47782 Guam LTMP Macroinvertebrate Belt Transects since 2010 Data Set Published / External 26296 Guam Long-term Coral Reef Monitoring Program Project In Work 2024 The Government of Guam's Comprehensive Long-term Monitoring at Permanent Sites in Guam project, also known as the Guam Long-term Coral Reef Monitoring Program (GLTMP), is a NOAA-funded project currently coordinated through the University of Guam Marine Laboratory. The program involves the regular, intensive collection of data for a suite of coral reef ecosystem health parameters at high priority reef areas (HPRAs) around Guam, as well as critical support for coral bleaching response and other activities carried out by the multi-partner Guam Coral Reef Response Team. The program currently utilizes a split-panel sampling approach, whereby a mix of permanent and non-permanent sampling stations (one sampling station = one transect) are visited within each HPRA. The HPRAs were selected by an advisory body comprised of reef managers, researchers, and technicians; these reef areas were not intended to be representative of Guam's reefs more broadly. The locations of the sampling stations within each HPRA are generated randomly using GIS software. Various coral reef surveys are carried out on an annual basis along the seaward slope between 7 and 15 m depth in the Tumon Bay Marine Preserve and in East Agana Bay, while surveys are carried out biennially within the Piti Bomb Holes Marine Preserve, the Achang Reef Flat Marine Preserve, and the eastern side of the Cocos Barrier Reef (Cocos-East). Surveys were also carried at along reef margin (1-2 m) and slope (2-15 m) of Western Shoals, in Apra Harbor, in 2011. The surveys, which are currently conducted by University of Guam Marine Laboratory biologists, and which were supported by NOAA PIRO through 2019, currently include benthic photo transects, stationary point count fish surveys, macroinvertebrate belt transects, and chain-length rugosity surveys. The GLTMP has conducted surveys at the Tumon and East Agana HPRAs since 2010, the Piti HPRA since 2012, and the Achang and Cocos-East HPRAs began in 2014. Surveys for Fouha Bay HPRA began in 2015 with data collections also occurring in 2019 and 2021, but the site has not been re-visited due to shifting management priorities. Baseline data is available for the Western Shoals HPRA from 2011 but this site has not been re-visited. Macroinvertebrates are culturally, economically, and ecologically important resources for the people of Guam. In recognition of the value and importance of this resource, macroinvertebrate surveys are a key component of the Guam Long-term Coral Reef Monitoring Program. Macroinvertebrate surveys have been conducted at high priority reef areas around Guam since August 2010. The monitoring team counts the number of most commercially and ecologically important macroinvertebrate species within a 4 m x 30 m belt transect (4 x 25 m prior to 2017) at all sampling stations (except at the Western Shoals stations, where 4 m x 15 m belts were used). The longest dimension of Tridacna individuals is also recorded. These monitoring data on macroinvertebrate communities allow for the exploration of community structure by functional group and can be used to detect changes in macroinvertebrate communities over time. IMPORTANT: Macroinvertebrate taxa consistently targeted by this survey since 2010 include Acanthaster planci (= A. cf. solaris), Actinopgya spp., Bohadschia spp., Charonia tritonis, Culcita novaeguineae, Diadema spp., Echinothrix spp., Holothuria spp., Lambis spp., Leiaster leachi, Linckia guildingi, L. laevigata, Octopus cyanea, Pearsonothuria graeffei, Stichopus spp., Tectus (= Rochia) spp., Thelenota ananas, Tridacna spp., and Tripneustes gratilla. Boring urchins (e.g., Echinometra spp. and Echinostrephus aciculatus) and small sea stars (Echinaster luzonicus, Fromia spp., Gomophia egyptiaca, Linckia multiflora) were dropped from the survey beginning in 2020, as it was clear that the survey method employed by the GLTMP was not appropriate for the consistent detection of these taxa. Anemones, crustaceans, and smaller molluscs (e.g., Cypraea spp., Turbo spp.) were not a focus of the survey and were recorded inconsistently between 2010 and 2019; these taxa were also officially omitted from the survey beginning in 2020. Observations of boring urchins, small sea stars, and these other small or cryptic taxa are included in the dataset archived with NCEI, but it is highly recommended that only larger, conspicuous macroinvertebrates be used to calculate total invertebrate density