.

General Information

File Identifier:	gov.noaa.nodc:0259389
Metadata Date Stamp:	2022-09
Organization:	NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Organization Role:	custodian

Identification Information

Title:

Benthic Surveys in Faga'alu, American Samoa: benthic images collected during belt transect surveys in 2020 (NCEI Accession 0259389)

Abstract:

The benthic images provided here are part of the CRCP-funded project aimed at establishing baseline Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) surveys for coral reef benthic cover and composition at Faga'alu Bay, Tutuila, American Samoa. In 2020, the survey implemented a one -stage stratified random sampling (StRS) design to assess the Faga'alu benthic coral reef community. The survey domain encompassed the majority of the mapped area of reef and hard bottom habitats in the 0–30 m depth range. The stratification scheme included cardinal position (i.e., north and south), reef zone (i.e., backreef and forereef), and depth (i.e., shallow: >0–6 m and mid-depth: >6–18 m). Sampling effort allocation was determined based on strata area and sites randomly located within strata. The StRS design effectively reduces estimate variance through stratification using environmental covariates and by sampling more sites rather than more transects per site. Therefore, site-to-site comparisons should proceed with caution. In 2020, thirty images were collected along one, haphazardly laid, 30-m transects. Still photographs were collected to record the benthic community composition at predetermined points along belt transect with a high-resolution digital camera mounted on a pole. Photographs were taken every 1 m from the 1 m to the 30 m mark. This work generates 30 photographs per site, which are later analyzed by ESD staff and partners using the computer program CoralNet. This analysis is the basis for estimating benthic cover and composition at each site, which is accessible on a separate NCEI accession. Survey protocols followed the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program methodologies historically implemented by NOAA's Ecosystem Sciences Division.

Browse Graphic

Browse Graphic URL:	https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/metadata/landing-page/bin/gfx?id=gov.noaa.nodc:0259389
Browse Graphic Caption:	Preview graphic
Browse Graphic Type:	JPEG

Data Theme

Theme Topics:

Environment and Conservation, Oceans and Estuaries, Imagery and Base Maps, Biology and Ecology

Spatial Domain

West Bounding Longitude:	-170.681125
South Bounding Latitude:	-14.293791
East Bounding Longitude:	-170.672613
North Bounding Latitude:	-14.28678

Data Quality Information

Scope (quality information applies to):

Dataset

Contact Information

Email:	ncei.info@noaa.gov
Contact Website:	https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact

Metadata Reference Information

/search/rest/document?f=html&id=%7BD93955B4-83C4-473C-9BCC-C1CE409B5B67%7D

This Geoportal was built using the Geoportal Server. Please read the Disclaimer and Privacy or Contact Us.