The Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary 2002-2006 data include biological and oceanographic measurements collected to satisfy the MMS and NOAA contracts 1435-01-02-CT-85088 and 1435-01-04-CT-33137 through the monitoring year 2006. The Flower Garden Banks are located in the northwest Gulf of Mexico and are unique within the region. The Flower Garden Banks are coral reefs with biological assemblages typical of Caribbean coral reefs, including approximately 23 Caribbean scleractinian coral species, a low abundance and diversity of sponges, and reef fishes. These data are the result of yearly monitoring events and are used for comparison purposes required to complete technical reports and presentations. Statistical analyses, photographs, and videography are not included in this submission. On the East and West Flower Garden Banks there are 100 m by 100m study sites within which monitoring is conducted every year. The data included in this submission are from these study sites and include the following: (1) random transect benthic cover data obtained using videography (2002-2006), still photographs (2002-2003) and linear point intercept observer data (2002-2003). Random transect data include the proportional cover of benthic components including coral species, sponges, algae, and other groups. (2) Sclerochronology data are taken during odd years to look at short-term (10 years) change in coral growth rates. (3) Photographs of marked Diploria strigosa colony margins are taken annually to track lateral growth or recession of colony margins over time. Data within this dataset start with comparisons between 2001 and 2002. (4) Repetitive 8m2 quadrat planimetry data follow specific coral colonies over time. Coral colonies are traced each year to measure lateral growth, loss, and/or replacement within a continuously monitored 8m2 area. Data within this dataset start with comparisons between 2001 and 2002. (5) Abiotic water quality parameters are recorded on a continual basis using YSI datasondes. Data include temperature, specific conductivity, dissolved oxygen concentration, dissolved oxygen charge, pressure, depth, pH, pHmV, par1, par2, turbidity, and salinity. Additionally, HoboTemp thermographs are used as a back-up to record temperature. On YSI datasonde changeout cruises water samples are taken at surface, mid-water and at the benthos for nutrient and cholorphyll analysis. (6) Fish population surveys are completed to monitor fish species abundance and size from year to year.
The Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary 2002-2006 data include biological and oceanographic data collected to satisfy the MMS and NOAA contracts 1435-01-02-CT-85088 and 1435-01-04-CT-33137 through the year 2006. The purpose of these biological and oceanographic data is to serve as a long-term record of the conditions of the coral reef communities within the East and West Flower Garden Banks study sites. MMS and NOAA continue environmental monitoring for continuity of data and for generating information needed for resource management and regulatory decision-making. In addition, the monitoring data are needed to validate and sustain the present understanding of MMS lease stipulations for providing effective mitigation of impacts to the offshore environment.
Biological Data includes corals, algae, and invertebrate data. Reef fish identified are listed below: East and West Flower Garden Banks Fish Species List 2005 Fish Species Fish Common Name Family Name Chaetodon striatus Banded butterflyfish Chaetodontidae Caranx ruber Bar jack Carangidae Sphyraena barracuda Barracuda, great Sphyraenidae Stegastes leucostictus Beaugregory Pomacentridae Stegastes partitus Bicolor damselfish Pomacentridae Melichthys niger Black durgon Balistidae Mycteroperca bonaci Black grouper Serranidae Caranx lugubris Black jack Carangidae Chromis cyanea Blue chromis Pomacentridae Acanthurus coeruleus Blue tang Acanthuridae Thalassoma bifasciatum Bluehead Labridae Chromis multilineata Brown chromis Pomacentridae Kyphosus sectator/incisor Chub, Bermuda/Yellow Kyphosidae Halichoeres maculipinna Clown wrasse Labridae Stegastes variabilis Cocoa damselfish Pomacentridae Clepticus parrae Creole wrasse Labridae Paranthias furcifer Creole-fish Serranidae Caranx hippos Crevalle jack Carangidae Acanthurus chirurgus Doctorfish Acanthuridae Lutjanus jocu Dog snapper Lutjanidae Stegastes dorsopunicans Dusky damselfish Pomacentridae Pomacanthus paru French angelfish Pomacanthidae Cephalopholis cruentata Graysby Serranidae Lactophrys polygonius Honeycomb cowfish Ostraciidae Caranx latus Horse-eye jack Carangidae Stegastes diencaeus Longfin damselfish Pomacentridae Chaetodon aculeatus Longsnout butterflyfish Chaetodontidae Holocentrus rufus Longspine squirrelfish Holocentridae Dermatolepis