and invertebrate group density at the transect level, and that densities of the other taxa be utilized cautiously. It should also be noted that nocturnally active macroinvertebrates, such as Diadema spp., Echinothrix spp., Leister leachi, and some holothuroid taxa, were likely undercounted. IMPORTANT: The 2010-2019 macroinvertebrate observations dataset initially archived with NCEI did not include zero count records, which could result in erroneous density values when averaging count or density values. Zero count records were added to the dataset using a custom R script, and updated datasets gave since been archived with NCEI. The stated goals of the Guam Long-term Coral Reef Monitoring Program (GLTMP) are to determine the status and trends of selected coral reef ecosystem indicators to inform resource managers' decision-making process, provide managers with early notice of abnormal conditions, provide data to better understand the dynamic nature of the island's coastal ecosystems, allow resource agencies to meet certain legal and Congressional mandates, and measure progress towards performance goals. Benthic cover data collected by the GLTMP at several High Priority Reef Areas around Guam provide documentation of the structure and condition of the benthic communities at these sites; data from multiple visits can be used in time series analyses to determine trends in key ecosystem parameters. Loaded by FGDC Metadata Uploader, batch 10198, 11-05-2017 15:27 The following FGDC sections are not currently supported in InPort, but were preserved and will be included in the FGDC export: - Spatial Reference Information (FGDC:spref), Macroinvertebrate belt transect data have been collected along permanent and non-permanent sampling stations at multiple monitoring sites since 2010, including: Tumon Bay: 2010 (8 perm, 7 non-perm); 2012 (12 perm, 9 non-perm); 2014 (12 perm, 4 non-perm); 2015 (12 perm, 10 non-perm); 2017 (12 perm, 2 non-perm); 2018 (12 perm, 0 non-perm); 2019 (12 perm, 7 non-perm); 2020 (12 perm, 10 non-perm); 2021 (12 perm, 10 non-perm); 2022 (12 perm, 10 non-perm); 2023 (12 perm, 10 non-perm); 2024 (12 perm, 10 non-perm); 2025 (12 perm, 10 non-perm) East Agana Bay: 2010 (5 perm, 10 non-perm; missing data for 5 perm); 2012 (10 perm, 0 non-perm); 2014 (10 perm, 0 non-perm); 2015 (10 perm, 0 non-perm); 2017 (10 perm, 0 non-perm); 2018 (10 perm, 0 non-perm); 2019 (9 perm, 6 non-perm); 2020 (10 perm, 10 non-perm); 2021 (10 perm, 10 non-perm); 2022 (10 perm, 10 non-perm); 2023 (10 perm, 10 non-perm); 2024 (10 perm, 10 non-perm); 2025 (10 perm, 10 non-perm) Western Shoals: 2011 (11 perm, 12 non-perm) Piti Bay: 2012 (10 perm, 10 non-perm); 2014 (10 perm, 2 non-perm); 2017-2018 (8 perm, 0 non-perm); 2020 (10 perm, 10 non-perm); 2022 (10 perm, 10 non-perm); 2024 (10 perm, 7 non-perm) Achang: 2014 (11 perm, 3 non-perm); 2018 (10 perm, 0 non-perm); 2021 (10 perm, 10 non-perm); 2023 (10 perm, 10 non-perm); 2025 (10 perm, 10 non-perm) Cocos-East: 2014 (3 perm, 2 non-perm); 2018 (7 perm, 0 non-perm); 2021 (10 perm, 10 non-perm); 2023 (10 perm, 7 non-perm); 2025 (10 perm, 9 non-perm) Fouha Bay: 2015 (13 perm); 2019 (13 perm); 2021 (13 perm) Data entry and quality control are complete for data collected through 2025. Theme ISO 19115 Topic Category biota Theme CRCP Project 488 Theme CRCP Project Guam Coral Reef Monitoring Data Management Initiative Theme CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus Numeric Data Sets > Biology Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Ecological Dynamics > Species Richness Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Macroinvertebrate Census > Belt Transect Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Macroinvertebrate Density and Species Richness Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Rapid Assessment Studies Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Macroinvertebrate Communities Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Macroinvertebrates Theme PARR Exclusion Obsolete Theme Belt Transects Theme Coral Reef Ecosystem Theme Guam Long-term Coral Reef Monitoring Program Theme Long-term Monitoring Program Theme Macroinvertebrate Density Theme Macroinvertebrate Species Richness Theme Macroinvertebrates Theme Marine Ecosystem Theme REA Theme Rapid Ecological Assessments Theme Tridacna Size Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Guam > Achang (13N144E0064) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Guam > Cocos Barrier Reefs (13N144E0001) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Guam > East Agana Bay (13N144E0063) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Guam > Fouha Bay (13N144E0024) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Guam > Guam (13N144E0000) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Guam > Piti Bay (13N144E0061) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Guam > Tumon Bay (13N144E0004) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Guam > Western Shoal (13N144E0062) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Guam > Achang (13N144E0064) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Guam > East Agana Bay (13N144E0063) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Guam > Fouha Bay (13N144E0024) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Guam > Guam (13N144E0000) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Guam > Piti Bay (13N144E0061) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Guam > Tumon Bay (13N144E0004) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Guam > Western Shoal (13N144E0062) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Guam Reefs > Cocos Barrier Reefs (13N144E0001) Spatial Mariana Archipelago Spatial Mariana Islands Spatial Marianas University of Guam Marine Laboratory Mangilao GU USA Data Set Database As Needed Table (digital) Raw survey data includes metadata for each survey (where, when, who, area); site characteristics (depth, reef type, habitat, exposure); individual macro-invertebrate observation counts identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible (usually species); and parameters needed to calculate density. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/47802 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. The Guam Coastal Management Program makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. Guam Coastal Management Program, NOAA Pacific Islands Regional Office, and University of Guam Marine Lab. Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable 47802 GLTMP Invert Published / External Completed Guam Long-term Monitoring Program macro-invertebrate observation data Data View Yes Guam Long-term Monitoring Program macro-invertebrate observation data 1 SITE_ID NUMBER Yes No Active Unique site identifier 2 SITE NVARCHAR2 150 Yes No Active The 3-character code for the site surveyed 3 SITE_NAME VARCHAR2 20 Yes No Active Site name 4 STATION NUMBER Yes No Active Sampling station number 5 STATIONID VARCHAR2 20 Yes No Active A unique identifier combining the SITE with the STATION 6 DATE_TIME DATE 20 Yes No Active Date the survey was conducted 7 LATITUDE NUMBER 22 Yes No 38 Active Site latitude as recorded by divers on the Dive & Nav Info datasheets in decimal degrees 8 LONGITUDE NUMBER 22 Yes No Active Site longitude as recorded by divers on the Dive & Nav Info datasheets in decimal degrees 9 WAVEEXPOSURE NVARCHAR2 60 No No Active A general classification of the relative degree of wave exposure (Low, Moderate, High) for a given site; the wave exposure value is the same for all sampling stations within a given site NULL Wave exposure class if not provided Low, Moderate, High 10 STRATUM NVARCHAR2 150 No No Active The stratum for the given sampling station, which includes the reef zone and subzone (e.g., ReefSlope-Terrace, ReefMargin-West) NULL Stratum not provided for sampling station Embayment-Terrace, ReefSlope-Terrace, ReefSlope-West, ReefFlatMargin-East, ReefFlatMargin-West 11 STATION_TYPE VARCHAR2 20 Yes No Active The sampling station type (Fixed or Unfixed) NULL Sampling station type not provided Fixed, Unfixed 12 TRANSECT_NUMBER NUMBER Yes No Active Transect number for a given site visit; value is "1" unless more than one transect was surveyed at a sampling station during a single site visit Integer 13 DEPTH NUMBER 22 No No 38 Active Depth of survey area in meters Integer m Null Depth not provided for sampling station 14 OBSERVER NVARCHAR2 150 Yes No Active anonymized unique identifier for observer 15 TRANSECT_LENGTH NUMBER Yes No Active Length of the transect in meters Integer m 16 TRANSECT_WIDTH NUMBER No No Active Width of the transect in meters Integer m 17 SCIENTIFIC_NAME VARCHAR2 255 No No Active Scientific name Actinopyga echinites, Amplexidiscus fenestrafer, Actinopyga mauritiana, Actinopyga palauensis, Acanthaster planci, Asteroidea, Bohadschia argus, Bohadschia vitiensis, Choriaster granulatus, Culcuta novaeguineae, Crustacea, Ciliopagurus strigatus, Charonia tritonis, Cypraea spp., Dardanus spp., Diadema savignyi, Echinostrephus aciculatus, Echinothrix calamaris, Echinoidea, Echinothrix diadema, Echinaster luzonicus, Echinometra mathaei, Eucidaris metularia, Entacmaea