CRED Towed-Diver Benthic Characterization Survey at Alamagan, Marianas in 2011
Metadata also available as [Questions & Answers] - [Parseable text] - [XML]
Metadata:
- Identification_Information:
-
- Citation:
-
- Citation_Information:
-
- Originator:
-
Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- Publication_Date: 20110707
- Title:
-
CRED Towed-Diver Benthic Characterization Survey at Alamagan,
Marianas in 2011
- Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: spreadsheet
- Online_Linkage:
-
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/pacific-islands/ecosystems/surveying-vast-ocean
- Description:
-
- Abstract:
-
To support NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) long-term
goals for sustainable management and conservation of coral reef
ecosystems, towed-diver surveys (aka. towboard surveys) were
conducted by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) of the
NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) as part of
biennial Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP)
Cruises. 3 towboard surveys (7.35 km in length), were conducted
at Alamagan during the Marianas RAMP Cruise HA1101 from 20110407
to 20110509. Towboard surveys are a good method for obtaining a
general description of large reef areas, assessing the status of
low-density populations of large-bodied reef fish, large-scale
disturbances (e.g., bleaching), general distribution and
abundance patterns of macro-invertebrates (e.g., Crown of Thorns
sea stars, giant clams), and for assessing trends in these
populations and metrics. A pair of scuba divers (1 fish and 1
benthic diver) are towed 60 m behind a small survey launch at a
speed of 1-2 knots and a depth of approximately 15 m. Each
survey is 50 min long, covers about 2 km of habitat, and is
divided into ten 5-minute survey segments. The fish diver
records, to the lowest possible taxon, all large-bodied reef
fishes (greater than 50 cm total length) seen within 5 m either
side and 10 m in front of the towboard. Length of each
individual is estimated to the nearest cm. The fish towboard is
also outfitted with a forward-facing digital video camera to
record the survey swath. The benthic diver records percent cover
of coral and macroalgae, estimates benthic habitat type and
complexity, and censuses a suite of benthic macroinvertebrates
including Crown of Thorns sea stars and sea urchins. The benthic
towboard is equipped with a downward-facing digital still camera
which images the benthos at 15-second intervals. These images
are analyzed for percent cover of coral, algae, and other
benthic components. Both towboards are equipped with SEABIRD
SBE-39 temperature/depth sensors set to record at 5-second
intervals. Latitude and longitude of each survey track is
recorded at 5-second intervals using a Global Positioning System
(GPS) receiver onboard the tow boat. A layback algorithm is
applied to more accurately map the position of the divers with
respect to the reef environment. This algorithm calculates the
position of the divers based on the position of the tow boat
taking into account the length of the tow rope, the depth of the
divers, and the curvature of the survey track. This metadata
applies to the benthic characterization observations.
- Purpose:
-
Part of a long-term monitoring program at biennial intervals
which documents the state of the reefs.
- Supplemental_Information:
-
The benthic characterization observation data includes benthic
composition, complexity estimations, observed
macro-invertebrates, and observed man-made objects.
Classification of habitat complexity was recorded in six
categories: low (L), medium-low (ML), medium (M), medium-high
(MH), high (H), and very high (VH). Benthic cover was estimated
for four different types of substrate: hard substrate/pavement,
sand, rubble, and live hard (scleractinian) coral. The time of
the benthic digital photos were set to the GMT time. There are
approximately 200 pictures for each 50-minute towed survey
track. The resolution at "Draft" quality (the lowest) is 72
pixels/inch. The resolution at "Best" quality (the highest) is
266 pixels/inch. The naming convention of benthic photos is
***MMDDYY_X_###.JPG, where *** is 3-letter abbreviation of the
island or bank surveyed, MMDDYY is the local date of the
towboard survey, X is the Xth dive on the day, and ### is the
sequence number of the pictures taken for that particular dive.
As an example, JAR032106_3_108.JPG means the picture was the
108th picture taken on 3rd dive of March 21, 2006 at Jarvis
Island.
