CRED REA Belt Surveys of Coral Population and Disease Assessments at Rose Atoll, American Samoa in 2010

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What does this data set describe?

Title:
CRED REA Belt Surveys of Coral Population and Disease Assessments at Rose Atoll, American Samoa in 2010
Abstract:
To support a long-term NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) for sustainable management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems, from 3-5 March 2010, 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 HI1001 in American Samoa at biennial intervals by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) at the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC). During the cruise, there were 9 surveys in total conducted at REA sites around Rose Atoll in American Samoa. At the specific REA sites, coral biologists along 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 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 1-m wide, 0.5-m on each side of the transect line. 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.
Supplemental_Information:
Maximum depth was 19 meters. Corals genera and disease observed: Year Region Island SPC_Code Species 2010 SAMOA Rose ACSP Acropora sp 2010 SAMOA Rose LPUR Leptastrea purpurea 2010 SAMOA Rose POSP Porites sp 2010 SAMOA Rose MVEC Montipora verrucosa 2010 SAMOA Rose FMAT Favia matthaii 2010 SAMOA Rose ASSP Astreopora sp 2010 SAMOA Rose PLOB Porites lobata 2010 SAMOA Rose SARM Stylocoeniella armata 2010 SAMOA Rose PLSP Platygyra sp 2010 SAMOA Rose MOSP Montipora sp 2010 SAMOA Rose FUSP Fungia sp 2010 SAMOA Rose FASP Favia sp 2010 SAMOA Rose CYPS Cyphastrea sp 2010 SAMOA Rose FSTE Favia stelligera 2010 SAMOA Rose PVAR Pavona varians 2010 SAMOA Rose MCUR Montastrea curta 2010 SAMOA Rose LEPT Leptastrea sp 2010 SAMOA Rose LPRU Leptastrea pruinosa 2010 SAMOA Rose ASAM Acropora samoensis 2010 SAMOA Rose PHAI Psammocora haimeana 2010 SAMOA Rose PCHI Pavona chiriquensis 2010 SAMOA Rose PDUE Pavona duerdeni 2010 SAMOA Rose PAUS Porites australiensis 2010 SAMOA Rose PEYD Pocillopora eydouxi 2010 SAMOA Rose PMEA Pocillopora meandrina 2010 SAMOA Rose SISP Sinularia sp 2010 SAMOA Rose FSCU Fungia scutaria 2010 SAMOA Rose MOAS Montipora aspergillus 2010 SAMOA Rose PSSP Psammocora sp 2010 SAMOA Rose LMYC Leptoseris mycetoseroides 2010 SAMOA Rose POCS Pocillopora sp 2010 SAMOA Rose MONS Montastrea sp 2010 SAMOA Rose FDAN Favia danae 2010 SAMOA Rose LOBP Lobophyllia sp 2010 SAMOA Rose MFOV Montipora foveolata 2010 SAMOA Rose PNIE Psammacora nierstraszi 2010 SAMOA Rose MCAL Montipora caliculata 2010 SAMOA Rose PSTE Psammocora stellata 2010 SAMOA Rose CCOL Coscinaraea columna 2010 SAMOA Rose MISP Millepora sp 2010 SAMOA Rose GOSP Goniastrea sp 2010 SAMOA Rose FPAL Favia pallida 2010 SAMOA Rose FAVS Favites sp 2010 SAMOA Rose MVER Montipora verrilli 2010 SAMOA Rose PSUP Psammocora superficialis 2010 SAMOA Rose PEXP P explanulata 2010 SAMOA Rose PVEN Pavona venosa 2010 SAMOA Rose PVAU P vaughani 2010 SAMOA Rose PMAL Pavona maldivensis 2010 SAMOA Rose UNKW Unknown 2010 SAMOA Rose LESP Leptoseris sp 2010 SAMOA Rose PAVS Pavona sp 2010 SAMOA Rose ACAS Acanthastrea sp 2010 SAMOA Rose HEXE Hydnophora exesa 2010 SAMOA Rose PVER Pocillopora verrucosa 2010 SAMOA Rose PDEN Porites densa 2010 SAMOA Rose ALSP Alveopora sp 2010 SAMOA Rose MINC Montipora incrassata 2010 SAMOA Rose PRUS Porites rus 2010 SAMOA Rose PLUT Porites lutea

Year Region Island DZ_Code Diseases Present 2010 SAMOA Rose ALG Algal Infection 2010 SAMOA Rose BIN Barnacle infestations 2010 SAMOA Rose CFD Coralline Fungal Disease 2010 SAMOA Rose CLD Coralline Lethal Disease 2010 SAMOA Rose CYA Cyanobacterial Infection 2010 SAMOA Rose PRE Predation 2010 SAMOA Rose WSY White Syndrome

  1. How might this data set be cited?
    Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 20120305, CRED REA Belt Surveys of Coral Population and Disease Assessments at Rose Atoll, American Samoa in 2010.

    Online Links:

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -168.1759289
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -168.1337054
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: -14.526119
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: -14.56409447
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
    Beginning_Date: 03-Mar-2010
    Ending_Date: 05-Mar-2010Currentness_Reference: Ground condition
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: spreadsheet
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?
    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?
      Horizontal positions are specified in geographic coordinates, that is, latitude and longitude. Latitudes are given to the nearest 0.0001. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.0001. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal Degrees. The horizontal datum used is World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84).
      The ellipsoid used is Geodetic Reference System 80 (GRS80).
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.2572236.
      Vertical_Coordinate_System_Definition:
      Depth_System_Definition:
      Depth_Datum_Name: Local surface
      Depth_Resolution: 1
      Depth_Distance_Units: meters
      Depth_Encoding_Method: Explicit Depth Coordinate Included with Horizontal Coordinates
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
    Erin Looney, Bernardo Vargas-Angel, Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Sciences Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
    Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
    NOAA IRC
    Honolulu, HI
    USA

    808 725-5360 (voice)
    808 725-5429 (FAX)
    nmfs.pic.credinfo@noaa.gov
    Contact_Instructions: e-mail preferred

Why was the data set created?

Part of a long-term monitoring program at biennial intervals which documents the state of the reefs.

How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
    Date: Unknown (process 1 of 1)
    REA surveys are investigations that provide a high degree of taxonomic resolution for coral, algae, and other macroinvertebrate communities. The surveys were conducted using a combination of dive teams which generally 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, two teams of divers enter the water over spaced time intervals. The algal/invertebrate team firstly enters the water and deploys a 25-m transect line. After approximately 20 min, the coral team enters the water and begins to work along the first transect line. By this time the algal/invertebrate team has deployed and begun surveys along a second 25-m transect. 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.
  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?

How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?
    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.
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
    GPS unit
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
    Dive computer and SCUBA depth gauge
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
    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.
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?
    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.

How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
Access_Constraints: Data are available two years following data collection date.
Use_Constraints:
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
  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)
    Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
    NOAA IRC
    Honolulu, HI
    USA

    808 725-5360 (voice)
    808 725-5429 (FAX)
    nmfs.pic.credinfo@noaa.gov
    Contact_Instructions: e-mail preferred
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set? Offline Data
  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
    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.
  4. How can I download or order the data?
  5. Is there some other way to get the data?
    Contact CRED data management team for information
  6. What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?
    Contact CRED data management team for information

Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 05-Jun-2019
Last Reviewed: 21-Oct-2010
Metadata author:
Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
NOAA IRC
Honolulu, HI
USA

808 725-5360 (voice)
808 725-5429 (FAX)
nmfs.pic.credinfo@noaa.gov
Contact_Instructions: e-mail preferred
Metadata standard:
the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
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