quadricolor, Echinometra sp. A, Fromia milleporella, Gomophia egyptiaca, Holothuria atra, Heteractis crispa, Holothuria edulis, Holothuria leucospilota, Heteractis magnifica, Heteractis malu, Holothuroidea, Holothuria sp., Holothuria whitmaei, Lambis spp., Linckia spp., Linckia laevigata, Leiaster leachi, Linckia leachi, Linckia multiflora, None, Octopus cyanea, Paguridae, Parasalenia gratiosa, Pearsonothuria graeffei, Stichopus chloronotus, Stenopus hispidus, Stichopus horrens, Synapta maculata, Thelenota ananas, Tectus spp., Tripneuestes gratilla, Tectus niloticus, Tectus pyramis, Tridacna spp., Turbo spp. 18 TAXAGROUP VARCHAR2 No No Active Taxonomic grouping Anemone, Crustacean, Edible Shell, None, Octopus, Other Mollusk, Sea Cucumber, Sea Star, Sea Urchin, Shrimp 19 INVERT_COUNT NUMBER Yes No Active Number of inverts observed during survey 0 No macroinvertebrates recorded 20 INVERT_DENSITY_M2 NUMBER 20 No No Active Density (ind/m^2) for a invertebrate taxon at a given sampling station (= one transect), calculated as the count value divided by the transect area (TRANSECT_LENGTH times TRANSECT_WIDTH) 21 YEAR NUMBER 4 No No Active Year in which survey was conducted INVERT_COUNT/(TRANSECT_LENGTH*TRANSECT_WIDTH) Data Steward 2026 Person Drake, Diona draked@triton.uog.edu Data Steward 2010 2025 Person Burdick, David R burdickd@triton.uog.edu 303 University Dr. Mangilao GU 96913 USA 671-735-2175 0800-1700 Chamorro Standard Time (GMT+10) Distributor 2026 Person Drake, Diona draked@triton.uog.edu Distributor 2010 2025 Person Burdick, David R burdickd@triton.uog.edu 303 University Dr. Mangilao GU 96913 USA 671-735-2175 0800-1700 Chamorro Standard Time (GMT+10) Metadata Contact 2026 Person Drake, Diona draked@triton.uog.edu Metadata Contact 2010 2025 Person Burdick, David R burdickd@triton.uog.edu 303 University Dr. Mangilao GU 96913 USA 671-735-2175 0800-1700 Chamorro Standard Time (GMT+10) Originator 2010 Organization NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program CRCP 1305 East West Highway 10th Floor Silver Spring MD 20910-3281 (301) 713-3155 https://coralreef.noaa.gov Link to the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program website Online Resource Point of Contact 2026 Person Drake, Diona draked@triton.uog.edu Point of Contact 2010 2025 Person Burdick, David R burdickd@triton.uog.edu 303 University Dr. Mangilao GU 96913 USA 671-735-2175 0800-1700 Chamorro Standard Time (GMT+10) Principal Investigator 2017 2025 Person Burdick, David R burdickd@triton.uog.edu 303 University Dr. Mangilao GU 96913 USA 671-735-2175 0800-1700 Chamorro Standard Time (GMT+10) Ground Condition Tumon Bay 144.789408 144.798507 13.517207 13.510711 These bounding coordinates pertain to the Tumon Bay site boundaries modified after the 2010 survey effort and prior to the 2012 survey effort; these are the current boundaries for the Tumon Bay monitoring site. 144.784502 144.795528 13.512988 13.508506 These bounding coordinates pertain to the original Tumon Bay site surveyed in 2010. The site boundaries were modified prior to the 2012 surveys; the coordinates of the modified site boundaries are presented in a separate Geographic Area above. Range 2010-08-04 2010-09-03 Time frame of macroinvertebrate surveys carried out within the original Tumon Bay site as established in 2010. The boundaries of the Tumon Bay site changed after the 2010 surveys were carried out and prior to the 2012 surveys. Range 2012-09-05 2012-11-19 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out in 2012 at the current Tumon Bay site, the boundaries of which were modified after the 2010 survey effort but before the 2012 survey effort. Range 2014-09-03 2014-09-09 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out in 2014 at the current Tumon Bay site, the boundaries of which were modified after the 2010 survey effort but before the 2012 survey effort. Range 2015-06-23 2015-07-01 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out in 2015 at the current Tumon Bay site, the boundaries of which were modified after the 2010 survey effort but before the 2012 survey effort. Range 2017-04-10 2017-05-17 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out in 2017 at the current Tumon Bay site, the boundaries of which were modified after the 2010 survey effort but before the 2012 survey effort. Range 2018-10-23 2018-11-15 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out in 2018 at the current Tumon Bay site, the boundaries of which were modified after the 2010 survey effort but before the 2012 survey effort. Range 2019-07-02 2019-08-30 