CRED REA Belt Surveys of Coral Population and Disease Assessments at Ta'u Island, American Samoa in 2010

Identification_Information:

Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator:

Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Publication_Date: 20120320
Title:

CRED REA Belt Surveys of Coral Population and Disease Assessments at Ta'u Island, American Samoa in 2010

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: spreadsheet
Online_Linkage:

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/pacific-islands/ecosystems/coral-reefs-pacific

Description:

Abstract:

To support a long-term NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) for sustainable management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems, from 12-13, 20 March 2010, belt transect surveys of coral population and diseases quantitative assessments were conducted, as a part of Rapid Ecological Assessments (REA), during the Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) Cruise HI1001 in American Samoa at biennial intervals by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) at the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC). During the cruise, there were 9 surveys in total conducted at REA sites around Ta'u Island in American Samoa. At the specific REA sites, coral biologists along with algal biologists and marine invertebrate zoologist entered the water and conducted a fine-scale (~300 m2) and high degree of taxonomic resolution REA survey to assess and monitor species composition, abundance, percent cover, size distribution, diversity, and general health of corals, macro-invertebrates, and algae in shallow-water (< 35 m) habitats. As a part of REA surveys, the coral belt surveys were focused on quantifying the diversity, abundance, density, and size-class distribution of the anthozoan and hydrozoan corals as well as the condition and health state of the coral reef populations. The surveys were conducted along two consecutively-placed, 25m transect lines. The belt width was 1-m wide, 0.5-m on each side of the transect line. Within each 25m transect, five 2.5-meter segments were surveyed (beginning at points: 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 meters), whereby in each segment, all coral colonies whose center fell within 0.5m of either side of the transect line were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible (genus or species) and two planar size metrics were collected: maximum diameter and diameter perpendicular to the maximum diameter. In addition, the extent of mortality, both recent and old, was estimated for each colony. Observers paid special attention to identifying as best as possible the extent of the former live colony. When a coral colony exhibited signs of disease or compromised health, additional information was recorded including type of affliction (bleaching, skeletal growth anomaly, white syndrome, tissue loss other than white syndrome, trematodiasis, necrosis, other, pigmentation responses, algal overgrowth, and predation), severity of the affliction (mild, moderate, marked, severe, acute), as well as photographic documentation and sometimes tissue samples. Tissue samples were catalogued and fixed in buffered zinc-formalin solution for further histopathological analyses. Raw survey data included species presence and relative abundance, colony counts per taxon, size (width and length), mortality, predation, and health status. A surveyed area was ranging from 10m2 to 25m2 per site.

Purpose:

Part of a long-term monitoring program at biennial intervals which documents the state of the reefs.

Supplemental_Information:

Maximum depth was 18 meters. Corals genera and disease observed: Year Region Island SPC_Code Species 2010 SAMOA Tau MCUR Montastrea curta 2010 SAMOA Tau FASP Favia sp 2010 SAMOA Tau FSTE Favia stelligera 2010 SAMOA Tau ACSP Acropora sp 2010 SAMOA Tau MOSP Montipora sp 2010 SAMOA Tau LEPT Leptastrea sp 2010 SAMOA Tau PHAI Pssamocora haimeana 2010 SAMOA Tau ASSP Astreopora sp 2010 SAMOA Tau GOSP Goniastrea sp 2010 SAMOA Tau PCHI Pavona chiriquensis 2010 SAMOA Tau LPRU Leptastrea pruinosa 2010 SAMOA Tau CYPS Cyphastrea sp 2010 SAMOA Tau LOBS Lobophyllia sp 2010 SAMOA Tau PLSP Platygyra sp 2010 SAMOA Tau MONS Montastrea sp 2010 SAMOA Tau FAVS Favites sp 2010 SAMOA Tau PVAR Pavona varians 2010 SAMOA Tau GFAS Galaxea fascicularis 2010 SAMOA Tau PPIN Platygyra pini 2010 SAMOA Tau ISOP Isopora sp 2010 SAMOA Tau POSP Porites sp 2010 SAMOA Tau PMEA Pocillopora meandrina 2010 SAMOA Tau FUSP Fungia sp 2010 SAMOA Tau ACAS Acanthastrea sp 2010 SAMOA Tau PRUS Porites rus 2010 SAMOA Tau LMYC Leptoseris myceteroides 2010 SAMOA Tau EGEM Echinopora gemmacea 2010 SAMOA Tau GEDW Goniastrea edwarsi 2010 SAMOA Tau MCAL Monitpora caliculata 2010 SAMOA Tau LEPS Leptoseris sp 2010 SAMOA Tau POCS Pocillopora sp 2010 SAMOA Tau PEYD Pocillopora eydouxi 2010 SAMOA Tau LPUR Leptastrea purpurea 2010 SAMOA Tau GPEC Goniastrea pectinata 2010 SAMOA Tau FMAT Favia matthaii 2010 SAMOA Tau PCAC Pavona cactus 2010 SAMOA Tau GOAS Goniastrea aspera 2010 SAMOA Tau MVEC Montipora verrucosa 2010 SAMOA Tau FCOM Favites complanata 2010 SAMOA Tau FFAV Favia favus 2010 SAMOA Tau FSCU Fungia scutaria 2010 SAMOA Tau GONS Goniopora sp 2010 SAMOA Tau PLOB Porites lobata 2010 SAMOA Tau SYSP Symphyllia sp 2010 SAMOA Tau FGRA Fungia granulosa 2010 SAMOA Tau PAVS Pavona sp 2010 SAMOA Tau IPAL Isopora palifera 2010 SAMOA Tau MVAL Montastrea valenciennesi 2010 SAMOA Tau FFUN Fungia fungites 2010 SAMOA Tau GRET Goniastrea retiformis 2010 SAMOA Tau FDAN Favia danae 2010 SAMOA Tau PLDA Platygyra daedalea 2010 SAMOA Tau PASP Palythoa sp 2010 SAMOA Tau ICRA Isopora craterformis 2010 SAMOA Tau SCAS Stylophora sp 2010 SAMOA Tau TREN Turbinaria reniformis 2010 SAMOA Tau TURS Turbinaria sp 2010 SAMOA Tau MISP Millepora sp 2010 SAMOA Tau SISP Sinularia sp 2010 SAMOA Tau HEXE Hydnophora exesa 2010 SAMOA Tau SASP Sandalolitha sp 2010 SAMOA Tau DISP Diploastrea sp 2010 SAMOA Tau CCOL Coscinaraea columna 2010 SAMOA Tau ALSP Alveopora sp 2010 SAMOA Tau LESP Leptoseris sp 2010 SAMOA Tau PDUE Pavona duerdeni 2010 SAMOA Tau FPAL Favia pallida 2010 SAMOA Tau ASAM Acropora samoensis 2010 SAMOA Tau GASP Goniastrea aspera 2010 SAMOA Tau SARM Stylocoeniella armata 2010 SAMOA Tau PVER Pocillopora verrucosa 2010 SAMOA Tau ECHP Echinopora sp 2010 SAMOA Tau MFOV Montipora foveolata 2010 SAMOA Tau OUSP Oulophyllia sp 2010 SAMOA Tau PMAL Pavona maldivensis 2010 SAMOA Tau CLSP Cladiella sp 2010 SAMOA Tau LOBP Lobophyllia sp 2010 SAMOA Tau LBEW Leptastrea bewickensis 2010 SAMOA Tau SCSP Scapophyllia sp 2010 SAMOA Tau HYSP Hydnophora sp

Year Region Island DZ_Code Diseases Present 2010 SAMOA Tau ALG Algal Infection 2010 SAMOA Tau BFI Banded fungal infection 2010 SAMOA Tau CLD Coralline Lethal Disease 2010 SAMOA Tau DIS Discolorations 2010 SAMOA Tau FUG Fungal Infection 2010 SAMOA Tau HYP Pigmentation Response 2010 SAMOA Tau OTH Other 2010 SAMOA Tau PRE Predation 2010 SAMOA Tau SGA Skeletal Growth Anomalies 2010 SAMOA Tau TIN Tube worm infections

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 20100312
Ending_Date: 20100320

Currentness_Reference: Ground condition

Status:

Progress: In Work
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: asNeeded

Spatial_Domain:

Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: -169.5237152
East_Bounding_Coordinate: -169.4077949
North_Bounding_Coordinate: -14.20247804
South_Bounding_Coordinate: -14.28884564

Keywords:

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: NCEI Geoportal Filter
Theme_Keyword: CoRIS_Metadata

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: CRCP Project
Theme_Keyword:

Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (Pacific RAMP): Biennial monitoring for the U.S. Pacific Islands and Atolls

Theme_Keyword: 1221
Theme_Keyword:

Incidence and characterization of coral diseases in the U.S. Pacific Islands

Theme_Keyword: 1841

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Theme_Keyword: Marine Ecosystem
Theme_Keyword: Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP)
Theme_Keyword: Rapid Ecoligical Assessments (REA)
Theme_Keyword: Coral Reef
Theme_Keyword: Coral
Theme_Keyword: American Samoa
Theme_Keyword: Ta'u Island
Theme_Keyword: HI1001

