Title:
CRED REA Line Point Intercept Surveys of Benthic Parameter Assessments at Howland Island, Pacific Remote Island Areas in 2006
Abstract:
To support a long-term NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) for sustainable management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems, from 15 January - 6 February 2006, line point intercept (LPI) surveys of benthic parameter assessments were conducted, as a part of Rapid Ecological Assessments (REA), during the Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) Cruise HI0601 in the Pacific Remote Island Areas at biennial intervals by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) at the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC). During the cruise, 6 REA sites were surveyed at Howland Island in the Pacific Remote Island Areas.
At the specific REA sites, coral biologists along with algal biologists, marine invertebrate zoologist, and fish biologists 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 line point intercept surveys were used to quantitatively assess average percent live coral cover and other benthic substrates at REA sites. The surveys were conducted along two consecutively-placed 25m transect lines by a coral biologist. All benthic elements falling directly underneath the transect line at 20-cm to 50-cm intervals were recorded as one of nine benthic categories: live coral, dead coral, carbonate pavement, encrusting coralline algae, macroalgae, coral rubble, sand, rock, and other benthic sessile invertebrates. All living benthic elements (e.g., coral, algae, and other invertebrates) were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible. These data provide the basis for computing quantitative estimates of percent live coral cover, as well as percent cover of the different benthic constituents.
Supplemental_Information:
Maximum depth was 15 meters.
Benthic cover parameters observed:
Year Region Island BenthicCategory BenthicName
2006 PRIAs Howland ANTH corallimorph
2006 PRIAs Howland CALG crustose coralline red algae
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Acropora clathrata
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Acropora cytherea
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Acropora nobilis
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Acropora retusa
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Acropora robusta
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Acropora sp
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Acropora valida
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Favia sp
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Favia stelligera
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Favites sp
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Fungia scutaria
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Fungia sp
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Hydnophora exesa
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Hydnophora microconnos
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Leptastrea sp
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Montipora aequitrabeculata
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Montipora foveolata
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Montipora sp
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Pavona duerdeni
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Pavona sp
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Pavona varians
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Pocillopora eydouxi
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Pocillopora meandrina
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Pocillopora verrucosa
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Porites lobata
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Porites solida
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Porites sp
2006 PRIAs Howland CORL Psammocora nierstraszi
2006 PRIAs Howland malg Halimeda sp
2006 PRIAs Howland malg Macroalgae
2006 PRIAs Howland SAND Sand
2006 PRIAs Howland TALG Pavement
2006 PRIAs Howland TALG Rubble
2006 PRIAs Howland ZOAN Zoanthus sp