To support a long-term NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) for sustainable management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems, from 12 - 22 May 2007, line point intercept (LPI) surveys of benthic parameter assessments were conducted, as a part of Rapid Ecological Assessments (REA), during the Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) Cruise HI0702 in the Marianas Archipelago at biennial intervals by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) at the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC). During the cruise, 10 REA sites were surveyed at Guam Island in the Marianas Archipelago. At the specific REA sites, coral biologists along with algal biologists, marine invertebrate zoologist, and fish biologists 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 line point intercept surveys were used to quantitatively assess average percent live coral cover and other benthic substrates at REA sites. The surveys were conducted along two consecutively-placed 25m transect lines by a coral biologist. All benthic elements falling directly underneath the transect line at 20-cm to 50-cm intervals were recorded as one of nine benthic categories: live coral, dead coral, carbonate pavement, encrusting coralline algae, macroalgae, coral rubble, sand, rock, and other benthic sessile invertebrates. All living benthic elements (e.g., coral, algae, and other invertebrates) were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible. These data provide the basis for computing quantitative estimates of percent live coral cover, as well as percent cover of the different benthic constituents.
Part of a long-term monitoring program at biennial intervals which documents the state of the reefs.
Maximum depth was 16 meters. Benthic cover parameters observed: Year Region Island BenthicCategory BenthicName 2007 MARIAN Guam CALG crustose coralline red algae 2007 MARIAN Guam CALG Pavement/Coralline algae 2007 MARIAN Guam CORL Acanthastrea sp 2007 MARIAN Guam CORL Acropora palifera 2007 MARIAN Guam CORL Acropora sp 2007 MARIAN Guam CORL Astreopora sp 2007 MARIAN Guam CORL Favia pallida 2007 MARIAN Guam CORL Favia sp 2007 MARIAN Guam CORL Favia stelligera 2007 MARIAN Guam CORL Fungia scutaria 2007 MARIAN Guam CORL Galaxea fascicularis 2007 MARIAN Guam CORL Goniastrea edwardsi 2007 MARIAN Guam CORL Hydnophora sp 2007 MARIAN Guam CORL Leptastrea purpurea 2007 MARIAN Guam CORL Leptastrea sp 2007 MARIAN Guam CORL Montipora foveolata 2007 MARIAN Guam CORL Montipora sp 2007 MARIAN Guam CORL Pavona varians 2007 MARIAN Guam CORL Pocillopora verrucosa 2007 MARIAN Guam CORL Porites cylindrica 2007 MARIAN Guam CORL Porites lobata 2007 MARIAN Guam CORL Porites rus 2007 MARIAN Guam CORL Porites sp 2007 MARIAN Guam CORL Psammocora haimeana 2007 MARIAN Guam CORL Stylophora sp 2007 MARIAN Guam CYAN Cyanobacteria 2007 MARIAN Guam CYAN Dead/Cyanobacteria 2007 MARIAN Guam CYAN Pavement/cyanobacteria 2007 MARIAN Guam DEAD Dead coral 2007 MARIAN Guam malg Caulerpa sp 2007 MARIAN Guam malg Dictyota sp 2007 MARIAN Guam malg Halimeda sp 2007 MARIAN Guam malg Macroalgae 2007 MARIAN Guam malg Padina sp 2007 MARIAN Guam malg Pavementement/lobophora 2007 MARIAN Guam malg Valonia sp 2007 MARIAN Guam OCTO Lobophyton sp 2007 MARIAN Guam OTHR Sponge 2007 MARIAN Guam SAND Sand 2007 MARIAN Guam TALG Dead/Turf algae 2007 MARIAN Guam TALG Pavement/Turf 2007 MARIAN Guam TALG Rubble/turfalgae
Ground condition
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
NOAA IRC
NMFS/PIFSC/CRED
1845 WASP Blvd., Building 176
e-mail preferred
Bernardo Vargas-Angel, Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), Pacific Islands Fisheries Sciences Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA
The benthic cover parameter observations were made by a single diver who is coral reef ecologist. The benthic cover assessment surveys are conducted one time per site per survey year; it is not replicated.
The same methods of data collection were used at each of the sites surveyed at this location, and were conducted by the same scientist.
The survey sites were selected to be representative of the dominant habitats at this reef system. The majority of surveys were conducted in the lagoon due to inclement sea conditions in other habitats.
GPS unit
Instrument parameters
Dive computer and SCUBA depth gauge
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.
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.
Contact CRED data management team for information