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out in 2019 at the current Tumon Bay site, the boundaries of which were modified after the 2010 survey effort but before the 2012 survey effort. Range 2020-07-23 2020-10-13 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out in 2020 at the current Tumon Bay site, the boundaries of which were modified after the 2010 survey effort but before the 2012 survey effort. Range 2021-06-23 2021-08-18 Range 2022-08-05 2022-09-28 Range 2023-05-11 2023-06-29 Range 2024-07-10 2024-08-16 Range 2025-05-16 2025-07-10 East Agana Bay 144.758065 144.766983 13.491396 13.483792 These bounding coordinates pertain to the current boundaries for the East Agana Bay site, which has been monitored since 2010 Range 2010-09-07 2010-11-26 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out in 2010 at the current East Agana Bay site, the boundaries of which have been consistent since the site's establishment in 2010 Range 2012-11-16 2012-11-28 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out in 2012 at the current East Agana Bay site, the boundaries of which have been consistent since the site's establishment in 2010 Range 2014-09-10 2014-09-16 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out in 2014 at the current East Agana Bay site, the boundaries of which have been consistent since the site's establishment in 2010 Range 2016-02-16 2016-04-05 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out in 2016 at the current East Agana Bay site, the boundaries of which have been consistent since the site's establishment in 2010 Range 2017-07-12 2017-07-20 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out in 2017 at the current East Agana Bay site, the boundaries of which have been consistent since the site's establishment in 2010 Range 2018-11-15 2018-11-29 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out in 2018 at the current East Agana Bay site, the boundaries of which have been consistent since the site's establishment in 2010 Range 2019-09-05 2019-09-06 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out in 2019 at the current East Agana Bay site, the boundaries of which have been consistent since the site's establishment in 2010 Range 2020-10-13 2020-11-24 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out in 2020 at the current East Agana Bay site, the boundaries of which have been consistent since the site's establishment in 2010 Range 2021-08-04 2021-09-03 Range 2022-09-29 2022-10-27 Range 2023-08-16 2023-09-13 Range 2024-08-16 2024-11-19 Range 2025-07-10 2025-08-08 Western Shoals 144.653292 144.656443 13.454042 13.449599 These bounding coordinates pertain to the Western Shoals monitoring site in Apra Harbor. The Western Shoals site has not been re-surveyed since 2011 due to a shift in management priorities. Range 2011-07-11 2011-08-19 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out at the Western Shoals site in 2011. Subsequent surveys have not been carried out at this site due to a shift in management priorities. Piti (Tepungan) Bay 144.683913 144.697634 13.47632 13.468317 These bounding coordinates pertain to the Piti (Tepungan) Bay site, which has been surveyed since 2012. Range 2012-07-23 2012-08-31 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out within the Piti (Tepungan) Bay site in 2012 Range 2014-09-17 2014-11-13 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out within the Piti (Tepungan) Bay site in 2014 Range 2017-11-15 2017-12-15 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out within the Piti (Tepungan) Bay site in 2017 Range 2018-03-01 2018-03-09 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out within the Piti (Tepungan) Bay site in 2018 Range 2020-06-30 2020-07-16 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out within the Piti (Tepungan) Bay site in 2020 Range 2022-05-22 2022-08-04 Range 2024-09-26 2024-11-08 Achang 144.69765 144.712233 13.242611 13.239282 These bounding coordinates pertain to the current Achang monitoring site boundaries, which were established in 2014. Range 2014-10-22 2014-10-27 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out in 2014 at the Achang site Range 2018-07-26 2018-09-27 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out in 2018 at the Achang site Range 2021-04-21 2021-05-14 Range 2023-06-30 2023-08-25 Range 2025-08-14 2025-09-23 Cocos-East 144.674888 144.685944 13.23992 13.235939 These bounding coordinates pertain to the current Cocos-East site, which was established in 2014 Range 2014-10-27 2014-10-28 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out in 2014 at