Data Management Plan

This data compilation includes benthic and fish survey data collected in St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands (USVI); La Parguera, Guanica, Jobos Bay, and Vieques, Puerto Rico; and Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) in the Gulf of Mexico. Data were collected on a biennial basis from 2001 through 2012 and in a consistent manner with established protocols by NOAA's NCCOS Biogeography Branch. In 2013, these long-term Caribbean and FGBNMS monitoring efforts merged with other monitoring programs funded by Coral Reef Conservation Program to form the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP), an ongoing program designed to monitor and assess changes in the composition of coral and reef fish communities.

Process Steps:

• We collected data on fish and benthic composition information across all nearshore habitat types. Sites were randomly selected and stratified by habitat types, and later location, using NOAA's benthic habitat maps of US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Flower Garden Banks. Specific fish data included the abundance (counts) and size information of fish species at the lowest possible taxonomic level whereas benthic composition data included percent cover, relative abundance, size, and composition of benthic communities. At each site, fish and benthic divers were deployed, and they maintained contact with each other throughout the entire dive. One diver utilized the belt-transect visual census technique to collect data on the fish communities over an area of 100m2 (25m length X 4m width), while the other diver used quadrats to estimate benthic composition over the same area. Benthic composition methods used (methodology varied by project): Two different benthic composition methods were used to collect these data sets. All projects/locations used a fine-scale (quadrat level) benthic composition methodology; in addition, a modified habitat survey - the Rapid Habitat Assessment (RHA) - was used in St. John, USVI at specific locations. For detailed descriptions of methodologies, see Hile et al. (2019). The habitat diver placed a 1m2 quadrat divided into 100 (10 x 10cm) smaller squares (1 square equals 1 percent cover) at five separate positions in the Caribbean survey locations, and four in the Gulf of Mexico locations (FGB). Each quadrat position was randomly chosen before entering the water such that there was one random point within every 5m (Caribbean) or 6m (FGB), intervals along the transect. Percent cover was obtained as if looking at the quadrat in a two dimensional plane (i.e., a photograph) vs. three dimensions where percent cover could have added up to greater than 100%. Brief descriptions of information collected are listed below. For detailed information on the benthic methods, see Hile et al. (2019). Data were collected on the following: 1. Logistic information 2. Habitat structure 3. Proximity of structure (if softbottom site) 4. Transect depth profile (depth at each quadrat position) 5. Abiotic footprint within each quadrat position 6. Biotic footprint within each quadrat position 7. Coral (live, bleaching, diseased/dead) 8. Maximum canopy height for soft biota at the quadrat level 9. Number of individuals for sponges, gorgonians and "other" biota type (non-encrusting anemones and hydroids) at the quadrat level 10. Rugosity 11. Abundance and maturity of queen conch (Strombus gigas) within the 25 x 4m belt transect 12. Abundance of spiny lobsters (Panilaurus argus) within the 25 x 4m belt transect 13. Abundance of long-spined urchin (Diadema antillarum) within the 25 x 4m belt transect Although the 1m-square-quadrat remained the basic method of choice for habitat data collection, overtime, changes in data collection methods were made for some habitat variables, and several additional variables were added. These changes were deemed necessary to capture more precise information and as many variables as possible to explain better the observed variability in reef fish assemblage metrics. Fish sampling methods: Belt-transect method for all projects: The transect took 15 minutes regardless of habitat type or number of animals present. This allowed more mobile animals the opportunity to swim through the transect, and standardized the time during which samples were collected to allow for comparisons. As soon as the belt transect diver passed the 5m mark, the point-count and habitat divers began their work. For detailed information on the fish methods, see Hile et al. (2019). Fish data were collected on the following: 1. Logistic information 2. Taxa presence 3. Abundance and size 4. Photos (Citation: 01. Hile, S.D., C.F.G. Jeffrey, C. Caldow, J.D. Christensen, M.E. Monaco, and J.A. Morgan. 2019. Protocols for Characterizing Fish and Associated Benthic Communities in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico: 2001-2012. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 256. Silver Spring, MD. XX pp. https://doi.org/10.25923/z3yt-sh37 )

For details of data quality control methods, see Lineage Sources. All users should independently analyze the datasets according to their own needs and standards to determine data usability.

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