The field data described herein are part of a joint NESDIS-NMFS project aimed at advancing the understanding of the occurrence, abundance, and outbreak of coral bleaching and disease in the Hawaiian Archipelago through expanded field surveys and in-situ and remotely-sensed temperature data. To this end Line-Point-Intercept (LPI), belt-transect surveys of coral population, and diseases quantitative assessments were conducted on HAWAII in the MAIN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) at the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) and partners. At the specific sites, coral biologists conducted Line-Point-Intercept (LPI) and coral belt surveys, focused at quantifying the composition, relative abundance, density, and size-class distribution of the anthozoan and hydrozoan corals, as well as the condition and health state of the coral populations. The surveys were conducted along two consecutively-placed, 25m transect lines. The LPI surveys documented the composition of the coral reef community at 25 or 50cm intervals, for 50 or 100 points per transect. The belt width was 1-m wide (0.5-m on each side of the transect line), for community structure assessments, and 1 or 2 m wide (0.5 or 1.0 m on each side of the transect line), for coral condition and health surveys. Within each 25m transect, up to 15, 1.0-meter segments were surveyed, 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 colony size visually estimated and binned by its maximum diameter in one of 7 size classes: 0-5cm, 5-10cm, 10-20cm, 20-40cm, 40-80cm, 80-160cm, or >160cm. 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. Raw survey data included species presence and relative abundance, colony counts per taxon, size (width and length), mortality, predation, and health status. The surveyed area ranged from 25m2 to 50m2 per site.
Expanded field surveys to advance the understanding of the occurrence, abundance, and outbreaks of coral bleaching and disease in the Hawaiian Archipelago.
Maximum depth was 15 meters. Coral genera and diseases observed: YEAR ISLAND SP_CODE SPECIES_NAME 2011 HAWII MCAP Montipora capitata 2011 HAWII MPAT Montipora patula 2011 HAWII PCOM Porites compressa 2011 HAWII PEYD Pocillopora eydouxi 2011 HAWII PDAM Pocillopora damicornis 2011 HAWII PMEA Pocillopora meandrina 2011 HAWII PLOB Porites lobata 2011 HAWII PEVE Porites evermanni 2011 HAWII PVAR Pavona varians 2011 HAWII COCE Cyphastrea ocellina YEAR ISLAND DZ_CODE DISEASE_NAME 2011 HAWAII FUG Endolithic hypermycosis 2011 HAWAII DIS Discolorations 2011 HAWAII SGA Skeletal growth anomalies 2011 HAWAII TLS Tissue loss 2011 HAWAII PRS Pigmentation response 2011 HAWAII TRE Trematodiasis
Ground condition
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
NOAA IRC
NMFS/PIFSC/CRED
1845 WASP Blvd., Building 176
e-mail preferred
Bernardo Vargas, Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Courtney Couch, Cornell University, and Camille Barnett, Department of Aquatic Resources (DAR), Division of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), State of Hawaii
Observations were made by two divers who are experts in coral biology. The population parameter and disease surveys are conducted one time per site per survey visit, with temporal replication within the survey year.
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 for this type of work. Efforts were made to include broad spatial coverage of the reef area, but weather conditions or other environmental constraints may have precluded some surveys.
GPS unit
Instrument parameters
Dive computer and SCUBA depth gauge
Surveys are investigations that provide a high degree of taxonomic resolution for coral. The majority of surveys were conducted along the forereef slopes at depths between 3 and 20 m. During surveys, the biological assessment team follows highly structured protocols that are repeated at each site. The selection of survey sites was made in close consultation local partners. Factors considered during site selection included: (1) budgetary feasibility; (2) accessibility; (3) replicability; (4) overlap with other local/Federal monitoring efforts; and (5) NOAA-CRCP programmatic site prioritization.
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.
Contact CRED data management team for information