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Theme Thesaurus
Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs
Theme_Keyword:

EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology

Theme_Keyword:

EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology > Coral cover

Theme_Keyword:

EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > BioDiversity

Theme_Keyword:

EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment

Theme_Keyword:

EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Rapid assessment studies

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus
Theme_Keyword: Numeric Data Sets > Biology

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Category
Theme_Keyword: biota
Theme_Keyword: 002

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Place_Keyword: American Samoa
Place_Keyword: Ta'u Island

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
Place_Keyword: South Pacific
Place_Keyword: Ta'u Island

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Place Thesaurus
Place_Keyword:

OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Manu'a Group > Ta'u Island (14S169W0012)

Place_Keyword:

COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Ta'u Island (14S169W0012)

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Region
Place_Keyword: AmSam

Access_Constraints: Data are available two years following data collection date.
Use_Constraints:

Please cite CRED when using the data. Coral Reef Ecosystem Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Point_of_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization:

Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical address
Address: NOAA IRC
Address: NMFS/PIFSC/CRED
Address: 1845 WASP Blvd., Building 176
City: Honolulu
State_or_Province: HI
Postal_Code: 96818
Country: USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 808 725-5360
Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 808 725-5429
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: nmfs.pic.credinfo@noaa.gov
Contact_Instructions: e-mail preferred

Data_Set_Credit:

Erin Looney, Bernardo Vargas-Angel, Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Sciences Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA

Security_Information:

Security_Classification_System: Not applicable
Security_Classification: Unclassified
Security_Handling_Description: Not applicable

Native_Data_Set_Environment: Oracle

Data_Quality_Information:

Attribute_Accuracy:

Attribute_Accuracy_Report:

Observations were made by two divers who are experts in coral biology. The population parameter survey is conducted one time per site per survey year; it is not replicated.

Logical_Consistency_Report:

With the exception of the non-quantitative survey along the backreef, the same methods of data collection were used at each of the sites surveyed at this location, and were conducted by the same scientists.

Completeness_Report:

The survey sites were selected to be representative of the dominant habitats at this reef system. Efforts were made to include broad spatial coverage of the reef area, but weather conditions or other environmental constraints may have precluded the team from surveying windward or exposed sites.

Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report: GPS unit
Quantitative_Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Assessment:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Value: 1
Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Explanation: Instrument parameters

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy:

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Report: Dive computer and SCUBA depth gauge
Quantitative_Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Assessment:

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Value: 0.3
Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Explanation: Instrument parameters

Lineage:

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

REA surveys are investigations that provide a high degree of taxonomic resolution for coral, algae, and other macroinvertebrate communities. The surveys were conducted using a combination of dive teams which generally included a two person coral/coral disease team and a combined team of two algae biologists and one macroinvertebrate biologist. The majority of REA surveys were conducted along the forereef slopes of individual islands at depths between 10 and 20 m. However, additional surveyed habitats included a lagoonal-type patch reef and offshore oceanic banks. During REA surveys, biological assessment teams follow highly structured protocols that are repeated at each REA site. Upon arrival at an REA site, two teams of divers enter the water over spaced time intervals. The algal/invertebrate team firstly enters the water and deploys a 25-m transect line. After approximately 20 min, the coral team enters the water and begins to work along the first transect line. By this time the algal/invertebrate team has deployed and begun surveys along a second 25-m transect. The sampling effort takes between 60 and 80 min to complete. The selection of REA sites was made in close consultation with Coral Reef Advisory Group (CRAG) and local agencies. Factors considered during REA site selection included: (1) ensuring a range of sample sites representative of the benthic and reef fish habitats around each island; (2) selecting a mixture of sites within and outside of marine protected areas; (3) selecting a mixture of both 'impacted' and 'least impacted' sites; (4) selecting some sites adjacent to local villages, and (5) selecting a number of sites that could be compared to and complement previous assessment and monitoring work as well as future coral reef monitoring proposed by CRAG and local agencies. It is important to note that access to REA sites can be limited by wave exposure, weather conditions, and other environmental factors such as currents, which can affect the ability to resurvey sites between years. Transect placement was guided by: (1) a focus on hard-bottom communities; (2) deploying lines along an isobath to the extent possible at each site, and (3) laying the transect lines into the prevailing current.

Process_Date: Unknown

CRED REA Belt Surveys of Coral Population and Disease Assessments at Ta'u Island, American Samoa in 2010

Metadata: