National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessment of coral reef benthic communities in Puerto Rico from 2021-04-30 to 2021-12-24 (NCEI Accession 0272313)

The National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) assessed coral reef communities in Puerto Rico using two benthic surveys: the Benthic Assessment (BA) and the Coral Demographic method. Benthic Assessment provides benthic cover estimates for ecologically important cover types/groups (e.g., macroalgae, turf algae, crustose coralline algae, corals, sponges, sand/sediment, etc.) using a 1-stage stratified random survey design in hardbottom and coral reef habitats less than 30m in depth. The goals of these surveys are to provide: (1) a quantification of percent cover of biotic and abiotic benthic components using a line point-intercept (LPI) method; (2) information on topographic complexity substratum rugosity) of the survey locations (3) quantitative information on local commercially and ecologically-important macroinvertebrates (Caribbean spiny lobster [Panulirus argus], queen conch [Lobatus gigas], long-spined sea urchin [Diadema antillarum]); and (4) presence-absence information for ESA-listed Threatened corals. The goal of the coral demographic surveys is to collect and report information on species composition, density, size, abundance, and specific parameters of condition (% live vs. dead, bleaching, disease) of non-juvenile scleractinian corals (>4 cm maximum diameter), and of overall species diversity (all corals) using 10m x 1m belt transects in a stratified random sampling design in hardbottom and coral reef habitats less than 30m in depth. Both Benthic Assessment and Coral Demographic surveys are concurrent. Three datasets are provided under the Benthic Assessment and coral demographic protocols, and are distributed as one compiled package: (1) analysis ready benthic cover dataset, (2) analysis ready invertebrates/ESA dataset, and (3) analysis ready coral demographic dataset. The methodologies used for this survey can be found in the Benthic Assessment and Coral Demographic protocols. All datasets contain data fields on general station information (e.g., survey strata, depth, rugosity). Each of these data tables contain additional survey-specific data fields. For complete information and descriptions of attributes and data fields for all data tables, refer to the data dictionaries.

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 NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) and supported by NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) and many other partners. NCCOS is co-leading biological monitoring missions with NOAA's Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) to gather data on fish populations and coral reef communities in the U.S. Caribbean, Florida, and the Gulf of Mexico. Each year, our scientists work closely with CRCP and local partners to collect biological data from thousands of strategically selected sites. We then use innovative analysis techniques 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. The biological component of NCRMP provides a biennial 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). Data collection occurs at stratified random sites where the sampling domain for each region is partitioned by habitat type and depth, sub-regional location (e.g., along-shelf position) and management zone. Data provided in this dataset are from around Puerto Rico, including the islands of Vieques, Culebra, Mona and Desecheo. Lead agencies NOAA NCCOS and SEFSC, and partners HJR Reefscaping, Inc., CSS, the University of Puerto Rico and Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources.

In 2017, NCRMP developed a new data template and structure for data delivery/archiving. All prior year packages have been updated to reflect these changes. Any future data packages will follow this new structure for consistency across years.

In 2015, the fish species Pterois volitans (red lionfish) was added to the list of key species requiring actual size measurements.

Cite as: National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS); Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) (2022). National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessment of coral reef benthic communities in Puerto Rico from 2021-04-30 to 2021-12-24 (NCEI Accession 0272313). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0272313. Accessed [date]

Funding:

US DOC; NOAA; NOS; National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)

US DOC; NOAA; NOS; Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP

Version 1.1 of the Archive at this time

Download from provided links

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Quality control procedures are implemented in four main stages:

(1) ongoing routine training of observers (initial detailed training, annual refresher training);

(2) data check following data collection, where divers trade datasheets immediately upon returning to Data Documentation

(3) independent reviewers compare datasheets with database entries; and

(4) statistical analyses are conducted as the final check before distribution.

Before implementation the sampling design was reviewed and agreed upon by

representatives from program partners, as well as NCCOS scientists