inermis Marbled grouper Serranidae Gobiosoma oceanops Neon goby Gobiidae Acanthurus bahianus Ocean surgeonfish Acanthuridae Canthidermis sufflamen Ocean triggerfish Balistidae Cantherhines pullus Orangespotted filefish Monocanthidae Diodon hystrix Porcupinefish Diodontidae Scarus taeniopterus Princess parrotfish Scaridae Halichoeres radiatus Puddingwife Labridae Chromis scotti Purple reeffish Pomacentridae Holacanthus ciliaris Queen angelfish Pomacanthidae Scarus vetula Queen parrotfish Scaridae Epinephelus morio Red grouper Serranidae Epinephelus guttatus Red hind Serranidae Sparisoma aurofrenatum Redband parrotfish Scaridae Sparisoma rubripinne Redfin parrotfish Scaridae Ophioblennius atlanticus Redlip blenny Blenniidae Amblycirrhitus pinos Redspotted hawkfish Cirrhitidae Sparisoma chrysopterum Redtail parrotfish Scaridae Chaetodon sedentarius Reef butterflyfish Chaetodontidae East and West Flower Garden Banks Fish Species List 2005 Fish Species Fish Common Name Family Name Holacanthus tricolor Rock beauty Pomacanthidae Epinephelus adscensionis Rock hind Serranidae Parablennius marmoreus Seaweed blenny Blenniidae Abudefduf saxatilis Sergeant major Pomacentridae Canthigaster rostrata Sharpnose puffer Tetraodontidae Atherinidae Silversides Atherinidae Lactophrys triqueter Smooth trunkfish Ostraciidae Bodianus rufus Spanish hogfish Labridae Chaetodon ocellatus Spotfin butterflyfish Chaetodontidae Bodianus pulchellus Spotfin hogfish Labridae Equetus punctatus Spotted drum Sciaenidae Gymnothorax moringa Spotted moray Muraenidae Holocentrus adscensionis Squirrelfish Holocentridae Sparisoma viride Stoplight parrotfish Scaridae Scarus iseri Striped parrotfish Scaridae Chromis insolata Sunshinefish Pomacentridae Stegastes planifrons Threespot damselfish Pomacentridae Mycteroperca tigris Tiger grouper Serranidae Cantherhines macrocerus Whitespotted filefish Monocanthidae Liopropoma eukrines Wrasse bass Serranidae Mulloidichthys martinicus Yellow goatfish Mullidae Mycteroperca venenosa Yellowfin grouper Serranidae Halichoeres garnoti Yellowhead wrasse Labridae Mycteroperca interstitialis Yellowmouth grouper Serranidae Microspathodon chrysurus Yellowtail damselfish Pomacentridae Resource Description: NODC Accession Number 0012632
ground condition
A species list is provided in the original data files, but not all species were observed during the study. Only those species identified during the surveys are included in this metadata record. Higher level taxonomy of species was completed, and species synonyms were noted, FOR THIS METADATA RECORD ONLY at the NODC using the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) in conjunction with additional taxonomic and museum references as required. No originator data has been altered at the NODC; higher level taxonomy is added at the NODC to selected biological metadata records as an aid to search engines which utilize metadata.
GENERAL: From video, transect monitoring, and photography, corals were identified to species; sponges were combined into a single group; macroalgae were identified to species where possible and included anything longer than approximately 3 mm; crustose coralline algae turfs, fine turfs and bare rock were grouped as CTB. Reef fish and invertebrates identifed to genus and species when possible. FISH SURVEYS - Visual reef fish surveys were conducted on both East and West Banks. Size frequency distributions for two trophic guilds, herbivores and carnivores, were calculated as the proportion of the total number of herbivores or carnivores and represented as a percentage of individuals in the guild falling within different size categories (0-5 cm, 6-10 cm, 11-20 cm, 21-30 cm, 31-40 cm, and greater than 40 cm), based on average fish lengths recorded during the surveys. Parrotfishes (Scaridae), surgeonfishes (Acanthuridae), and yellowtail damselfish (Microspathodon chrysurus) comprised the herbivore guild, while snappers (Lutjanidae) and select groupers (Serranidae) comprised the demersal carnivore guild. The select groupers of the carnivore guild included yellowmouth grouper (Mycteroperca interstitialis), tiger grouper (M. tigris), graysby (Epinephelus cruentatus), and coney (E. fluvus) (Claro and Cantelar Ramos 2003; Pattengill- Semmens and Gittings 2003). INVERTEBRATES - The sea urchin Diadema antillarum and the spiny lobster Panulirus argus were identified and surveyed at night, at least 1.5 hours after sundown.
Corals were identified to species; sponges were combined into a single group; macroalgae were identified to species where possible and included anything longer than approximately 3 mm; crustose coralline algae turfs, fine turfs and bare rock were grouped as CTB. Reef fish and invertebrates identifed to genus and species 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.
