In an effort to detect spatial and temporal changes in the structure of the coral reef community, coral coverage and reef fish density and diversity were documented at selected sites along the coastline of the Big Island of Hawaii using standard transect methodology and SCUBA. The data were collected as training for students within the Quantitative Underwater Ecological Surveying Techniques (QUEST) Program of the Kalakaua Marine Educational Center at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Several sites have been established. This database contains surveys for Puako and Mahukona from 1992 - 1999. Because of the disparity of experience among the student observers, this data set contains a much higher margin of error than like surveys by professional coral reef scientists.
QUEST is a coral reef workshop taught at the University of Hawaii at Hilo that is designed specifically to train students in a comprehensive suite of modern reef monitoring techniques. The classroom curriculum is designed to provide students basic background on faunal identification, coral reef ecology, surveying methods, experimental design, statistics, data processing, report writing, and oral presentation. The surveying methods taught were selected because they are widely utilized by the scientific community, easy to teach, and logistically practical in most field situations.
Description of sampling stations: 1. Puako 19 58N 155 51W Puako is located on the Kohala coast of the island of Hawai'i. Considered by many people to be one of the most spectacular reefs in the state, Puako is also one of the most well developed fringing reefs on the island. Located north of the Mauna Lani hotel complex and south of Hapuna Beach, the reef spans several kilometers of low lying areas lightly developed by residential housing. The area is largely protected by open ocean swells except large winter swells and Kona storms. Corals are sparsely abundant on the reef flat, which extends from the shore to about 200 meters offshore. The reef flat is an area of relatively high wave energy characterized by highly variable coral cover, primarily lobe coral (Porites lobata) and cauliflower coral (Pocillopora meadrina). Mobile invertebrates are conspicuous, especially collector urchins (Tripneustes gratilla), rock boring urchins (Echinometra mathaea), and black sea cucumbers (Holothuria atra). Fishes reach there highest diversity here dominated by plant-grazing surgeon fishes such as yellow tangs (Zebrasoma flavescens), achilles tangs (Acanthurus achilles), convict tangs (Acanthurus triostegus), and moorish idols (Zanclus cornutus). Spotted puffers (Arothron meleagris) and lei triggersfish (Sufflamen bursa) are also common along with saddle wrasses (Thalassoma duperrey). Following the reef flat is a vertical drop-off of 3-6 meters which leads to the main Puako reef. This is area of caves and crevices filled with encrusting corals and sponges. Tube corals (Tubastraea coccinea), best observed at night, cover many of the walls creating orange carpets. Other corals, such as species of the genus Leptoseris and Pavona, are also common. Black sea urchins, mainly Echinothrix diadema and E. calamaris, are common in holes on the walls. Green sea turtles (Chelonia midas) are commonly found sleeping in caves. This threatened species feeds on seaweeds growing on the vertical cliffs and reef flat, especially members of the red seaweed genus Pterocladia. Turtles are also commonly seen sleeping in depressions on the main reef and gracefully swimming over the bottom. Schools of small fish may occasionally be seen feeding off the seaweeds and encrusting invertebrates on the backs of green sea turtles. "EAST" refers to the eastmost entrance to the Puako area. Surveys are straight out from this entrance. "West" refers to the westmost entrance area. 2. Mahukona: 20 10N 155 53W Mahukona is a pristine reef with a high coral cover bench and a gentle reef slope. The small exposed bay is located on the North Kohala coast of the island of Hawai'i about 10 miles north of Kawaihae. Once the main port for shipping of Kohala Sugar, the area now is a diving site with an area for launching small boats.The area is exposed to heavy winter swells, so if the surf is up it is often not accessible. As you move offshore away from the wreck of the SS Kauai you can skirt the edge of the reef which offers stunning contrasts between white coral sand and large, colorful coral colonies. Lizardfish (Synodus spp.) are common on the sand, often sitting in pairs, waiting for small fish to cruise by. Sea cucumbers are also abundant in these areas. During the winter these sandy areas can be quite murky when runoff from the small stream near the harbor entrance flows into the bay. On the reef invertebrates are abundant and this is one of the few areas that consistently has a few Crown-of-Thorn Seastars (Acanthaster planci). "INNER" refers to the shallowest transect and "OUTER" refers to the deepest dive. Due to variable surge levels during different dive days, the exact same transect line is not repeated since it could have been too dangerous to undertake. Resource Description: NODC Accession number 0000264
ground condition
The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) was utilized as an aid to complete upper level species classifications FOR THIS METADATA RECORD ONLY. No original data was altered at the NODC.
Students from within the UH/community college system are required to demonstrate competence in faunal identification prior to being accepted to QUEST. Each participating campus offers a series of identification workshops to introduce students to common Hawaiian coral reef organisms. The current species identification list, supported by a species ID videotape, consists of approximately 80 species of fishes, 65 invertebrates, and 50 algae. Students coming from outside the UH system are taught species identification during QUEST prior to field application of surveying methods.
