Habitat quadrats were surveyed at 1 to ~5 m depths using transects conducted at a total four (4) sites: (1-2) at 2 longshore sites on the leeward coast (South Kohala district) of the Big Island (Hawaii Island, in the MHI) during spring-summer 2008; and (3-4) at 2 longshore sites on the back reef of Midway Atoll (NWHI) in summer 2008. Substratum cover and rugosity were characterized within multiple quadrats at each site. Two types of quadrats were surveyed: "Reference" ('REF') quadrats (whose positions were randomly selected) and "Target" ('TAR') quadrats (positions centered on sightings of recruit fishes); each quadrat was square and 1-m**2 area. In each quadrat, the benthic cover of each of fourteen (14) main substratum types were estimated, as was a "Rugosity Index" based on the ratio of conforming-to-straight line distances along both major axes of the quadrat.
To provide taxonomic and functional characterizations of reef habitat that complement the recruit and predator reef fish density estimates provided by the companion databases named "RECRUIT_Reef_Fish_Belt_Transects_2008.xls" and "PREDATOR_Reef_Fish_Belt_Transects_2008.xls". These data represent the fourth spring-summer surveys in a multi-year project using in situ diver observations at sites of differing habitat structure, to descriptively test predictions relating to the use of specific habitats by the juveniles of various species of reef fishes in Hawaii.
The maximum observation depth was 17 feet (5.2 meters). Habitat characterized DATAFILE NAME: RECRUIT-HABITAT_QUADRATS_2008.xls File date: 25FEB10 Size: 18,843 records (3,207 kb) This file consists of the following sixteen (16) variables. The permissible values of these variables, including names of categories if the variable is a classification variable, are noted [in brackets]: DATE $ DDMMMYY [range: 28MAY08 to 04AUG08] LOCATION $ [Two (23) categories: 'BigIsl', 'Midway'] SITE $ [Four (4) categories: 'BIPuakoEndofRd_', 'BISpencersPk___', 'MWCorlPoorBakRf', 'MWCorlRichBakRf'] OBSRVR $ [Three (3) categories: 'BJZ', 'EED', 'RJL'] TRANSNMBR [Transect number = 1, 2, 3 ... n, where n = 20 at each site if (YEAR = 2008 and SITE = 'BISpencersPk___') or ( YEAR = 2008 and Site = 'MWCorlRichBakRf'); but where n = 18 if (YEAR = 2008 and SITE = 'MWCorlPoorBakRf'); but where n = 19 if (YEAR = 2008 and SITE = 'BIPuakoEndofRd_'] QUADTYP $ [Quadrat Type: either one of three (3) types: 'R' (for "Reference"), 'T' (for "Target"), and 'E' (for 'Encounter'); 'R' quadrats were randomly placed to estimate benthic cover of major substratum types and rugosity of the substratum throughout transected areas; the placement of 'T' quadrats was selective - they were centered over a select subset of recruit reef fish sightings to provide estimates of substratum cover and rugosity where recruits occurred; the 'E' "quadrat" designation was introduced in 2008 to label additional sightings of clusters comprising 1 or more recruit individuals encountered within the search area of each transect] QUAD_ENCOUNTRNMBR [Quadrat-Encounter number = 1, 2, 3 ... n, where n = 10 if (YEAR = 2008 and QUADTYP = 'R' and Site = 'BIPuakoEndofRd_' or Site = 'BISpencersPK___' or Site = 'MWCorlPoorBakRf'); but where n = 10 or 11 if (YEAR =2008 and QUADTYP = 'R' and Site = 'MWCorlRichBakRf'); but where n = 5 if (YEAR = 2008 and QUADTYP = 'T' and Site = 'BIPuakoEndofRd_' or Site = 'BISpencersPK___' or Site = 'MWCorlPoorBakRf'); but where n = 5 or 6 if (YEAR = 2008 and QUADTYP = 'T' and Site = 'MWCorlRichBakRf'). Quadrat number = 1, 2, 3 ... n, where n is a number varying from 1 to an observed maximum of 75, if (YEAR = 2008 and QuadTyp = 'E'). The "QUAD_ENCOUNTRNMBR" variable used in 2008 replaces two variables ("QUAD_NMBR" and "CLUSTRNMBR") used in 2006 and 2007; the "QUAD_ENCOUNTRNMBR" variable was used to label each unique cluster of 1 or more recruits (in addition to those recorded in 'T' quadrats and whose composition was identified by species, size, and number) within the area searched on that TRANSNMBR and cross-reference that cluster's identity with its substrate affinity (see "SUBSTRTYP" variable below)] QUADDEP_ft [Quadrat depth in feet; range from minimum 1 foot to maximum 17 feet (5.2 m) SUBSTRTYP $ [Benthic substratum type closest to recruit(s) present within a given 'T' quadrat placement or QuadTyp = 'E' record; fourteen (14) main categories as for the HABTYP variable; specific observations sometimes comprised combinations of HABTYP variables if the recruit(s) present was(were) equidistant to > 1 HABTYP] RUG_L1_m ["Rugosity Index" = ratio of conforming-to-straight line distance over substrate features within an individual 1-m**2 quadrat; typical values range from > 1.2 to < 3.0; the theoretical minimum value is 1.0; both RUG_L1_m and RUG_L2_m (see next) measurements made with an accuracy of 0.05 m (5 cm)] RUG_L2_m [Same measurement as RUG_L1_m except taken perpendicular to RUG_L1_m within same quadrat placement; the maximum value observed in the 2008 survey series for any single rugosity measurement (either RUG_L1_m or RUG_L2_m) was 3.25 m] SPECIES $ [Four-letter acronym based on 1st 2 letters of the genus name and 1st 2 letters of the specific epithet of each fish individual recorded; the acronyms used are identical to those used by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) of the NOAA Fisheries, Pacific Islands Fisheries Research Center, to code all of their central and western North Pacific reef fish records] SIZE_TLcm [Visually estimated body length in centimeters of recruit fishes recorded as present for QUADTYP = 'T'; TL is the abbreviation for "Total Length", the same metric is used to represent length on the CRED Fish Surveys; range: 1 to 5 cm TL] HABTYP $ [In 2008 we continued to use fourteen (14) main substratum categories at each site at both LOCATION = 'BigIsl' and LOCATION = 'Midway': live, massive or mounding (encrusting) Porites lobata coral (= 'PLob'); live rice coral Montipora capitata (= 'MoCap'); live Montipora flabellata ('MoFlab') was distinguished from 'MoCap'; live Hawaiian finger coral Porites compressa (= 'PCom'); two other live encrusting corals, Pavona duerdini ('PavDuer') and Pavona varians ('PavVar'); live cauliflower coral Pocillopora meandina (= 'PMed'); other live Pocillopora spp (distinguished from Pocillopora meandrina as 'PX'); erect foliose algae > 1-cm tall (= 'EFA'); crustose (encrusting, 2-dimensional) coralline algae (= 'CCA'); "knobby" or otherwise 3-dimensional (e.g., branching) coralline algae (recorded as 'KCA' in 2006 and 2007) was pooled with 'CCA' in 2008; consolidated carbonate rock (dead coral limestone), not easily moveable by hand, and generally with turf algae < 1-cm tall (= 'L'); unconsolidated carbonate rock easily moveable by hand but = 1-cm particle diameter (= 'Ru'); and unconsolidated particulate carbonate < 1-cm diameter (= 'S'); plus the category ('Othr') comprising miscellaneous sessile (sponge, tunicate, etc) and weakly motile (echinoids like pencil urchins - 'PenUrch', holothurians, etc) benthic invertebrates] HABCOVR_UNITS36 [Benthic cover recorded as the number of squares occupied by a particular HABTYP within a given 1 m**2 quadrat; range 0 to 36 squares, hence sums to 36 squares within each quadrat; provides input for calculating percentage cover based on the fraction of squares occupied divided by 36; cover of each HABTYP in a given quadrat was estimated to the nearest unit if > 1 square and to 0.1 unit if = 1 square] YEAR [one (1) category for year in which data were recorded: 2008]
Ground condition
Please cite FBSAD when using the data. Fishery Biology and Stock Assessment Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOAA IRC
NMFS/PIFSC/FISHERIES BIOLOGY & STOCK ASSESSMENT BRANCH
1845 Wasp Blvd., Building 176
EED = Edward E. DeMartini, Fishery Biology and Stock Assessment Division (FBSAD), Pacific Island Fisheries Sciences Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA; the following persons also contributed to data collection: BJZ = Brian J. Zgliczynski, Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA; and RJL = Ralph J. Larson, Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California
Observations at each site were made by one or more pairs of divers from a pool of three trained diver-observers also experienced in taxonomy and underwater mensuration of Hawaiian reef corals and associated benthic substrata. Observations were periodically checked during the surveys for consistency in recording protocols.
The same methods of data collection were used at each of the sites surveyed. Periodic examination of the data through the duration of the surveys showed no signs of diver bias or other discrepancies.
The survey sites/site-groups were selected to be representative of either relatively wave-exposed environments (SITE = 'BIPuakoEndofRd_' and SITE = 'MWCorlPoorBakRf') or relatively wave-protected environments (SITE = 'BISpencersPk___' and SITE = MWCorlRichBakRf') spanning nearly the entire north-south and east-west extents of the Hawaiian Archipelago. In terms of transect sample sizes, an incompletely balanced design (18-20 transects at each of 2 sites at each of 2 Locations) was accomplished during 2008. In general ten (10) 'R' (for "Reference") and five (5) 'T' ("Target") quadrats were surveyed on each transect at each site in 2008. The exceptions were at SITE = 'MWCorlRichBakRf', where the total number of quadrats surveyed per transect ranged from 10 to 11 for QUADTYP = 'R' and from 5 to 6 for QUADTYP = 'T'; Data for "Target" ('T') quadrats were not collected at either site (SITE = 'BIPuakoEndofRd_' or SITE = 'BISpencersPk___') at Location = 'BigIsl' in 2008. Data for both 'T' and 'E' quadrat records were collected at both sites (SITE = 'MWCorlPoorBakRf' and SITE = 'MWCorlRichBakRf') at LOCATION = 'Midway' in 2008]
GPS unit
Instrument parameters
Dive computer and SCUBA depth gauge
Data on each transect were collected by a single trained diver-observer (out of a pool of 2 out of 3 total participating personnel), who (subsequent to having tallied predator and recruit-stage fishes encountered along the transect line) then measured habitat variables within multiple quadrats positioned along and near the laid line. Two types of quadrats were employed: 'R' quadrats were located at random points along the transect line; 'T' quadrats were centered over sightings of recruit fish within 5-m distance of the laid transect line. Each quadrat was square and 1-m x 1-m (1 m**2 area) and consistently positioned along the transect line axis. For each QUADTYP = 'R' quadrat, the OBSRVR first identified each HABTYP present and estimated the numbers of 1/36th m**2 "squares" occupied by that HABTYP (fine white nylon line was used to subdivide the 1-m**2 quadrat area into 36 equal parts) and recorded the average depth of the placed quadrat. The OBSRVR next used a 3- to 4-m-long piece of 1-cm (half-inch) link brass chain (marked at 5-cm intervals) to estimate the conforming distance (to 5 cm) between opposite sides of the quadrat, squared off along the transect's major (length) axis. This was followed by a second measurement between quadrat sides along the transect's minor (width) axis (perpendicular to the major axis). These two distance measurements were recorded as RUG_L1_m and RUG_L2_m, respectively. For each QUADTYP = 'T', the OBSRVR first noted the numbers of all recruit sized (= 5-cm TL) fish individuals by SPECIES, SIZE_TLcm, and SUBSTRTYP closest to each recruit "cluster" (of 1 or more fish separated by = 10 cm distance). If > 1 cluster was present within a quadrat, recruits were tallied by CLUSTRNMBR (if, as typical, only one cluster was present, the cluster was assigned CLUSTRNMBR = 1). The OBSRVR then placed the quadrat (squared off to main axis of transect) centered over the position of the initial recruit sighting and proceeded to estimate benthic cover by HABTYP and measure rugosity as for the aforementioned QUADTYP = 'R' quadrats. Upon returning to shore, each Observer corrected their field sheets for legibility, and the data were then entered by that OBSRVR or by EED into Excel spreadsheets and error checked by computer for outliers and other discrepancies. Because this data file consists of raw data, estimates of percentage cover by HABTYP and rugosity need to be derived. Percentage cover is simply 100 times the ratio of the number of squares occupied by a given HABTYP divided by the total number of squares (36) within the 1-m**2 area of the quadrat. Rugosity is calculated as the ratio of conforming-to-straight line distances, where the latter is a constant 1.0 m. Mean rugosity of the bottom enclosed within the quadrat is simply the average of the two rugosity measurements. The GPS positions of individual transects at LOCATION = 'BigIsl' were not recorded by GPS; the transects at each of these two sites in 2008 were scattered haphazardly throughout 1.0-1.5 ha areas and were centered on: LOCATION = 'BigIsl" and SITE = 'BIPuakoEndofRd_': 19.955 N lat, -155.859 W lon LOCATION = 'BigIsl' and SITE = 'BISpencersPk___': 19.958 N lat, -155.823 W lon At LOCATION = 'Midway', transect positions were grouped in sets of 2-4 by mooring site. In 2008 the transects at the two categories of back reef sites at Midway were numbered 1-38 and were ordered without reference to site category. (The spatial positions of these numbered transects at Midway in 2008 did not necessarily coincide with the positions of numbered transects at Midway in 2006 or 2007; i.e., the transects were not fixed in position over years.) The positions of the series of 38 transects at LOCATION = 'Midway' in 2008 were: SITE = 'MWCorlRichBakRf' and TRANSECT = 1,2,3,4: 28.278 N lat, -177.368 W lon SITE = 'MWCorlPoorBakRf' and TRANSECT = 5,6: 28.221 N lat, -177.421 W lon SITE = 'MWCorlPoorBakRf' and TRANSECT = 7,8: 28.219 N lat, -177.421 W lon SITE = 'MWCorlRichBakRf' and TRANSECT = 9,10,11,12: 28.274 N lat, -177.351 W lon SITE = 'MWCorlPoorBakRf' and TRANSECT = 13,14,15,16: 28.204 N lat, -177.419 W lon SITE = 'MWCorlRichBakRf' and TRANSECT = 17,18,19,20: 28.269 N lat, -177.386 W lon SITE = 'MWCorlPoorBakRf' and TRANSECT = 21,22,23,24: 28.213 N lat, -177.422 W lon SITE = 'MWCorlRichBakRf' and TRANSECT = 25,26,27,28: 28.275 N lat, -177.355 W lon SITE = 'MWCorlRichBakRf' and TRANSECT = 29,30: 28.276 N lat, -177.360 W lon SITE = 'MWCorlPoorBakRf' and TRANSECT = 31,32,33,34: 28.199 N lat, -177.414 W lon SITE = 'MWCorlPoorBakRf' and TRANSECT = 35,36: 28.195 N lat, -177.408 W lon SITE = 'MWCorlRichBakRf' and TRANSECT = 37,38: 28.269 N lat, -177.345 W lon
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.
Please contact Dr. Edward E. DeMartini for inquiries and data
