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Short Citation:
Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, 2024: National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic Cover Derived from Analysis of Benthic Images Collected during Stratified Random Surveys (StRS) across the Pacific Remote Island Areas since 2014, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/36157.

Item Identification

Title: National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic Cover Derived from Analysis of Benthic Images Collected during Stratified Random Surveys (StRS) across the Pacific Remote Island Areas since 2014
Short Name: NCRMP: Benthic Cover at Stratified Random Sites (Image Analysis) PRIAs
Status: In Work
Revision Date: 2023-11-02
Publication Date: 2023
Abstract:

The data described here result from benthic photo-quadrat surveys conducted along transects at stratified random sites across the American Samoa in 2015, 2018, and 2023 as a part of Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) surveys for corals and fish. Benthic habitat imagery were quantitatively analyzed using the Coral Point Count with Excel extensions (CPCe; Kohler and Gill, 2006) software from 2010-2014 and using the web-based annotation tool CoralNet (Beijbom et al. 2016) from 2015 to present. Images are analyzed to produce three functional group levels of benthic cover: Tier 1 (e.g., coral, soft coral, macroalgae, turf algae, etc.), Tier 2 (e.g., Coral = massive hard coral, branching hard coral, foliose hard coral, encrusting hard coral, etc.; Macroalga = upright macroalgae), and Tier 3 (e.g., Coral = Astreopora sp, Favia sp, Pocillopora, etc.; Macroalgae = Caulerpa sp, Dictyosphaeria sp, Padina sp, etc.). If Tier 3 resolution is not possible, the next finest resolution is used.

A stratified random sampling (StRS) design was employed to survey the coral reef ecosystems across the region. 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 island, reef zone, and depth. Sampling effort was allocated based on strata area and sites were randomly located within strata. Sites were surveyed using photo-quadrats along transects to collect benthic imagery to ultimately produce estimates of relative abundance (benthic cover), frequency of occurrence, benthic community taxonomic composition and relative generic richness.

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.

The data from the benthic cover surveys can be accessed online via the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Ocean Archive.

Purpose:

The National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) details a long-term approach to provide an ecosystem perspective via monitoring climate, fish, benthic, and socioeconomic variables in a consistent and integrated manner. The NCRMP is intended to coordinate various Coral Reef Conservation Coral Reef Program (CRCP) biological, physical, and human dimensions activities into a cohesive NOAA-wide effort. Through the implementation of the NCRMP, NOAA will be able to clearly and concisely communicate results of national-scale monitoring to national, state, and territorial policy makers, resource managers, and the public on a periodic basis.

Supplemental Information:

The National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) details a long-term approach to provide an ecosystem perspective via monitoring climate, fish, benthic, and socioeconomic variables in a consistent and integrated manner. The NCRMP is intended to coordinate various Coral Reef Conservation Coral Reef Program (CRCP) biological, physical, and human dimensions activities into a cohesive NOAA-wide effort. Through the implementation of the NCRMP, NOAA will be able to clearly and concisely communicate results of national-scale monitoring to national, state, and territorial policy makers, resource managers, and the public on a periodic basis.

NCRMP is a framework for conducting sustained observations of biological, climate, and socioeconomic indicators at 10 priority coral reefs across the U.S. and its territories. This integrated approach will consolidate monitoring of coral reefs under a uniform method in the Pacific, Atlantic, Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico for the first time. NCRMP is funded by the CRCP and supported by NOAA Fisheries, NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), and many other partners. The Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) at NOAA Fisheries is leading biological monitoring in the U.S. Pacific Islands Region.

The biological component of NCRMP in the Pacific provides a triennial ecological characterization at a broad spatial scale of general reef condition for reef fishes, corals and benthic habitat (i.e., fish species composition/density/size, benthic cover, and coral density/size/condition). Innovative analysis techniques are then used to develop products that give fellow scientists, managers, decision makers and the public a better understanding of a region's resources and how they are changing over time.