- Time_Period_of_Content:
-
- Time_Period_Information:
-
- Range_of_Dates/Times:
-
- Beginning_Date: 20110423
- Ending_Date: 20110423
- Currentness_Reference: Ground Condition
- Status:
-
- Progress: Complete
- Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: asNeeded
- Spatial_Domain:
-
- Bounding_Coordinates:
-
- West_Bounding_Coordinate: 145.81253701
- East_Bounding_Coordinate: 145.8467945
- North_Bounding_Coordinate: 17.62111673
- South_Bounding_Coordinate: 17.57832485
- Keywords:
-
- Theme:
-
- Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: NCEI Geoportal Filter
- Theme_Keyword: CoRIS_Metadata
- Theme:
-
- Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: CRCP Project
- Theme_Keyword:
-
C204 Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (Pacific RAMP): Biennial monitoring for the US Pacific Islands and Atolls
- Theme_Keyword: 1221
- Theme:
-
- Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
- Theme_Keyword: Marine Ecosystem
- Theme_Keyword: Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP)
- Theme_Keyword: Towed Diver Surveys
- Theme_Keyword: Coral Reef
- Theme_Keyword: Benthic Habitat
- Theme_Keyword: Marianas
- Theme_Keyword: Alamagan
- Theme_Keyword: HA1101
- Theme:
-
- Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus
- Theme_Keyword: Numeric Data Sets > Biology
- Theme:
-
- Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Theme Thesaurus
- Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs
- Theme_Keyword:
-
EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology
- Theme_Keyword:
-
EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology > Habitats
- Theme_Keyword:
-
EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment
- Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Benthic Habitat
- Theme:
-
- Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Category
- Theme_Keyword: biota
- Theme_Keyword: 002
- Place:
-
- Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None
- Place_Keyword: Marianas
- Place_Keyword: Alamagan
- Place:
-
- Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Region
- Place_Keyword: CNMI
- Place:
-
- Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Place Thesaurus
- Place_Keyword:
-
OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Alamagan Island > Alamagan Island (17N145E0002)
- Place_Keyword:
-
COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Alamagan Island > Alamagan Island (17N145E0002)
- Access_Constraints: None
- Use_Constraints:
-
Please cite CRED when using data. Coral Reef Ecosystem Division,
Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine
Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Point_of_Contact:
-
- Contact_Information:
-
- Contact_Organization_Primary:
-
- Contact_Organization:
-
Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- Contact_Address:
-
- Address_Type: mailing and physical address
- Address: NOAA IRC
- Address: NMFS/PIFSC/CRED
- Address: 1845 WASP Blvd., Building 176
- City: Honolulu
- State_or_Province: HI
- Postal_Code: 96818
- Country: USA
- Contact_Voice_Telephone: 808 725-5360
- Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 808 725-5429
- Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: nmfs.pic.credinfo@noaa.gov
- Contact_Instructions: e-mail preferred
- Data_Set_Credit:
-
Edmund Coccagna, Jacob Asher, Coral Reef Ecosystem Division
(CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Sciences Center, NOAA National
Marine Fisheries Service
- Security_Information:
-
- Security_Classification_System: Not applicable
- Security_Classification: Unclassified
- Security_Handling_Description: Not applicable
- Native_Data_Set_Environment: Oracle
- Data_Quality_Information:
-
- Attribute_Accuracy:
-
- Attribute_Accuracy_Report:
-
Observations were made by divers who are expert coral reef
ecologist. Surveying in this habitat will greatly depend on the
current, wave conditions, and field scheduling. The towed-diver
survey is conducted one time per site per survey year; it is not
replicated. Divers may change from year to year and by location.
- Logical_Consistency_Report:
-
The same data collection protocols were used at each island or bank
surveyed.
- Completeness_Report:
-
The towboard surveys are completed in forereef, backreef, and
lagoon habitats. The minimum spatial resolution of the towboard
survey is the 5-minute survey segment which covers approximately
200 m. As such, these surveys are appropriate for broad estimates
but can not be used for fine scale, site-level data analysis.
