Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
20090415
CRED REA Belt Surveys of Coral Population and Disease Assessments at Tinian Island, Marianas Archipelago in 2009
spreadsheet
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/pacific-islands/ecosystems/coral-reefs-pacific
To support a long-term NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) for sustainable management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems, from 5 April - 14 April 2009, 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 HI0902 in the Marianas Archipelago at biennial intervals by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) at the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC). During the cruise, there were 14 surveys in total conducted at REA sites around Tinian Island in the Marianas Archipelago.
At the specific REA sites, coral biologists along with fish biologists, 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 fish, 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 dictated at the beginning of each dive by subjective perceived colony density: 1-m width was used in high density areas, while 2-m width was used in low density areas.
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.
Part of a long-term monitoring program at biennial intervals which documents the state of the reefs.
Maximum depth was 23 meters.
Coral genera observed:
Region Year Island Genus
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Acanthastrea
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Acropora
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Algae
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Astreopora
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Coscinaraea
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Cycloseris
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Cyphastrea
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Echinophyllia
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Favia
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Favites
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Fungia
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Galaxea
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Goniastrea
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Heliopora
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Hydnophora
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Isopora
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Leptastrea
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Leptoria
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Lobophyllia
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Lobophytum
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Montastrea
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Montipora
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Oulophyllia
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Pavona
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Platygyra
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Pocillopora
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Porites
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Psammocora
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Scapophyllia
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Scolymia
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Sinularia
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Stylocoeniella
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Stylophora
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Turbinaria
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Unknown
Coral disease observed:
Region Year Island DZClass
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Acute tissue loss - White syndrome
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Algal infection
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Barnacle infestation
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Bleaching
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Coralline lethal disease
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Coralline lethal orange disease
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Cyanophyte infection
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Endolithic Fungal Infection
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Fungal infections
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Hyperpigmented responses
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Predation
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Sub-acute tissue loss
MARIAN 2009 Tinian Tube worm infestation
20090412
20090413
Ground condition
asNeeded
145.57165
145.689324
15.112518
14.879997
NCEI Geoportal FilterCoRIS_MetadataCRCP ProjectPacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (Pacific RAMP): Biennial monitoring for the U.S. Pacific Islands and Atolls1221Incidence and characterization of coral diseases in the U.S. Pacific Islands1841
None
Marine Ecosystem
Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP)
Rapid Ecological Assessments (REA)
Coral Reef
Coral
Marianas Archipelago
Tinian Island
HI0902
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus
EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs
EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Coral Diseases
EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology
EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology > Coral cover
EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > BioDiversity
EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment
EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Rapid assessment studies
CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus
Numeric Data Sets > Biology
ISO 19115 Topic Category
biota
002
None
Marianas Archipelago
Tinian Island
CoRIS Place Thesaurus
OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Tinian Island Reefs > Tinian Island (14N145E0005)
COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Tinian > Tinian Island (14N145E0005)
CoRIS Region
CNMI
Data are available two years following data collection date.
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
Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
mailing and physical address
NOAA IRC
NMFS/PIFSC/CRED
1845 WASP Blvd., Building 176
Honolulu
HI
96818
USA
808 725-5360
808 725-5429
nmfs.pic.credinfo@noaa.gov
e-mail preferred
"Laurie Raymundo, Bernardo Vargas-Angel", Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Sciences Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA
Not applicable
Unclassified
Not applicable
Oracle
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.
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.
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.
GPS unit
1
Instrument parameters
Dive computer and SCUBA depth gauge
0.3
Instrument parameters
REA surveys are investigations that provide a high degree of taxonomic resolution for coral, algae, other macroinvertebrate, and reef fish communities. The surveys were conducted using a combination of dive teams which generally included a two to three person fish team, 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, three teams of divers enter the water over spaced time intervals. The fish team firstly enters the water and deploys a 25-m transect line. Two of the fish divers begin to survey along that transect while the remaining fish diver begins stationary point count assessments in the general vicinity. After approximately 20 min, the coral team enters the water and begins to work along the first transect line. By this time the fish team has deployed and begun surveys along a second 25-m transect. About 10 min later, the algal/invertebrate team enters the water and begins surveying the first transect. In total, the fish team surveys three transects at each site (transects 1, 2, and 3), and the coral and algal/invertebrate teams survey transects 1 and 2. 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.
Unknown
0.0001
0.0001
Decimal Degrees
World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84)
Geodetic Reference System 80 (GRS80)
6378137
298.2572236
Local surface
1
meters
Explicit Depth Coordinate Included with Horizontal Coordinates
Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
CRED Data Management Team
mailing and physical address
NOAA IRC
NMFS/PIFSC/CRED
1845 WASP Blvd., Building 176
Honolulu
HI
96818
USA
808 725-5360
808 725-5429
nmfs.pic.credinfo@noaa.gov
e-mail preferred
Offline Data
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. NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty.
XLS (Microsoft Excel worksheet)
CDROM, or email
ISO 9660
None if receiving the data online
Contact CRED data management team for information
Contact CRED data management team for information
20190605
20090831
Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
mailing and physical address
NOAA IRC
NMFS/PIFSC/CRED
1845 WASP Blvd., Building 176
Honolulu
HI
96818
USA
808 725-5360
808 725-5429
nmfs.pic.credinfo@noaa.gov
e-mail preferred
the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
FGDC-STD-001-1998
20090831025645
None
20090412
20090413
https://www.coris.noaa.gov/metadata/records/html/cred_rea_corals_tinian_island_2009.html
2795