DOI (Digital Object Identifier): https://doi.org/10.7289/v5154fbh
DOI Registration Authority: NOAA

Keywords

Theme Keywords

Thesaurus Keyword
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
DOC/NOAA/NMFS/PIFSC/ESD > Ecosystem Sciences Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS > COMMUNITY DYNAMICS
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > BENTHIC
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > REEF > CORAL REEF
ISO 19115 Topic Category
biota
UNCONTROLLED
CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus Numeric Data Sets > Benthic
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Benthic Habitat
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Reef Habitat
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Microbiota > Blue-green Algae
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Algal Cover
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Crustose Coralline Algae
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Encrusting Macroalgae
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Turf Algae
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Benthos Analysis
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Benthos Analysis > Quadrat Monitoring > Photograph Analysis
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Benthos Analysis > Transect Monitoring
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 > Benthos Analysis > Transect Monitoring > Point Counts
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > In Situ Biological
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Photographic Analysis
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Rapid Assessment Studies
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Mollusks > Tridacna
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Sponges
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 > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Coral Cover
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Hard Coral Cover
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Octocoral Cover
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Coral
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Coral Communities
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates > Macroinvertebrates
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Plants > Seagrass
CRCP Project 743
CRCP Project National Coral Reef Monitoring Program
NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS benthic communities
NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS REEF AND/OR BOTTOM REGIME - PERCENT COVER
NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS machine-learning algorithm
NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS photograph
NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS benthic
NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS derived products
NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS visual estimate
NODC PLATFORM NAMES THESAURUS HI'IALAKAI
NODC PLATFORM NAMES THESAURUS OSCAR ELTON SETTE
NODC PLATFORM NAMES THESAURUS RAINIER
NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS Coral Reef Conservation Program
NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS CORAL REEF STUDIES
NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS National Coral Reef Monitoring Program
NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS US DOC; NOAA; NMFS; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center; Ecosystem Sciences Division
None Coral Point Count
None Coral Reef Ecosystem Division
None Coral Reef Ecosystem Program
None CoralNet
None CRED
None CREP
None Ecosystem Sciences Division
None ESD
None Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center
None PIFSC
None RAMP
None Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program
None robot-assisted annotations

Spatial Keywords

Thesaurus Keyword
UNCONTROLLED
CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Baker Island (00N176W0001)
CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Howland Island (00S176W0001)
CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Jarvis Island (00S160W0001)
CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Johnston Atoll (16N169W0001)
CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Kingman Reef (06N162W0001)
CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Palmyra Atoll (05N162W0001)
CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Wake Atoll (19N167E0001)
CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Baker Island > Baker Island (00N176W0001)
CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Howland Island > Howland Island (00S176W0001)
CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Johnston Atoll > Johnston Atoll (16N169W0001)
CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Line Islands > Jarvis Island (00S160W0001)
CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Line Islands > Kingman Reef (06N162W0001)
CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Line Islands > Palmyra Atoll (05N162W0001)
CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Wake Atoll > Wake Atoll (19N167E0001)
NODC Sea Area Names Thesaurus Central Pacific Ocean
NODC Sea Area Names Thesaurus Equatorial Pacific Ocean
NODC Sea Area Names Thesaurus Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument
None Pacific Remote Island Areas
None PRIA
None PRIMNM

Physical Location

Organization: Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center
City: Honolulu
State/Province: HI
Country: USA

Data Set Information

Data Set Scope Code: Data Set
Data Set Type: CSV Files
Maintenance Frequency: As Needed
Data Presentation Form: Table (digital)
Entity Attribute Overview:

Raw survey data includes metadata for each survey (where, when, who, area); site characteristics (depth, reef type, habitat); unique image name and individual point observations identified at three functional group levels of benthic cover: Tier 1 (e.g., hard coral, soft coral, macroalgae, turf algae, etc.), Tier 2 (e.g., Hard Coral = massive, branching, foliose, encrusting, etc.; Macroalgae = upright macroalgae, encrusting macroalgae, bluegreen macroalgae, and Halimeda, etc.), and Tier 3 (e.g., Hard Coral = Astreopora sp, Favia sp, Pocillopora, etc.; Macroalgae = Caulerpa sp, Dictyosphaeria sp, Padina sp, etc.).

Entity Attribute Detail URL: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/36163
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 Ecosystem Sciences Division and funded by the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program

Support Roles

Data Set Credit

CC ID: 370400
Date Effective From: 2014
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

Data Steward

CC ID: 1279980
Date Effective From: 2023
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): Oliver, Thomas
Address: 1845 Wasp Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96818
USA
Email Address: thomas.oliver@noaa.gov
Phone: (808)725-5444

Distributor

CC ID: 1075737
Date Effective From: 2016
Date Effective To:
Contact (Organization): NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)
Email Address: ncei.info@noaa.gov
URL: NCEI Contact Information

Metadata Contact

CC ID: 1075735
Date Effective From: 2021
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): Luers, Lori H
Address: 1845 Wasp Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96818
USA
Email Address: lori.luers@noaa.gov

Originator

CC ID: 370397
Date Effective From: 2014
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

CC ID: 370395
Date Effective From: 2023
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): Oliver, Thomas
Address: 1845 Wasp Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96818
USA
Email Address: thomas.oliver@noaa.gov
Phone: (808)725-5444
View Historical Support Roles

Extents

Currentness Reference: Ground Condition

Extent Group 1

Extent Description:

Pacific Remote Island Areas (PRIA) including Baker, Howland, Jarvis, and Wake islands, Kingman Reef, and Johnston and Palmyra atolls.

Extent Group 1 / Geographic Area 1

CC ID: 370910
W° Bound: 166.5937066
E° Bound: 166.657759
N° Bound: 19.32573345
S° Bound: 19.26737797
Description

Wake Island, one of the seven PRIA, is routinely surveyed as part of the Mariana Archipelago RAMP (MARAMP) missions.

Extent Group 1 / Geographic Area 2

CC ID: 370909
W° Bound: -176.6267816
E° Bound: -159.9717
N° Bound: 16.780927
S° Bound: -0.382607
Description

Phoenix (Baker and Howland) and Line Islands (Jarvis, Kingman, and Palmyra), and Johnston Atoll. These six of the seven PRIA are routinely surveyed as part of the American Samoa RAMP (ASRAMP) missions (Johnston, Baker and Howland during the first leg of ASRAMP, and Jarvis, Kingman, and Palmyra during the last leg of ASRAMP).

Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 1

CC ID: 370911
Time Frame Type: Range
Start: 2014-03-16
End: 2014-03-20
Alternate Start As Of Info: HA1401
Description:

Surveys at Wake during MARAMP 2014

Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 2

CC ID: 370912
Time Frame Type: Range
Start: 2015-01-26
End: 2015-04-28
Alternate Start As Of Info: HA1501
Description:

Surveys at the islands in the PRIA during the first and last legs of ASRAMP 2015

Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 3

CC ID: 773653
Time Frame Type: Range
Start: 2017-04-02
End: 2017-04-23
Alternate Start As Of Info: HA1701
Description:

Surveys at Baker, Howland, Jarvis and Wake during MARAMP 2017

Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 4

CC ID: 773795
Time Frame Type: Range
Start: 2016-05-16
End: 2016-05-22
Alternate Start As Of Info: SE1602
Description:

Surveys at Jarvis on the Sette cruise in 2016

Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 5

CC ID: 1072022
Time Frame Type: Range
Start: 2018-06-10
End: 2018-08-11
Alternate Start As Of Info: HA1801
Description:

Surveys at Baker, Howland, Jarvis, Kingman, and Palmyra during ASRAMP 2018

Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 6

CC ID: 1279312
Time Frame Type: Range
Start: 2023-03-15
End: 2023-05-07
Alternate Start As Of Info: RA2301

Access Information

Security Class: Unclassified
Security Classification System:

Not applicable

Security Handling Description:

Not applicable

Data Access Policy:

NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) Data Sharing Recommendations, version 9.0 updated August 12, 2015:

ESD welcomes the opportunity to collaborate on research issues contributing to the scientific basis for better management of marine ecosystems. ESD 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 ESD principal investigators.

2) In all presentations, product releases, or publications using data generated by ESD, proper acknowledgement of both ESD 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, ESD requests that you share relevant information on complimentary data collections.

4) Those receiving data are strongly urged to inform the ESD 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 Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD), 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 PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) when using the data.

Example:

Ecosystem Sciences Division; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2018). National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic Cover Derived from Analysis of Benthic Images Collected during Stratified Random Surveys (StRS) across the Pacific Remote Island Areas since 2014, NOAA's National Center for Environmental Information, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/36157

Metadata Access Constraints:

None

Metadata Use Constraints:

None

Distribution Information

Distribution 1

CC ID: 773655
Download URL: https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0157633
Distributor: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) (2016 - Present)
File Name: PIFSC_H-17-02_2017_SOP_ImageAnalysis_CN.pdf
Description:

PIFSC Administrative Report, January 2017: Analysis of benthic survey images via CoralNet : a summary of standard operating procedures and guidelines

File Date/Time: 2017-01-31 00:00:00
File Type (Deprecated): PDF
Distribution Format: PDF - Adobe Portable Document Format

Distribution 2

CC ID: 370913
Download URL: https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0159158
Distributor: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) (2016 - Present)
File Name: MV_BIA_CNET_ANALYSIS_DATA PRIAs 2014.csv
Description:

Image analysis data derived from photoquadrat benthic images at stratified random sites across Wake Island in 2014 by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP)

File Type (Deprecated): csv (comma-separated values)
Distribution Format: CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text)

Distribution 3

CC ID: 370413
Download URL: https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0159165
Distributor: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) (2016 - Present)
File Name: MV_BIA_CNET_ANALYSIS_DATA PRIAs 2015.csv
Description:

Image analysis data derived from photoquadrat benthic images at stratified random sites across the Pacific Remote Island Areas in 2015 by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP)

File Type (Deprecated): csv (comma-separated values)
Distribution Format: CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text)

Distribution 4

CC ID: 773806
Download URL: https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0176560
Distributor: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) (2016 - Present)
File Name: MV_BIA_CNET_ANALYSIS_DATA PRIAs 2016.csv
Description:

Benthic cover data derived from analysis of photoquadrat benthic images collected from stratified random sites at Jarvis of the Pacific Remote Island Areas in May 2016 by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD)

File Date/Time: 2018-09-11 00:00:00
File Type (Deprecated): csv (comma-separated values)
Distribution Format: CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text)

Distribution 5

CC ID: 773654
Download URL: https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0176575
Distributor: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) (2016 - Present)
File Name: MV_BIA_CNET_ANALYSIS_DATA PRIAs 2017.csv
Description:

Benthic cover data derived from analysis of photoquadrat benthic images collected from stratified random sites across the Pacific Remote Island Areas in 2017 by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD)

File Date/Time: 2018-09-12 00:00:00
File Type (Deprecated): csv (comma-separated values)
Distribution Format: CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text)

Distribution 6

CC ID: 1072023
Download URL: https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0239473
Distributor: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) (2016 - Present)
File Name: BENTHIC_COVER_PRIAs_StRS_2018.csv
Description:

Benthic cover data derived from analysis of photoquadrat benthic images collected from stratified random sites across the Pacific Remote Island Areas in 2018 by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD)

File Date/Time: 2021-07-08 00:00:00
File Type (Deprecated): csv (comma-separated values)
Distribution Format: CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text)

Distribution 7

CC ID: 1325666
Start Date: 2024
End Date: Present
Download URL: http://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0290543
Distributor: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) (2016 - Present)
File Name: NCRMP_BIA_CNET_STRS_PRIAS_2023
Description:

Image analysis data derived from photoquadrat benthic images at NCRMP Stratified Random Survey sites across the Pacific Remote Island Areas in 2023 by the NOAA Ecosystem Science Division (ESD)

File Date/Time: 2024-02-15 00:00:00
Distribution Format: CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text)

URLs

URL 1

CC ID: 370406
URL: https://coralnet.ucsd.edu/
URL Type:
Online Resource
File Resource Format: HTML
Description:

CoralNet Home Page

URL 2

CC ID: 370407
URL: https://cnso.nova.edu/cpce/
URL Type:
Online Resource
File Resource Format: HTML
Description:

Coral Point Count with Excel Extensions (CPCe) Home Page

URL 3

CC ID: 370408
URL: https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred/corals.php
URL Type:
Online Resource
File Resource Format: PHP

URL 4

CC ID: 370409
URL: https://www.coris.noaa.gov/monitoring/
URL Type:
Online Resource
File Resource Format: PHP
Description:

NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) website.

