the analysis of benthic images collected along photo-quadrat surveys by the NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD): In 2015 photo quadrat images were taken every meter from the 1-m to the 15-m mark along TWO, 18-m transects per site (n = 30 images). In 2020 photo quadrat images were taken every meter from the 1-m to the 30-m mark along one 30-m transect line (n = 30 images).

Process Steps:

Still photographs were collected during belt transect surveys of coral demography to record the benthic community composition at predetermined points along the transect lines with a high-resolution digital camera mounted on a pole. 30 photoquadrat images were collected at each site. In 2015 the photoquadrat surveys were conducted along two, independent 18 meter transects per site. Photos of the benthic substrate were taken at one meter intervals starting at meter 1, along the left hand side of each 18 meter transect (15 images/transect; 30 images total). In 2020 the photoquadrat surveys were conducted along one, 30 meter transect per site. Photos of the benthic substrate were taken at one meter intervals starting at meter 1, along the left hand side of the transect (30 images/transect; 30 images total). The benthic photoquadrat images were analyzed by using the web-based annotation tool CoralNet (Beijbom et al. 2016). CoralNet assigns 10 random points per photo and the benthic elements falling directly underneath each point is identified to three functional group levels: Tier 1 (e.g. hard coral, macroalgae, etc.), Tier 2 (e.g. Hard coral by morphology = massive, branching, etc.), and Tier 3 (e.g. Hard coral by genus and morphology). The detailed list of each functional group level or tier is included in the benthic image analysis classification scheme. See the published standard operating procedures for further details. (Citation: Lozada-Misa P, Schumacher BD, Vargas-Angel B. 2017. Analysis of benthic survey images via CoralNet : a summary of standard operating procedures and guidelines. Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, PIFSC Administrative Report, H-17-02, 169 p. https://doi.org/10.7289/V5/AR-PIFSC-H-17-02.)

Taken From: Lineage | Lineage Statement, Process Steps (Process Date/Time, Source Citation Title, Description)

5.1.1. If data at different stages of the workflow, or products derived from these data, are subject to a separate data management plan, provide reference to other plan:

Always left blank

5.2. Quality control procedures employed
(describe or provide URL of description):

Quality control is enforced by means of point-to-point, inter-observer calibration exercises that are conducted before each image analysis production series. Training modules and standard operating procedures have also been developed and documented to ensure improved performance and consistent imagery analysis results produced by multiple analysts.

Taken From: Data Quality | Quality Control Procedures Employed

6. Data Documentation

The EDMC Data Documentation Procedural Directive requires that NOAA data be well documented, specifies the use of ISO 19115 and related standards for documentation of new data, and provides links to resources and tools for metadata creation and validation.

6.1. Does metadata comply with EDMC Data Documentation directive?

No

Notes: All required DMP fields must be populated and valid to comply with the directive.

6.1.1. If metadata are non-existent or non-compliant, please explain:

Missing/invalid information:

1.7. Data collection method(s)

Notes: Required DMP fields that are not populated or invalid are listed here.

6.2. Name of organization or facility providing metadata hosting:

NMFS Office of Science and Technology

Always listed as "NMFS Office of Science and Technology"

6.2.1. If service is needed for metadata hosting, please indicate:

Always left blank

6.3. URL of metadata folder or data catalog, if known:

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/31611

Always listed as the URL to the InPort Data Set record

6.4. Process for producing and maintaining metadata
(describe or provide URL of description):

Metadata produced and maintained in accordance with the NOAA Data Documentation Procedural Directive: https://nosc.noaa.gov/EDMC/DAARWG/docs/EDMC_PD-Data_Documentation_v1.pdf

Always listed with the above statement

7. Data Access

NAO 212-15 states that access to environmental data may only be restricted when distribution is explicitly limited by law, regulation, policy (such as those applicable to personally identifiable information or protected critical infrastructure information or proprietary trade information) or by security requirements. The EDMC Data Access Procedural Directive contains specific guidance, recommends the use of open-standard, interoperable, non-proprietary web services, provides information about resources and tools to enable data access, and includes a Waiver to be submitted to justify any approach other than full, unrestricted public access.

7.1. Do these data comply with the Data Access directive?

Yes

Taken From: Data Management | Do these data comply with the Data Access directive?

7.1.1. If the data are not to be made available to the public at all, or with limitations, has a Waiver (Appendix A of Data Access directive) been filed?

No

Taken From: Data Management | Is access to the data limited based on an approved waiver?

7.1.2. If there are limitations to public data access, describe how data are protected from unauthorized access or disclosure:

None

Taken From: Access Info | Data Access Constraints

7.2. Name of organization of facility providing data access:

National Centers for Environmental Information - Silver Spring, Maryland (NCEI-MD)

Taken From: Support Roles (Distributor) | Organization
Notes: The name of the Organization of the most recent Support Role of type "Distributor" is used. The support role must be in effect. This information is not required if an approved access waiver exists for this data.

7.2.1. If data hosting service is needed, please indicate:

Taken From: Data Management | If data hosting service is needed, please indicate
Notes: This field is required if a Distributor has not been specified.

7.2.2. URL of data access service, if known:

http://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0169726
http://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0264809

Taken From: Distribution Info | Download URL
Notes: All URLs listed in the Distribution Info section will be included. This field is required if applicable.

7.3. Data access methods or services offered:

Data can be accessed online via the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Ocean Archive.

Taken From: Access Info | Data Access Procedure

7.4. Approximate delay between data collection and dissemination:

Unknown

Taken From: Data Management | Approximate delay between data collection and dissemination

7.4.1. If delay is longer than latency of automated processing, indicate under what authority data access is delayed:

Taken From: Data Management | If delay is longer than latency of automated processing, indicate under what authority data access is delayed
Notes: This field is required if applicable.

8. Data Preservation and Protection

The NOAA Procedure for Scientific Records Appraisal and Archive Approval describes how to identify, appraise and decide what scientific records are to be preserved in a NOAA archive.

8.1. Actual or planned long-term data archive location:
(Specify NCEI-MD, NCEI-CO, NCEI-NC, NCEI-MS, World Data Center (WDC) facility, Other, To Be Determined, Unable to Archive, or No Archiving Intended)

NCEI_MD

Taken From: Data Management | Actual or planned long-term data archive location

8.1.1. If World Data Center or Other, specify:

Taken From: Data Management | Actual or planned long-term data archive location
Notes: This field is required if archive location is World Data Center or Other.

8.1.2. If To Be Determined, Unable to Archive or No Archiving Intended, explain:

Taken From: Data Management | If To Be Determined, Unable to Archive or No Archiving Intended, explain
Notes: This field is required if archive location is To Be Determined, Unable to Archive, or No Archiving Intended.

8.2. Data storage facility prior to being sent to an archive facility (if any):

Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center - Honolulu, HI

Taken From: Physical Location | Organization, City, State, Location Description
Notes: Physical Location Organization, City and State are required, or a Location Description is required.

8.3. Approximate delay between data collection and submission to an archive facility:

Unknown

Taken From: Data Management | Approximate delay between data collection and submission to an archive facility

8.4. How will the data be protected from accidental or malicious modification or deletion prior to receipt by the archive?
Discuss data back-up, disaster recovery/contingency planning, and off-site data storage relevant to the data collection

NOAA IRC and NOAA Fisheries ITS resources and assets.

Taken From: Data Management | How will the data be protected from accidental or malicious modification or deletion prior to receipt by the archive?

9. Additional Line Office or Staff Office Questions

Line and Staff Offices may extend this template by inserting additional questions in this section.

Always left blank