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Title: A Stationary Visual Census Technique for QuantitativelyAssessing Community Structure of Coral Reef Fishes
Status: Completed
Abstract:

A new method is described and evaluated for visually sampling reef fish community structure in environments with highly diverse and abundant reef fish populations. The method is based on censuses of reef fishes taken within a cylinder of 7.5 m radius by a diver at randomly selected, stationary points. The method provides quantitative data on frequency of occurrence, fish length, abundance, and community composition, and is simple, fast, objective, and repeatable. Species are accumulated rapidly for listing purposes, and large numbers of samples are easily obtained for statistical treatment. The method provides an alternative to traditional visual sampling methods.

Observations showed that there were no significant differences in total numbers of species or individuals censused when visibility ranged between 8 and 30 m. The reefs and habitats sampled were significant sources of variation in number of species and individuals censused, but the diver was not a significant influence. Community similarity indices were influenced significantly by the specific sampling site and the reef sampled, but were not significantly affected by the habitat or diver.

Purpose:

To describe and evaluate a technique for providing quantitative data on frequency of occurrence, fish length, abundance, and community composition, in a simple, fast, objective manner, for visually sampling reef fish community structure in environments with highly diverse and abundant reef fish populations.

Other Citation Details:

NOAATechnical Report NMFS 41, dated July 1986, titled, A Stationary Visual Census Technique for QuantitativelyAssessing Community Structure of Coral Reef Fishes by James A. Bohnsack and Scott P. Bannerot

Document Information

Document Type: Technical Memorandum
Format: Acrobat Portable Document Format
Status Code: Published

Support Roles

Author

CC ID: 386295
Date Effective From: 1985
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): Bohnsack, James A
URL: Researchgate Page Dr Jim Bohnsack

Access Information

Security Class: Unclassified
Data Access Policy:

Open to everyone

Data Access Procedure:

download from provided link

URLs

URL 1

CC ID: 386294
URL: https://docs.lib.noaa.gov/noaa_documents/NMFS/TR_NMFS/TR_NMFS_41.pdf
URL Type:
Online Resource
Description:

document itself

Catalog Details

Catalog Item ID: 37042
GUID: gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:37042
Metadata Record Created By: Lee M Weinberger
Metadata Record Created: 2017-03-07 13:26+0000
Metadata Record Last Modified By: SysAdmin InPortAdmin
Metadata Record Last Modified: 2022-08-09 17:11+0000
Metadata Record Published: 2022-02-28
Owner Org: SEFSC
Metadata Publication Status: Published Externally
Do Not Publish?: N
Metadata Last Review Date: 2022-02-28
Metadata Review Frequency: 1 Year
Metadata Next Review Date: 2023-02-28