URL 5

CC ID: 1075736
URL: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/pacific-islands#science
Name: PIFSC Website
URL Type:
Online Resource
Description:

Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Website

Technical Environment

Description:

PIFSC Oracle database view: MV_BIA_CNET_ANALYSIS_DATA (CoralNet) / MV_BIA_PERC_COVER_PHOTO_STR_RW (CPCe)

Data Quality

Accuracy:

Data sets derived from image analysis are highly reliable within the stipulated taxonomic context. Each time a production run is performed for a region a calibration exercise is conducted by all staff that will participate in that round of image analysis classification. Usually 100-150 photos are selected from the photos being processed as part of the production run series, or other region-relevant photo streams. Then, CPCE or CoralNet assigns 10 random fixed points per photo. Each photo analyst is asked to classify the same set of points in each of the photos used as part of the calibration exercise. The goal of the calibration exercise is to assess inter-observer variability. Inter-observer variability rates are available upon request for each production run.

Handheld GPS units were used to locate random sites and mark site locations.

Analytical Accuracy:

Data sets derived from image analysis include 30 benthic photographs per survey site from both the fish and benthic team surveys. The fish team conducts the photoquadrat surveys along one 30 m transect. The benthic team conducts the surveys along 2 independent 18m transects. Therefore, the site level image analysis data contain one rep (A) for fish team surveys and two reps ( A and B) for benthic team surveys. Appropriate site level benthic cover estimates are generated from all 30 images.

Completeness Report:

The data set derived from the image analysis is as good as the images themselves; poor images with low contrast, inappropriate white balance, or out of focus may have to be discarded. Therefore, benthic cover estimates for some sites may derive from differing number of points between sites. Although the analysis process is statistically robust to allow for differing n (points) between sites the users should be aware of this limitation.

For REA survey imagery analyzed or collected since 2013, classification is completed to the functional group/genus level (Tier 3).

Only shallow water (0 to 30 meter depth range) hard-bottom habitats are surveyed. The survey sites were randomly selected using a systematic process based on available habitat and bathymetric data. Although efforts are made to include broad spatial coverage of surveys at each island, weather conditions and other environmental constraints may have prevented the team from surveying exposed reef areas.

There are several missions in which the benthic images collected by the program are in the process of or have not yet been analyzed. In some cases, the benthic imagery sets are not planned to be analyzed due to funding and resource constraints. Contact ESD at nmfs.pic.credinfo@noaa.gov for more information.

Conceptual Consistency:

The same method of image analysis was used at each surveyed site.

Quality Control Procedures Employed:

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.

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 stratified random sampling (StRS) design and benthic photoquadrat survey methodology, employed by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) since 2013. Benthic imagery is collected at stratified random sites. The imagery is analyzed using Coral Point Count with Excel Extentions (CPCe) or CoralNet to derive benthic cover values.

Sources

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.

CC ID: 773652
Contact Type: Organization
Contact Name: Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, PIFSC
Publish Date: 2017-01-31
Citation URL: https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/14205
Citation URL Name: NOAA Institutional Repository
Source Contribution:

The published benthic image analysis SOP using CoralNet.

Process Steps

Process Step 1

CC ID: 372119
Description:

A stratified random sampling (StRS) design was employed to survey the coral reef ecosystems through the U.S. Pacific regions. The survey domain encompassed the majority of the mapped area of reef and hard bottom habitats. The stratification scheme included island, reef zone, and depth in all regions, as well as habitat structure type in the Main Hawaiian Islands. The habitat structure types included simple, complex, and coral-rich. Depth categories of shallow (0-6 m), mid (> 6-18m) and deep (>18-30 m) were also incorporated into the stratification scheme. Allocation of sampling effort was proportional to strata area. Sites were randomly selected within each stratum.

