Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
20101013
CRED REA Belt Surveys of Coral Population and Disease Assessments at French Frigate Shoals, NW Hawaiian Islands in 2008
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 12 September - 12 October 2008, 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 HI0809 in the NW Hawaiian Islands at biennial intervals by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) at the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC). During the cruise, there were 14 surveys in total conducted at REA sites around French Frigate Shoals in the NW Hawaiian Islands.
At the specific REA sites, coral biologists along with fish biologists, 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 fish, 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 dictated at the beginning of each dive by subjective perceived colony density: 1-m width was used in high density areas, while 2-m width was used in low density areas.
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 14 meters.
Coral genera observed:
Region Year Island TaxonName Genus Class
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Acropora cytherea Acropora Scleractinia
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Acropora humilis Acropora Scleractinia
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Acropora sp Acropora Scleractinia
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Acropora valida Acropora Scleractinia
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Cyphastrea ocellina Cyphastrea Scleractinia
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Leptastrea purpurea Leptastrea Scleractinia
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Montipora capitata Montipora Scleractinia
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Montipora incrassata Montipora Scleractinia
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Montipora patula Montipora Scleractinia
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Palythoa sp. Palythoa Other Anthozoan
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Pavona duerdeni Pavona Scleractinia
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Pavona varians Pavona Scleractinia
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Pocillopora damicornis Pocillopora Scleractinia
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Pocillopora eydouxi Pocillopora Scleractinia
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Pocillopora ligulata Pocillopora Scleractinia
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Pocillopora meandrina Pocillopora Scleractinia
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Pocillopora sp Pocillopora Scleractinia
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Porites brighami Porites Scleractinia
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Porites compressa Porites Scleractinia
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Porites evermanni Porites Scleractinia
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Porites lobata Porites Scleractinia
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Porites sp Porites Scleractinia
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Psammocora nierstraszi Psammocora Scleractinia
NWHI 2008 French Frigate Psammocora stellata Psammocora Scleractinia
Coral diseases observed:
Region Year Island DZCode DZClass
NWHI 2008 French Frigate ALG Algal infection
NWHI 2008 French Frigate BLE Bleaching
NWHI 2008 French Frigate CLD Coralline lethal disease
NWHI 2008 French Frigate CYA Cyanophyte infection
NWHI 2008 French Frigate DIS Discolorations other than bleaching
NWHI 2008 French Frigate HYP Hyperpigmented responses
NWHI 2008 French Frigate OTH Other
NWHI 2008 French Frigate PLS Pink line/spot syndrome
NWHI 2008 French Frigate PRE Predation
NWHI 2008 French Frigate PTR Porites trematodiasis
NWHI 2008 French Frigate TIN Tube worm infestation
NWHI 2008 French Frigate TLS Sub-acute tissue loss
20080914
20081009
Ground condition
asNeeded
-166.354917
-166.051027
23.884988
23.62388
NCEI Geoportal FilterCoRIS_MetadataCRCP ProjectPacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (Pacific RAMP): Biennial monitoring for the U.S. Pacific Islands and Atolls1221
None
Marine Ecosystem
Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP)
Rapid Ecological Assessments (REA)
Coral Reef
Coral
NW Hawaiian Islands
French Frigate Shoals
HI0809
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
EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Coral Diseases
CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus
Numeric Data Sets > Biology
ISO 19115 Topic Category
biota
002
None
NW Hawaiian Islands
French Frigate Shoals
CoRIS Place Thesaurus
OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Northwestern Hawaiian Islands > French Frigate Shoals (24N166W0001)
COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > French Frigate Shoals (24N166W0001)
CoRIS Region
NWHI
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
"Jason Helyer , Stephanie Schopmeyer", 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, other macroinvertebrate, and reef fish communities. The surveys were conducted using a combination of dive teams which generally included a two to three person fish team, 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, three teams of divers enter the water over spaced time intervals. The fish team firstly enters the water and deploys a 25-m transect line. Two of the fish divers begin to survey along that transect while the remaining fish diver begins stationary point count assessments in the general vicinity. After approximately 20 min, the coral team enters the water and begins to work along the first transect line. By this time the fish team has deployed and begun surveys along a second 25-m transect. About 10 min later, the algal/invertebrate team enters the water and begins surveying the first transect. In total, the fish team surveys three transects at each site (transects 1, 2, and 3), and the coral and algal/invertebrate teams survey transects 1 and 2. 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.
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)
CRED Data Management Team
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
20090904
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
20090904063031
None
20080914
20081009
https://www.coris.noaa.gov/metadata/records/html/cred_rea_corals_french_frigate_shoals_2008.html
2817