Data Management Plan

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) across the Hawaiian archipelago since 2013. 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.

A two-stage stratified random sampling (StRS) design was employed to survey the coral reef ecosystems of the Hawaiian archipelago in 2013, 2016, and 2017 and starting in 2019 a one-stage StRS design was employed. 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 (i.e., shallow: >0–6 m; mid-depth: >6–18 m; and deep: >18–30 m), habitat structure type, as well as reef zone (i.e., forereef, backreef, lagoon, and protected slope; the latter three only in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands). 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-level estimates and site-to-site comparisons should proceed with caution.

The data were collected as part of the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) and Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD; formerly the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division) led National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) missions around the Main Hawaiian Islands in 2013, 2016 and 2019, and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands in 2016. Data collected as part of the 2014 and 2015 Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument funded research cruises in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are also included. The latter are funded separately but are complementary to the ESD NCRMP-funded data.

Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI), including Hawaii, Kahoolawe, Kauai, Maui, Oahu, Molokai, Niihau, and Lanai.

Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI), including French Frigate, Kure, Laysan, Lisianski, Maro, Midway, and Pearl & Hermes.

Lineage Statement:
The stratified random sampling (StRS) design and belt transect methodology for adult and juvenile corals, employed by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division since 2013 and by Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in 2014 and 2015. A two-stage StRS design was used between 2013 and 2017. ESD transitioned to a one-stage design in 2018.

Process Steps:

• A stratified random sampling (StRS) design was employed to survey the coral reef ecosystems in the Hawaiian Archipelago. A two-stage StRS design was used between 2013 and 2017. ESD transitioned to a one-stage design in 2018. 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, as well as habitat structure type in the Hawaiian Archipelago. 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, ESD 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. Sampling scheme following Cochran (1977) were employed to control for spatial variation in population parameters at scales smaller than the grid cell minimum mapping unit (2,500 sq meters). Grid cells containing at least 10% hard-bottom reef habitats were designated as primary sample units (referred to as sites). In two-stage StRS design surveys, the second-stage sample unit was defined as a diver visual belt transect of fixed area (10 sq meters or less). (Citation: Winston M, Couch C, Ferguson M, Huntington B, Swanson D, Vargas-Ángel B. 2019. Ecosystem Sciences Division Standard Operating Procedures: Data Collection for Rapid Ecological Assessment Benthic Surveys, 2018 Update. NOAA Tech. Memo. NOAA-TM-NMFS-PIFSC-92, 66 p. doi:10.25923/w1k2-0y84)
• At each site, benthic Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) surveys were conducted within 10 sq. meter belt transects, 18 meters in length. The two-stage StRS design used from 2013-2017 surveyed along two belt transects, whereas the one-stage StRS design used from 2018 to present surveyes along one belt transect. Adult coral colonies (>=5 cm) were surveyed within four (1.0 x 2.5 m) segments at 5 meter increments along the 18 meter transect in the following manner: 0-2.5 m (segment 1 in 2013-2016, segment 0 in 2019); 5.0-7.5 m (segment 3 in 2013-2016, segment 5 in 2019); 10-12.5 m (segment 5 in 2013-2016, segment 10 in 2019); and 15-17.5 m (segment 7 in 2013-2016, segment 15 in 2019). All colonies whose center fell within 0.5 m on either side of each transect line were identified to lowest taxonomic level possible (species or genus), measured for size (maximum diameter to nearest cm), and morphology was noted. In addition, partial mortality and condition of each adult coral colony was assessed. Partial mortality was estimated as percent of the colony in terms of old dead and recent dead. The cause of recent mortality was identified if possible. The condition of each colony including disease (not attributed to recent tissue loss) and bleaching was noted along with the extent (percent of living colony area affected) and level of severity. From 2013-2017, severity ranged from moderate to acute. In 2018-present, severity ranges from 1 to 3; 1 = just starting to lose pigmentation, 2 = significant pigmentation loss and 3 = full loss of pigmentation. The number of unique species may change between survey years depending on the experience and training of the benthic divers conducting the surveys. The list of coral species and genera that all divers were comfortable identifying is included for each survey year. Two-stage StRS surveys from 2013-2017 also included surveys of crustose coralline algae (CCA) diseases and Alcyonarian disease within the same transect segments as the adult coral surveys. In each segment, each occurrence of a specific disease was identified and the lesion was measured (maximum diameter). The presence of other Anthozoans (other cnidarians including Alcyonareans, Zoantharians, corallimorphs and Antipatharians) are also noted. These data exist as individual records coded for each group. This portion of the survey was not conducted by PMNM in 2014 and 2015 or surveys conducted in 2018 and 2019. Juvenile coral colonies (<5 cm) were surveyed within three (1.0 x 1.0 m) segments along the same two transects: 0-1.0 m (segment 1 in 2013-2016, segment 0 in 2019); 5.0-6.0 m (segment 3 in 2013-2016, segment 5 in 2019); and 10.0-11.0 m (segment 5 in 2013-2016, segment 10 in 2019). Juvenile colonies were distinguished in the field by a distinct tissue and skeletal boundary (not a fragment of larger colony). Each juvenile colony was identified to lowest taxonomic level (genus or species) and measured for size by recording both the maximum diameter (and perpendicular diameter in surveys from 2013-2017) to the nearest 2 mm. (Citation: Winston M, Couch C, Ferguson M, Huntington B, Swanson D, Vargas-Ángel B. 2019. Ecosystem Sciences Division Standard Operating Procedures: Data Collection for Rapid Ecological Assessment Benthic Surveys, 2018 Update. NOAA Tech. Memo. NOAA-TM-NMFS-PIFSC-92, 66 p. doi:10.25923/w1k2-0y84)
• 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 (cm), percent old dead, percent recent dead, cause of recent dead general category, cause of recent dead specific category, condition, extent and severity. Juvenile coral colony records include colony species/genus identification, morphology, maximum diameter (cm). Records from 2013-2017 also include perpendicular diameter (cm). For species level identification of adult and juvenile corals, check the species list for each year to ensure species identification across all divers conducting the surveys. Individual records for crustose coralline algae diseases use the taxon code CALG and the Alcyonarian disease uses the taxon code for the octocoral genus. The colony length measurement is the maximum diameter of the lesion for both disease types. The raw presence/absence data for other Anthozoans include the general identification code and 0 or -1 to represent absence or presence, respectively. The physical data for all records includes the following: region, island, site, date (day, month, year), latitude (dd), longitude (dd), transect, segment, segment length, segment width, minimum depth (ft), and maximum depth. (Citation: Winston M, Couch C, Ferguson M, Huntington B, Swanson D, Vargas-Ángel B. 2019. Ecosystem Sciences Division Standard Operating Procedures: Data Collection for Rapid Ecological Assessment Benthic Surveys, 2018 Update. NOAA Tech. Memo. NOAA-TM-NMFS-PIFSC-92, 66 p. doi:10.25923/w1k2-0y84)

Quality control of the data occurred at a few stages from data entry to data ingestion into the Oracle database. Observations, including species identification, are periodically checked during expeditions for consistency between and among divers. Data entry is usually conducted on the same day as the surveys using a data entry interface with several data controls employed, and are quality controlled by individual divers checking entry errors at a separate time. Following a mission, the data is then run through rigorous quality control checks by the data management team before the data are migrated to the Oracle database. The data is quality controlled against the physical data sheets following data entry. There are also several queries in the MS Access / Oracle database to flag errors based on predefined criteria. Given the size of the data set, there remains some possibility of typographical or other errors.

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

The data is captured in several locations: physical data sheets, MS Access cruise database, and PIFSC Oracle database. The physical data sheets are housed at PIFSC. The MS Access cruise database is regularly backed up by the cruise data manager while at sea. The PIFSC Oracle database is regularly backed up by PIFSC ITS.