71053 Virgin Islands Project Published / External 70663 Benthic Data Project On Going 2023 2018 Data provided in this dataset were collected around the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) as part of NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)-led missions in collaboration with partners at the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Southeast Fisheries Science Center, the National Park Service, USVI Department of Planning and Natural Resources, University of the Virgin Islands, University of Miami, Nova Southeastern University, The Nature Conservancy, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Benthic data collection for the ongoing National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) consists of two survey types: the Line Point-Intercept (LPI) method and the Coral Demographic method. The LPI method provides a measure of percent cover of biotic and abiotic components of the benthos in a stratified random sampling design in hardbottom and coral reef habitats. The coral demographics protocol provide more detailed and species-specific insights (signal magnitude) for coral populations than is provided by percent cover. 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 St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John, and surrounding Sail Rock and mid-shelf reef region. Lead agencies involved include the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) and the National Park Service (NPS). Cite as: NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (2018). National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessment of coral reef benthic communities in the U.S. Virgin Islands. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.7289/v5ww7fqk. Accessed [date]. 10.7289/v5ww7fqk NOAA Theme Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce Theme Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords DOC/NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC > Southeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce Theme Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords DOC/NOAA/NOS/NCCOS > National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce Theme Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION Theme Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/VERTEBRATES > FISH Theme Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > BENTHIC Theme Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > REEF > CORAL REEF Theme Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > COASTAL PROCESSES > CORAL REEFS > CORAL BLEACHING Theme Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords EARTH SCIENCE > SOLID EARTH > GEOMORPHIC LANDFORMS/PROCESSES > COASTAL LANDFORMS > CORAL REEFS Spatial Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > CARIBBEAN SEA Spatial Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > CARIBBEAN SEA > VIRGIN ISLANDS Instrument Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords VISUAL OBSERVATIONS > VISUAL OBSERVATIONS Theme CRCP Project National Coral Reef Monitoring Plan (NCRMP) Implementation Theme CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus Numeric Data Sets > Benthic Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Reef Habitat > Description Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Ecological Dynamics > Species Richness Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > ESA Listed Species Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Benthos analysis > Transect monitoring > Linear transect (point) Theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Coral Colony Size and Condition Theme NCCOS Keywords NCCOS Research Data Types > Field Observation Theme NCCOS Keywords NCCOS Research Data Types > Long-term Monitoring Theme NCCOS Keywords NCCOS Research Priorities > Marine Spatial Ecology Theme NCCOS Keywords NCCOS Research Topics > Ecological and Biological Characterization Theme NCCOS Keywords Research Data Types > Field Observation Theme NCCOS Keywords Research Priorities > Long-term Monitoring Theme NCCOS Keywords Research Topics > Ecological/Biological Characterization Theme NCCOS Keywords Research Topics > Habitat Mapping Theme NCCOS Keywords Research Topics > Monitoring Theme NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER 0176081 Theme NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER 0215460 Theme NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER 0224205 Theme NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER 0270849 Theme NODC COLLECTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS US DOC; NOAA; NMFS; Southeast Fisheries Science Center Theme NODC COLLECTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS US DOC; NOAA; NOS; Coral Reef Conservation Program Theme NODC COLLECTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS US DOC; NOAA; NOS; National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS BENTHIC COMMUNITIES Theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS BENTHIC SPECIES Theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS BENTHIC SPECIES - TAXA COUNTS Theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS BIOLOGICAL DATA Theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS CORAL Theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS CORAL - BLEACHING Theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS CORAL - CENSUS Theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS CORAL - COLONY SIZE Theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS CORAL - SPECIES IDENTIFICATION Theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS HABITAT Theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS HABITAT - BENTHIC Theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS MACROINVERTEBRATE CENSUS Theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS REEF AND/OR BOTTOM REGIME - PERCENT COVER Theme NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS biological Theme NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS in situ Theme NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS survey - biological Theme NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS survey - coral reef Theme NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS survey - swimmer/diver Theme NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS visual observation Theme NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS CORAL REEF STUDIES Theme NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) Theme NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) Theme NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS US DOC; NOAA; NOS; National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Temporal 2013 Temporal 2015 Temporal 2017 Temporal 2019 Temporal 2021 Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > U. S. Virgin Islands > St. Croix > St. Croix (17N064W0003) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > U. S. Virgin Islands > St. John > St. John (18N064W0011) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > U. S. Virgin Islands > St. Thomas > St. Thomas (18N064W0033) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > U. S. Virgin Islands > U. S. Virgin Islands > U. S. Virgin Islands (17N064W0000) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > Leeward Islands > St. Thomas (18N064W0033) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > Lesser Antilles > U. S. Virgin Islands (17N064W0000) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > Virgin Islands > St. Croix (17N064W0003) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > Virgin Islands > St. John (18N064W0011) Spatial CoRIS Place Thesaurus OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Gulf of Mexico > Flower Garden Banks > East Flower Garden Banks (27N093W0001) Spatial NCCOS Location Keywords NCCOS Research Locations > Regions > Caribbean Sea Spatial NCCOS Location Keywords NCCOS Research Locations > U.S. States and Territories > U.S. Virgin Islands Instrument NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS swimmer/diver Instrument NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS visual observation Distributor 2019 Organization NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information NCEI ncei.info@noaa.gov https://ror.org/04r0wrp59 https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact NCEI Contact Information Information for contacts at NCEI. Online Resource -65.14981 -64.43145 18.4152 17.63673 Continuing 2013-07-08 Unclassified Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose. Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose. Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose. https://doi.org/10.7289/v5ww7fqk National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessment of coral reef benthic communities in the U.S. Virgin Islands Online Resource html Landing Page VIrgin Islands Benthic Data FGBNMS Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary LPI Line Point-Intercept 71183 Data Set 71134 Data Set 71096 Data Set 71054 Data Set gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:71053 Lee Weinberger 2023-10-10T12:28:01 SysAdmin InPortAdmin 2026-03-04T19:17:17 2023-10-10 Southeast Fisheries Science Center SEFSC 75 Virginia Beach Drive Miami FL 33149 USA (305)361-5761 www.sefsc.noaa.gov 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. EST 1001 Public No 2023-09-10 1 Year 2024-09-10