Title:
CRED Rapid Ecological Assessment Line Point Intercept Survey
of Benthic Parameter Assessments at Swains, American Samoa in
2012
Abstract:
Line point intercept (LPI) surveys and benthic composition
assessments were conducted during Rapid Ecological
Assessments (REA) as part of the Pacific Reef Assessment and
Monitoring Program (RAMP) cruise HA1201 in American Samoa
from 20120227 to 20120325. Surveys are conducted by the
Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) of the NOAA Pacific
Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) at periodic
intervals between one and three years to support a long-term
NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) for sustainable
management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems. During
the cruise, 9 REA sites were surveyed at Swains in American
Samoa. Benthic biologists from NOAA's Coral Reef Ecosystem
Division conducted Line Point Intercept surveys to
quantitatively document the benthic cover at pre-determined
long-term monitoring REA sites. Two linear 25 m transects
were surveyed with a 5 m inter-transect region between the
end of Transect 1 and the start of Transect 2. The LPI diver
determines the benthic composition at 20 cm intervals for a
total of 125 data points per transect. All living benthic
elements (e.g., coral, algae, and other invertebrates) were
identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible, often
substituting functional group categories for turf algae and
crustose coralline algae when identification in the field
was extremely difficult. In cases where the substrate is
bare or covered with turf algae, the substrate composition
is also noted as either sand, rock, rubble, carbonate
pavement, or dead coral. The data allows for the assessment
and monitoring of species composition and abundance and
provide the basis for computing quantitative estimates of
percent cover at higher taxonomic levels like functional
group (live coral, macroalgae, turf algae) or on a finer
taxonomic resolution such as genus level.
Supplemental_Information:
Maximum depth was 17 meters. Benthic components observed:
Avrainvillea, Caulerpa, Coralline algae, Cyanobacteria,
Dictyosphaeria, Favia, Galaxaura, Leptoseris, Lobophora,
Microdictyon, Montipora, Pavona, Peyssonnelia, Pocillopora,
Porites, Psammocora, Sand, Stylophora, Turf algae