A geographic information system (GIS) and digital spatial databases of benthic habitats (NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science NCCOS), reef zones (IKONOS satellite imagery, NDGC 1998) bathymetry (NDGC 1998, CREP benthic mapping data), and marine reserve boundaries (NOAA) were used to facilitate spatial delineation of the sampling survey domain, strata, and sample units. Map resolution was such that the survey domain could be overlain by a grid using a GIS with individual cells of size 50 m by 50 m in area. A two-stage sampling scheme following Cochran (1977) was employed to control for spatial variation in population parameters at scales smaller than the grid cell minimum mapping unit (2,500 m2). Grid cells containing hard-bottom reef habitats were designated as primary sample units (referred to as sites).

Process Contact: Oliver, Thomas
Phone (Voice): (808)725-5444
Email Address: thomas.oliver@noaa.gov
Source: 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.

Process Step 2

CC ID: 372120
Description:

Photoquadrat surveys were conducted by both the fish and benthic teams. Still photographs were collected to record the benthic community composition at predetermined points along the transect lines with a high-resolution digital camera mounted on a pole. Overall, 30 photoquadrat images are collected at each site. The fish team conducts these surveys along one 30 meter transect that spans the length of two stationary point count (SPC) cylinders used to assess fish abundance (30 images total, Rep A). Benthic substrate photos are taken at one meter intervals along the right hand side of the 30 m transect line. The benthic team conducts the photoquadrat surveys along two, independent 18 meter transects. Photos of the benthic substrate are 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; Rep A and B).

Process Contact: Oliver, Thomas
Phone (Voice): (808)725-5444
Email Address: thomas.oliver@noaa.gov
Source: 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.

Process Step 3

CC ID: 372121
Description:

The benthic photoquadrat imagery that are collected as part of the Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) surveys for coral and fish are analyzed by using Coral Point Count with Excel extensions (CPCe; Kohler and Gill 2006) software through 2014 or by using the web-based annotation tool CoralNet (Beijbom et al. 2016) from 2015 to present. CPCe or 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, soft coral, macroalgae, turf algae, etc.), Tier 2 (e.g. coral by morphology = massive hard coral, branching hard coral, etc.; Macroalga = upright macroalgae, encrusting macroalgae, bluegreen macroalgae, and Halimeda, etc.), and Tier 3 (e.g. Coral by genus and morphology; Macroalga by genus or grouped genera). The detailed list of each functional group level or tier is included in the benthic image analysis classification scheme.

Process Contact: Oliver, Thomas
Phone (Voice): (808)725-5444
Email Address: thomas.oliver@noaa.gov
Source: 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.

Process Step 4

CC ID: 372122
Description:

Raw survey data includes unique image name and individual point observations identified at three functional group levels of benthic cover with the corresponding physical data which reflect the description of the site. The physical data for all records includes the following: region, island, site, date (day, month, year), latitude (dd), longitude (dd), reef zone, habitat type, depth category, minimum depth and maximum depth.

Process Contact: Oliver, Thomas
Phone (Voice): (808)725-5444
Email Address: thomas.oliver@noaa.gov
Source: 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.

Child Items

Rubric scores updated every 15m

Rubric Score Type Title
Entity Benthic Image analysis classification scheme
Entity NCRMP_BIA_CNET_StRS_DataDictionary_PRIAS_2023

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Catalog Details

Catalog Item ID: 36157
GUID: gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:36157
Metadata Record Created By: Troy T Kanemura
Metadata Record Created: 2016-12-30 17:23+0000
Metadata Record Last Modified By: SysAdmin InPortAdmin
Metadata Record Last Modified: 2024-10-03 18:16+0000
Metadata Record Published: 2024-04-02
Owner Org: PIFSC
Metadata Publication Status: Published Externally
Do Not Publish?: N
Metadata Last Review Date: 2024-03-13
Metadata Review Frequency: 3 Years
Metadata Next Review Date: 2027-03-13