- Positional_Accuracy:
-
- Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:
-
- Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report:
-
Although resource grade GPS units were used and a layback
model was applied to the survey tracks, the exact survey
positions were not physically marked and effort was not made
to re-visit exact same tracks.
- Quantitative_Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Assessment:
-
- Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Value: 1
- Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Explanation: Instrument parameters
- Vertical_Positional_Accuracy:
-
- Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Report: SeaBird SBE-39 temp/depth recorder
- Quantitative_Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Assessment:
-
- Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Value: 0.3
- Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Explanation: Instrument parameters
- Lineage:
-
- Process_Step:
-
- Process_Description:
-
The towboard survey involves a pair of scuba divers who are
towed 60 m behind a small boat at a constant speed (~1.5
knots). The towboard survey is typically 50-min long and
covers about 2 km of habitat, depending on the depth profile
of the divers. The survey is divided into ten 5-min segments.
During the survey, the fish diver records, to the lowest
possible taxon, large fishes observed within a survey swath 5
m to either side of the diver and 10 m in front the diver.
- Process_Date: Unknown
- Spatial_Reference_Information:
-
- Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:
-
- Geographic:
-
- Latitude_Resolution: 0.0001
- Longitude_Resolution: 0.0001
- Geographic_Coordinate_Units: Decimal Degrees
- Geodetic_Model:
-
- Horizontal_Datum_Name: World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84)
- Ellipsoid_Name: Geodetic Reference System 80 (GRS80)
- Semi-major_Axis: 6378137
- Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 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
- Distribution_Information:
-
- Distributor:
-
- Contact_Information:
-
- Contact_Organization_Primary:
-
- Contact_Organization:
-
Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- Contact_Position: Data Manager
- Contact_Address:
-
- Address_Type: mailing and physical address
- Address: NOAA IRC
- Address: NMFS/PIFSC/CRED
- Address: 1845 WASP Blvd., Building 176
- City: Honolulu
- State_or_Province: HI
- Postal_Code: 96818
- Country: USA
- Contact_Voice_Telephone: 808 725-5360
- Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 808 725-5429
- Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: nmfs.pic.credinfo@noaa.gov
- Contact_Instructions: e-mail preferred
- Resource_Description: Offline Data
- Distribution_Liability:
-
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.
- Standard_Order_Process:
-
- Digital_Form:
-
- Digital_Transfer_Information:
-
- Format_Name:
-
xls (Microsoft Excel worksheet) or csv (comma-separated
values)
- Digital_Transfer_Option:
-
- Offline_Option:
-
- Offline_Media: CD-ROM or email
- Recording_Format: ISO 9660
- Fees: None if receiving the data online
- Custom_Order_Process: Contact CRED data management team for information
- Technical_Prerequisites: Contact CRED data management team for information
- Metadata_Reference_Information:
-
- Metadata_Date: 20190605
- Metadata_Review_Date: 20110720
- Metadata_Contact:
-
- Contact_Information:
-
- Contact_Organization_Primary:
-
- Contact_Organization:
-
Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- Contact_Address:
-
- Address_Type: mailing and physical address
- Address: NOAA IRC
- Address: NMFS/PIFSC/CRED
- Address: 1845 WASP Blvd., Building 176
- City: Honolulu
- State_or_Province: HI
- Postal_Code: 96818
- Country: USA
- Contact_Voice_Telephone: 808 725-5360
- Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: 808 725-5429
- Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: nmfs.pic.credinfo@noaa.gov
- Contact_Instructions: e-mail preferred
- Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
- Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998
- CoRIS:
-
- CoRIS_ID: 20110720020443
- CoRIS_Children: None
- CoRIS_Beginning_Date: 20110423
- CoRIS_Ending_Date: 20110423
- CoRIS_Metadata_Link:
-
https://www.coris.noaa.gov/metadata/records/html/alamaganbenthictowmetadata2011.html
- CoRIS_Tracking_ID: 6289
Generated by mp version 2.9.48 on Fri May 3 10:54:18 2024