ESD_FISH_REA_DataDictionary_2023

Unique identifier for fish REA observations

Unique Identifier for ROUND record

Mission Identifier

The Pacific Island region surveyed: American Samoa, Pacific Remote Island Areas, Mariana Archipelago, main Hawaiian Islands, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

Island or Atoll surveyed in the Pacific Island region (REGION_NAME).

The code for the site surveyed at the island or atoll (ISLAND). Combines a 3-letter island code with a 2-4 digit site number.

Latitude in decimal degrees, WGS84, for the given SITE as recorded by divers on the datasheets.

Longitude in decimal degrees, WGS84 for the given SITE as recorded by divers on the datasheets.

The reef zone for the given site (Forereef, Backreef, Protected Slope, or Lagoon)

Classification of depth (shallow, mid, deep) based on midpoint between minimum and maximum depths of replicates at this site. Shallow: >0-6 m, Mid: >6-18 m, Deep: >18-30 m.

Unique identifier created each time a SITE is surveyed on a DATE_.

Local date the survey was conducted

4-digit year the survey was conducted (DATE_).

Initials of diver conducting survey

Unique identifier for the replicate sample within a Fish REA survey

Letter associated to replicate (A, B, C, or D)

Fish method employed: new stationary point count (nSPC)

Flag to indicate photographer of benthic photos. Two divers simultaneously conduct a survey at a site (indicated by the initials of the observer in the DIVER field), only one of which captures the benthic photos. Value -1 indicates the photographer.

Flag to signify whether replicate was for training purposes. Value -1 indicates the replicate was for training.

Depth of survey area in meters. Depths usually within 0-30 m.

Radius of survey area in meters, usually 7.5 m (15-m SPC survey 'cylinder')

Hard coral cover (0-100%). Sum of benthic composition categories equals 100.

Soft coral cover (0-100%). Sum of benthic composition categories equals 100. No longer collected as of 2016 surveys; pooled into OTHER.

Macroalgae cover (0-100%). Sum of benthic composition categories equals 100.

Crustose coralline algae (CCA) cover (0-100%). Sum of benthic composition categories equals 100.

Turf algae cover (0-100%). Sum of benthic composition categories equals 100. No longer collected as of 2016 surveys; pooled into OTHER.

Sand cover (0-100%). Sum of benthic composition categories equals 100.

Tunicate cover (%). No longer collected as of 2016 surveys; pooled into OTHER.

Zoanthid cover (%). No longer collected as of 2016 surveys; pooled into OTHER.

Corallimorph cover (%). No longer collected as of 2016 surveys; pooled into OTHER.

Clam cover (%). No longer collected as of 2016 surveys; pooled into OTHER.

Cyanobacteria cover (%). No longer collected as of 2016 surveys; pooled into OTHER.

Sponge cover (%). No longer collected as of 2016 surveys; pooled into OTHER.

Other benthic composition cover (%). Turf algae, sand, tunicates, zoanthids, corallimorphs, clams, cyanobacteria, and sponges are pooled into this category as of 2016 surveys.

Other benthic composition cover type. No longer collected as of 2016 surveys.

Habitat code (see HABITAT_TYPE for description of code).

HABITAT_CODE description

Current Strength (None, Slight, Moderate, High)

Visibility measured in meters

Minimum depth of the diver's survey cylinder in meters

Maximum depth of the diver's survey cylinder in meters

Proportion of survey area between 0 cm and 20 cm elevation

Proportion of survey area between 20 cm and 50 cm elevation

Proportion of survey area between 50 cm and 100 cm elevation

Proportion of survey area between 100 cm and 150 cm elevation

Proportion of survey area over 150 cm elevation

Highest elevation point in SPC cylinder measured in meters

Free urchin abundance, estimated by DACOR, an abundance code based on visual estimation (Dominant, Abundant, Common, Occasional, and Rare)

Boring urchin abundance, estimated by DACOR, an abundance code based on visual estimation (Dominant, Abundant, Common, Occasional, and Rare)

4-letter species code

Scientific name of observed organism to the lowest level identified in the taxonomic hierarchy, which is usually species (see RANK).

Common name (from FishBase)

Common name of all families

Taxonomic family classification

The true scientific name (genus and species name). If blank, organism identified to genus or higher RANK in taxonomic hierarchy (not identified to species). See RANK.

Lowest defined rank in taxonomic hierarchy

Trophic level: APEX (apex predator), Cor (corallivore), H (herbivore), MI (mobile invertivore), Om (Omnivore), Par (parasite), Pisc (piscivore), Pk (planktivore), SI (sessile invertivore), X (if unidentified fish), Z (zooplantivore)

Trophic level scheme used (Primary Consumer, Secondary Consumer, Planktivore, Piscivore)

Parameter "a" used in length-weight calculations

Parameter "b" used in length-weight calculations

Maximum length of the fish published in literature in centimeters

Factor to convert length as TOTAL LENGTH to get it to right form (standard [SL], fork [FL], or total length [TL]) for available length weight A and B parameters for this species.

Number of fish observed during survey

Total length of fish, measured from the tip of the snout to the tip of the longer lobe of the caudal fin, reported in centimeters. Total length for rays (Myliobatidae) is measured from pectoral fin tip to pectoral fin tip.

A single letter representation of the observation type (see OBS_DESC for description)

The type of observation made during the fish survey (Instantaneous, non-instantaneous, after 5 minutes, after 10 minutes, presence). See the Reef Fish Survey Protocol for an explanation of the observation types.