the Cocos-East site Range 2018-08-24 2018-09-25 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out in 2018 at the Cocos-East site Range 2021-04-30 2021-06-10 Range 2023-10-19 2023-11-08 Range 2025-09-23 2025-11-13 Fouha Bay 144.653677 144.656082 13.305903 13.303514 These bounding coordinates pertain to the current Fouha Bay monitoring site, which was established in 2015 Range 2015-05-06 2015-10-27 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out in 2015 at the Fouha Bay site Range 2019-05-09 2019-06-04 Time frame for macroinvertebrate surveys carried out in 2019 at the Fouha Bay site Range 2021-05-19 2021-06-11 Unclassified Not applicable Not applicable Data can be accessed online via the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Ocean Archive. None Please cite the Guam Coastal Management Program when using data collected prior to October 2013. Guam Coastal Management Program, Guam Bureau of Statistics and Plans, Government of Guam. Please cite the University of Guam Marine Laboratory when using data collected after (and including) October 2013. Example citation: For data collected from 2010 to 2012: Guam Coastal Management Program (2019). Guam Long-term Coral Reef Monitoring Program Macroinvertebrate Belt Transects since 2010. NOAA's National Center for Environmental Information, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/47782. For data collected after 2012: University of Guam Marine Laboratory (2019). Guam Long-term Coral Reef Monitoring Program Macroinvertebrate Belt Transects since 2010. NOAA's National Center for Environmental Information, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/47782. None None https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/accession# GLTMP_invert_2010-2020.csv Invert observations from the Guam Long-term Coral Reef Monitoring Program sites between 2010 and 2020 csv (comma-separated values) CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) https://guamcoralreefmonitoring.files.wordpress.com/2020/02/guam_ltmp_spring2019_report_final-2.pdf A report of the Comprehensive Long-term Coral Reef Monitoring at Permanent Sites on Guam Project Online Resource PDF End-of-grant report that includes detailed information about the monitoring program's background and survey methodology, as well as the results of an analysis of baseline data collected at the Fouha Bay, Achang, Tepungan (Piti) Bay and the modified Tumon Bay site, and an analysis of time series data collected at the Tumon Bay, East Agana Bay, and Tepungan (Piti) Bay sites. https://guamcoralreefmonitoring.wordpress.com/ Online Resource Guam Long-term Coral Reef Monitoring Program website https://www.uog.edu/_resources/files/ml/technical_reports/UOGML_TechRep170_GLTMP_2023.pdf A decade of change on Guam's coral reefs: A report of Guam Long-term Coral Reef Monitoring Program activities between 2010 and 2021 Online Resource PDF End-of-grant report that includes detailed information about the monitoring program's background and survey methodology, as well as the results of analyses of data collected at several High Priority Reef Areas (HPRAs) between 2010 and 2021, at island-wide bleaching response and recovery sites between 2013 and 2021, at Reef Flat Monitoring Program sites between 2009 and 2022, and at staghorn coral communities between 2015 and 2021. Observations recorded on data sheets are entered into a data management website that populations a Microsoft SQL Server administered by the University of Guam. Observations at each site were made by divers who have been trained and met minimum standards in identifying species present at the survey locations. Species identification and counts were periodically checked for accuracy and consistency between divers, and little discrepancy was noted. Effort is made to avoid inter-observer bias through consistent training of macroinvertebrate surveyors by the Program Coordinator and by reference to an established protocol document. Improvement over time in observers' general level of skill with the survey method, and an evolving understanding of the taxa at the monitoring sites, should be taken into account when comparing data across time; however, minor improvements in skill are not expected to have a significant impact on data quality. Comparisons of data across sites or across years must take into account differences in environmental and biological aspects of each site. Comparisons for a give site across time should consider any changes to the site boundaries over time. Please refer to the Extents section of this metadata record to see how the Tumon site