Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
20120130
CRED REA Belt Surveys of Coral Population and Disease Assessments at Johnston Atoll, Pacific Remote Island Areas (PRIAs) in 2010
spreadsheet
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/pacific-islands/ecosystems/coral-reefs-pacific
To support a long-term NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) for sustainable management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems, from 24-29 January 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 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, there were 16 surveys in total conducted at REA sites around Johnston Atoll in the Pacific Remote Island Areas.
At the specific REA sites, coral biologists along with 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.
Part of a long-term monitoring program at biennial intervals which documents the state of the reefs.
Maximum depth was 17 meters.
Corals genera and disease observed:
Year Region Island SPC_Code Species List
2010 PRIA Johnston ACSP Acropora sp
2010 PRIA Johnston ACYT Acropora cythera
2010 PRIA Johnston FUSP Fungia sp
2010 PRIA Johnston MCAP Montipora capitata
2010 PRIA Johnston MOSP Montipora sp
2010 PRIA Johnston PMEA Pocillopora meandrina
2010 PRIA Johnston POSP Porites sp
2010 PRIA Johnston PVAR Pavona varians
2010 PRIA Johnston LEPT Leptastrea sp
2010 PRIA Johnston POCS Pocillopora sp
2010 PRIA Johnston PAVS Pavona sp
2010 PRIA Johnston MISP Millepora sp
2010 PRIA Johnston MINC Montipora incrassata
2010 PRIA Johnston PMAL Pavona maldivensis
2010 PRIA Johnston PLOB Porites lobata
2010 PRIA Johnston PASP Palythoa sp
2010 PRIA Johnston SISP Sinularia sp
2010 PRIA Johnston AHUM Acropora humilis
2010 PRIA Johnston PEYD Pocillopora eydouxi
2010 PRIA Johnston CYPS Cyphastrea sp
Year Region Island DZ_Code Diseases Present
2010 PRIA Johnston PRE Predation
2010 PRIA Johnston SGA Skeletal Growth Anomalies
2010 PRIA Johnston BLE Bleaching
2010 PRIA Johnston CYA Cyanobacterial Infection
2010 PRIA Johnston HYP Pigmentation Response
2010 PRIA Johnston WSY White Syndrome
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Ground condition
asNeeded
-169.571385
-169.33355
16.803112
16.642373
NCEI Geoportal FilterCoRIS_MetadataCRCP ProjectPacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (Pacific RAMP): Biennial monitoring for the U.S. Pacific Islands and Atolls1221Incidence and characterization of coral diseases in the U.S. Pacific Islands1841
None
Marine Ecosystem
Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP)
Rapid Ecoligical Assessments (REA)
Coral Reef
Coral
Pacific Remote Island Areas (PRIAs)
Johnston Atoll
HI1001
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus
EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs
EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology
EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology > Coral cover
EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > BioDiversity
EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment
EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Rapid assessment studies
CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus
Numeric Data Sets > Biology
ISO 19115 Topic Category
biota
002
None
Johnston Atoll
Central Pacific
None
Pacific Remote Island Areas (PRIAs)
Johnston Atoll
CoRIS Place Thesaurus
OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Johnston Atoll > Johnston Atoll (16N169W0001)
COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Johnston Atoll (16N169W0001)
CoRIS Region
PRIA
Data are available two years following data collection date.
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
Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
mailing and physical address
NOAA IRC
NMFS/PIFSC/CRED
1845 WASP Blvd., Building 176
Honolulu
HI
96818
USA
808 725-5360
808 725-5429
nmfs.pic.credinfo@noaa.gov
e-mail preferred
Erin Looney, Bernardo Vargas-Angel, Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Sciences Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA
Not applicable
Unclassified
Not applicable
Oracle
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.
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.
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.
GPS unit
1
Instrument parameters
Dive computer and SCUBA depth gauge
0.3
Instrument parameters
REA surveys are investigations that provide a high degree of taxonomic resolution for coral, algae, and other macroinvertebrate communities. The majority of REA surveys were conducted along the forereef slopes of individual islands at depths between 10 and 20 m. However, additional habitats including lagoonal-type patch reef and offshore oceanic banks were surveyed when they existed. During REA surveys, biological assessment teams follow highly structured protocols that are repeated at each REA site. Upon arrival at an REA site, divers entered the water and deployed two 25 m transect lines which are shared with coral surveys that gather community structure, diversity, recruitment, and health status data. The sampling effort takes between 60 and 80 min to complete. The selection of REA sites was made in close consultation with 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 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 re-survey 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.
Unknown
0.0001
0.0001
Decimal Degrees
World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84)
Geodetic Reference System 80 (GRS80)
6378137
298.2572236
Local surface
1
meters
Explicit Depth Coordinate Included with Horizontal Coordinates
Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
mailing and physical address
NOAA IRC
NMFS/PIFSC/CRED
1845 WASP Blvd., Building 176
Honolulu
HI
96818
USA
808 725-5360
808 725-5429
nmfs.pic.credinfo@noaa.gov
e-mail preferred
Offline Data
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.
XLS (Microsoft Excel worksheet)
CDROM, or email
ISO 9660
None if receiving the data online
Contact CRED data management team for information
Contact CRED data management team for information
20190605
20101021
Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
mailing and physical address
NOAA IRC
NMFS/PIFSC/CRED
1845 WASP Blvd., Building 176
Honolulu
HI
96818
USA
808 725-5360
808 725-5429
nmfs.pic.credinfo@noaa.gov
e-mail preferred
the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
FGDC-STD-001-1998
20101021012747
None
20100124
20100129
https://www.coris.noaa.gov/metadata/records/html/cred_rea_coral_johnston_2010.html
6013