Benthic habitat data of Wawaloi and Keei, Kona Coast, Island of Hawaii, August 2004 (NODC Accession 0070530)

METHODOLOGY: Each set of transects at each site consists of 10 15-m long transects running~parallel to the shore, with ends of all transects aligned, and transects spaced 10 m apart along the vertical profile of the reef from the reef flat to the sandy interface at a depth of ~25 m. For our Olympus 50/50 a plastic block was cable tied to the side of thehousing. A small hole was drilled into the block, into which a clear plasticrod 75 cm long and 1 cm in diameter was inserted. Deployment Methods for deployment were dependent upon the size/type of area surveyed.1. Fixed transects: A metric tape was stretched from one float to the other at the ends of each transect. Photoquadrats were taken at each meter mark on the tape for the full length of the transect (15m). The chain was then draped along the substrate and over the contours of the reef directly under the metric tape. At the end of the transect, a colored cable tie was used to mark the length of chain laid over the substrate.Data Collection 1. Photoquadrats: The percent of benthic substrate occupied by coral and algal species, as well as various substrate types, was determined by analyzing photoquadrats with the software Coral Point Count with Excel extensions (CPCe). CPCe allows for random generation of any desired number of points within a picture, which will then be identified and grouped into specified taxonomic categories. For this particular study, the coral code (taxonomic categories) used by the West Hawaii DAR office was employed. The entire picture was analyzed, and a simple random distribution of 20 points was overlaid on each. A circle with a crosshair was used for the data pointshape. The category for each point was determined by identifying the substrate or species that occupied most of the circle, as opposed to what was lying directly beneath the crosshair. In the absence of a distinct coral,algal, or invertebrate species under a data point, the substrate was defined as turf/bare, which could then be further specified as turf/bare on rubble or on skeletons of various coral species. 2. Rugosity: The total distance along the substrate surface was determinedby measuring the length of the chain deployed for each transect to the appropriately colored cable tie. This length was then divided by the straight-line distance of the transect to yield a rugosity index value. INSTRUMENT TYPES: Underwater metric tape, 100 m long on plastic reel Digital camera Camera stand of fixed length Lightweight chain made of small links REFERENCES: Parrish, J.D. and J.T Claisse, 2006. Post-settlement life history of key coral reef fishes in a Hawaiian marine protected area network; Phase II (Year 7). Hawaii Coral Reef Initiative, Grant NA03 NOS4260044. University of Hawaii. p. 42.