boundaries shifted after 2010. Only hard-bottom habitats are surveyed. Surveys are conducted annually to biennially for the Tumon and East Agana sites, but are conducted on a less frequent basis at other sites. In addition, while all permanent sampling stations are generally surveyed each sampling period, surveys are not always conducted at the full set of non-permanent stations for each site during each sampling period. Unfortunately, several macroinvertebrate data sheets were lost before data was entered into the data management system, resulting in the absence of data for several sampling stations in the Tumon and East Agana sites in 2010. Below is a summary of the number of permanent and non-permanent sampling stations for which macroinvertebrate data is available each year for each site: Tumon Bay: 2010 (8 perm, 7 non-perm; missing data for 2 perm and 3 non-perm); 2012 (12 perm, 9 non-perm); 2014 (12 perm, 4 non-perm); 2015 (12 perm, 10 non-perm); 2017 (12 perm, 2 non-perm); 2018 (12 perm, 0 non-perm); 2019 (12 perm, 0 non-perm); 2020 (12 perm, 10 non-perm); 2021 (12 perm, 10 non-perm); 2022 (12 perm, 10 non-perm); 2023 (12 perm, 10 non-perm); 2024 (12 perm, 10 non-perm); 2025 (12 perm, 10 non-perm) East Agana Bay: 2010 (5 perm, 10 non-perm; missing data for 5 perm); 2012 (10 perm, 0 non-perm); 2014 (10 perm, 0 non-perm); 2015 (10 perm, 0 non-perm); 2017 (10 perm, 0 non-perm); 2018 (10 perm, 0 non-perm); 2019 (9 perm, 6 non-perm); 2020 (10 perm, 10 non-perm); 2021 (10 perm, 10 non-perm); 2022 (10 perm, 10 non-perm); 2023 (10 perm, 10 non-perm); 2024 (10 perm, 10 non-perm); 2025 (10 perm, 10 non-perm) Western Shoals: 2011 (11 perm, 12 non-perm) Piti Bay: 2012 (10 perm, 10 non-perm); 2014 (10 perm, 2 non-perm); 2017-2018 (8 perm, 0 non-perm); 2020 (10 perm, 10 non-perm); 2022 (10 perm, 10 non-perm); 2024 (10 perm, 7 non-perm) Achang: 2014 (11 perm, 3 non-perm); 2018 (10 perm, 0 non-perm); 2021 (10 perm, 10 non-perm); 2023 (10 perm, 10 non-perm); 2025 (10 perm, 10 non-perm) Cocos-East: 2014 (3 perm, 2 non-perm); 2018 (7 perm, 0 non-perm); 2021 (10 perm, 10 non-perm); 2023 (10 perm, 7 non-perm); 2025 (10 perm, 9 non-perm) Fouha Bay: 2015 (13 perm); 2019 (13 perm); 2021 (13 perm) Data entry and quality control are complete for data collected through 2025. The same methods of data collection were used at each of the stations surveyed. Surveys were conducted by a team of scientists that met minimum qualifications and trained and calibrated together. All observations entered into the database through the online data entry system are compared against observations recorded on the raw data sheet. Once all database records are verified the quality control process is marked as complete for all observations associated with a given station/sampling period. It should also be noted that the data management system employs hard and soft validation to minimize data entry errors. Yes Unknown Yes No Unknown NCEI-MD Unknown University of Guam Marine Lab resources and assets The Macroinvertebrate Survey methodology, employed by the Guam Long-term Coral Reef Monitoring Program since 2010 1 Macroinvertebrate belt transect surveys are carried out at all sampling stations within a monitoring site when program capacity is sufficient to do so. All sampling stations have been selected in hard-bottom habitats using a stratified random sampling design, and the stations have been designed using the split-panel approach (combination of fixed and non-fixed transects). Person Drake, Diona draked@triton.uog.edu 2 Each sampling station is located using a GPS receiver. Upon reaching a given station, a small weight and line tied to a buoy is carefully lowered to the ocean floor. In optimal situations where four divers are available, two divers enter the water first to carry out the fish surveys. Starting at the weight tied to the buoy, a 30 m transect is laid out [25 m-long transects were used prior to 2017]. The transect is laid out in a clockwise direction relative to the island, following the depth contour if it is readily determined; if the area is relatively flat and a depth contour is not readily discernible the transect is laid at an angle parallel to the reef margin (which is determined prior to entering the water). Compact digital point and shoot cameras and housings are used by individual observers to document unknown organisms, incidences of coral disease, and species/behaviors of special interest. For the initial establishment of fixed sampling stations, 24 inch rebar is installed at the beginning of the transect and 12 inch rebar is installed at the center