Data recorded to genus and species level when possible.
Dataset credit required. NOAA and NODC would appreciate recognition as the resource from which these data were obtained in any publications and/or other representations of these data.
14204 NE Salmon Creek Avenue
Phone/FAX/letter/e-mail
Dr. Brian Tissot, QUEST project, Kalakaua Marine Educational Center, University of Hawaii at Hilo
See the 'Methodology Description' section of this metadata record for potential sources of error for methods that were used to collect this data set.
The data were collected as training for students within the Quantitative Underwater Ecological Surveying Techniques (QUEST) Program of the Kalakaua Marine Educational Center at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. This database contains surveys for Puako and Mahukona from 1992 - 1999. Because of the disparity of experience among the student observers, this data set ptentially contains a higher margin of error than similar surveys by professional coral reef scientists.
See 'completeness report' and 'methodology description' sections of this metadata record.
1315 East-West Highway, SSMC3, 4th Floor
Phone/e-mail/FAX/voice mail message
NOAA makes no warranty regarding these data, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NODC cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data, nor as a result of the failure of these data to function on a particular system.
not applicable
LIST OF TABLES (* denotes keyword) 1) Table: Surveys Field Description (as necessary) ------------------ --------------------------------------------------------- Dive* Numerical assignment of each unique dive Population Name of Dive site (Puako or Mahukona) Location Puako: East or West (east or west entrance to Puako) Mahukona: Inner or Outer (shallow or deeper transect) Year Date Depth (ft) Team Comments 2) Table: Coral Data Field Description (as necessary) ------------------ --------------------------------------------------------- Dive* Code* defined in table=Substrate codes Quadrat Grid No Cover per cent 3) Table: Substrate codes Field Description (as necessary) ------------------ --------------------------------------------------------- Code* refers to "Code" in table=Coral Data Species Sort general type Category substrate or non-substrate, Coral Code2 secondary code scheme used by QUEST 4) Table: Fish Data Field Description (as necessary) ------------------ --------------------------------------------------------- Dive* Code* defined in table=Fish Names Number count Size estimate to centimeter Side side of strip transect Zone section along transect 5) Table: Fish Names Field Description (as necessary) ------------------ --------------------------------------------------------- Code* refers to "Code" in table=Fish Data Species Name Hawaiian Name Common Name Family Number* see table=Fish Families 6) Table: Fish Families Field Description (as necessary) ------------------ --------------------------------------------------------- Family Number* see table=Fish Names Family Phylogenetic sort Name 7) Table: PCA Field Description (as necessary) ------------------ --------------------------------------------------------- Code* refers to "Code" in table=Fish Data SumofNumber cumulative number 8) Table: Invertebrate Data Field Description (as necessary) ------------------ --------------------------------------------------------- Dive* Code* defined in table=Invertebrate Names Quadrat Count Comments 9) Table: Invertebrate Names Field Description (as necessary) ------------------ --------------------------------------------------------- Code* refers to "Code" in table=Invertebrate Data Species Name Common Name Hawaiian Name 10) Table: Invertebrate Phyla Field Description (as necessary) ------------------ --------------------------------------------------------- Phylum Phylogenetic sort
Not applicable
TABLES See MS Access 'format information content' QUERIES (EXTRACTIONS FROM THE MS ACESS DATABASE) 1) nodc_coral_data Field 1: survey date, ignore the time component, ie, 0:00:00 Field 2: survey time, ignore the date component, ie, 12/30/99 Hawaiian Standard Time Field 3: Dive Field 4: Location Field 5: Population (Location) Field 6: Depth (ft) Field 7: Team Field 8: Survey comments Field 9: Quadrat Field 10: Grid No. Field 11: Coral Comments Field 12: Cover (%) Field 13: Code (see subtrate table for definition) 2) nodc_fish_data Field 1: survey date, ignore the time component, ie, 0:00:00 Field 2: survey time, ignore the date component, ie, 12/30/99 Hawaiian Standard Time Field 3: Dive Field 4: Location Field 5: Population (Location) Field 6: Depth (ft) Field 7: Team Field 8: Survey comments Field 9: Code (see Fish Names for definition) Field 10: Number Field 11: Size Field 12: Side Field 13: Zone 3) nodc_invert_data Field 1: survey date, ignore the time component, ie, 0:00:00 Field 2: survey time, ignore the date component, ie, 12/30/99 Hawaiian Standard Time Field 3: Dive Field 4: Location Field 5: Population (Location) Field 6: Depth (ft) Field 7: Team Field 8: Survey comments Field 9: Quadrat Field 10: Code (see Invertebrate Names for definition) Field 11: Count Filed 12: Invertebrate Comments
comma-delimited
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Contact the NODC User Services Group via phone/FAX/E-mail: nodc.services@noaa.gov
1315 East-West Highway, E/OC1, SSMC3, 4th Floor
E-mail, phone, FAX, mail