and end of the transect; four-inch concrete nails are installed in at least two of the corners of each quadrat used for coral size and condition surveys. For the Western Shoals site, rebar and concrete nails were not used and instead a small PVC float was tied to dead coral with a line at the beginning of the transect and large zip ties were placed at the beginning, middle, and end of the transect. Two small zip ties were used to mark two corners of each permanent quadrat location. [Note that due to capacity limitations coral quadrat surveys were eliminated beginning in 2020; the nails for quadrats at some sampling stations have been maintained opportunistically] To minimize diver disruptions, the two divers conducting the benthic surveys enter the water after the fish team has finished enumerating fish. In situations where only three divers are available, all three divers enter the water at the same time and remain as a three-person buddy team to ensure diver safety throughout the survey. A fish diver partners with a benthic diver when two fish divers are not available. In this situation, the fish diver lays the transect and conducts the first SPC at 22.5 m while the benthic diver works from 0-15 m; they then switch positions along the transect so that the fish diver can carry out the second SPC. Beginning in 2020, most surveys have been conducted by a single pair of divers. After deploying the transect tape the two divers would simultaneously carry out a reef fish SPC survey replicate (if both observers were trained and calibrated) or if only one of the divers was trained and calibrated this individual would carry out both replicates, one after the other. Following the completion of the reef fish survey replicates, one diver would carry out the benthic photo transect survey while the other carried out the macroinvertebrate belt transect survey and the rugosity survey. Person Drake, Diona draked@triton.uog.edu 3 The macroinvertebrate belt transect survey is usually carried out by the same person who carries out the benthic photo transect, but may be carried out by the coral quadrat diver or by a diver dedicated wholly to the macroinvertebrate survey. A set of commercially and ecologically important macroinvertebrates are counted within a 4 m x 30 m belt (4 m x 25 m prior to 2017, 4 m x 15 m belt at Western Shoals site) centered on the transect tape placed by the fish team. The diver carries out the survey by counting macroinvertebrates along one side of the transect tape (a 2 m belt) and returning along the other side (another 2 m belt), being careful not to double count species near the transect tape or which may have moved from one side to the other. A meter-long PVC pipe is used by the diver to ensure that their estimate of belt width is accurate. Macroinvertebrate taxa surveyed include large echinoids, holothuroids, edible mollusks (Tridacna spp., Charonia tritonis, Trochus/Tectus spp., Lambis spp., Octopus spp.), and large seastars (e.g., Acanthaster, Linkcia). Tridacna spp. are measured to the nearest centimeter. Person Drake, Diona draked@triton.uog.edu 4 Raw data include individual records for each observed macroinvertebrate taxa, along with corresponding methodological information and physical data that reflect the description of the site. An individual record for each observed macroinvertebrate taxa includes species/genus identification, count, and taxonomic group (e.g., sea urchin, edible shell, sea star, etc.). The maximum length of Tridacna are also recorded during the survey but are not currently entered into the database. These measurements are available upon request. The physical and methodological data for all records includes the following: site, station, station type, date (day, month, year), latitude (dd), longitude (dd), station type (fixed, unfixed), transect number, transect length, transect width (m), depth (m), habitat Person Drake, Diona draked@triton.uog.edu 47802 Entity 47784 Data Set Cross Reference 47788 Data Set Cross Reference 47781 Data Set Cross Reference 47783 Data Set Cross Reference gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:47782 Troy Kanemura 2017-11-05T15:27:33 Diona Drake 2026-02-27T01:18:30 2021-04-14 Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center PIFSC 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA 808-725-5300 https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 1001 Public No No 2021-04-14 1 Year 2022-04-14 0.0001 0.0001 Decimal degrees World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84) Geodetic Reference System 80 (GRS80) 6378137 298.2572236