PBS&J 2001 NW 107th Ave
Phone/FAX/E-mail; Additional contact - William F. Precht, Chief Scientist, 305-926-4131
PBS&J Corporation: William F. Precht, Ken Deslarzes, Rich Aronson, Leslie Kaufman, Martha Robbart, Beth Zimmer, Melisa Reiter, Adam Gelber, Mark Henry, Bob Woithe, Marty Heaney, Leslie Duncan, David Evans, Leslie Whaylen, Dave Roberts, Ken Jones, Sue Wilcox, and Stacey Roberts, in fulfillment of MMS and NOAA contracts 1435-01-02-CT-85088 and 1435-01-04-CT-33137.
From: Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary 2002-2006 Final Report. See complete citation in the CROSS-REFERENCE section of this metdata record. TRANSECT ANALYSES: Each transect was treated as a replicate at the scale of the study site, yielding an estimate of coral cover and the cover of other benthic categories. Percent covers were calculated for each transect from the resulting set of 500 points. Data were collected on the point-counts of each coral species; sponges as a group; macroalgae to species; turf (greater than 3 mm), fine turf, crustose coralline algae and bare rock as a single category, CTB; and sand and other inanimate categories of substrate. Graphs were produced to allow the comparison of each reef in the average percent cover of major substrate types, coral species, coral functional types and algal functional types. Previous examination of means and variances, using different numbers of random dots, suggested that 500 dots per transect provide accurate and precise estimates of the coverage of benthic components, regardless of the length of the transects (Aronson et al. 1994; Carleton and Done 1995). Analyses of Variance (ANOVAs) were performed to test the null hypothesis that the two reefs did not differ in each type of univariate substratum cover. After tests for normality and homogeneity ANOVAs were calculated for each substratum variable with the statistical software Systat 5.0., only the data on macroalgae had to be transformed, using the arcsine transformation. Multivariate statistical techniques were used to compare how the two banks differed in coral species composition using the software package PRIMER 5.0. To place the data on coral cover in a regional context, we analyzed the species-specific coral cover data using multidimensional scaling (MDS). We pooled the species-specific point-count data for hard corals from the 14 transects from each survey at a site in one
See: Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary 2002-2006 Final Report. See complete citation in the CROSS-REFERENCE section of this metdata record for detailed descriptions of data completeness. Monitoring cruises were conducted aboard the M.V. Fling in October 2002, and April and August 2003. The general locations of the study sites are marked by permanent mooring buoys: FGBNMS permanent mooring number 2 at the East Bank and mooring number 5 at the West Bank. Subsurface buoys were installed at the corners of the 100m x 100m study sites at each bank to facilitate underwater relocation. Establishment of the perimeter and crosshairs subdivided each study site into four quadrants. To estimate the areal coverage of benthic components, fourteen, 10-m long transect tapes were randomly positioned at each study site. Coverage was estimated from these transects in three ways: still photography, videography, and visual assessment in the field. The linear-point intercept (LPI) method was used as well, to ascertain whether data recorded directly on the reef was different than data derived from either of the photographic methods. Four coral cores were extracted from Montastraea faveolata colonies at each bank in order to determine annual growth rates and any possible indicators of past coral bleaching events or other stressors. Diploria strigosa is the second largest contributor to coral cover at the FGB. For this reason D. strigosa lateral growth margins were monitored and photographed to detect changes, either as retreat or growth of margins, from year to year. Repetitive 8m2 quadrats were photographed and analyzed using random dot analysis (percent cover of species and coral condition) and planimetry (measure growth or loss of tissue over time) in order to monitor changes in coral reef community structure. Perimeter lines were videotaped each year to document change at known locations along the perimeter and within the study site. A general sense of coral condition and fish populations were obtained and compared from year to year. Physical and chemical characteristics of the seawater overlying the reef caps at the FGB were assessed by monitoring temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, and content in chlorophyll a, dissolved inorganic nitrogen, dissolved organic nitrogen, inorganic phosphorous, and trace metals. These water quality parameters were selected to characterize the environmental background in which the FGB coral reef resources exist. Surveys of fish assemblages were conducted at each bank in order to determine relative abundance and diversity of species. Surveys of sea urchins and lobsters were performed at night to determine abundance and distribution of populations. As repetitive quadrat and lateral growth (Diploria strigosa) stations were missing markers, displaced, or otherwise degraded in 2002, a site rehabilitation cruise was completed in April 2003. The goal of this cruise was to reestablish the initial sample size of forty repetitive quadrat stations and sixty lateral growth stations on the East and West Banks. A new numbering system was established and old stations were refurbished with new pins and tags, while a small number of new stations were established at each bank. Since the majority of stations were refurbished, the long-term dataset should not be affected for either the repetitive quadrat or lateral growth stations.
Detailed analyses processes are described in Long-Term Monitoring at the East and West Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary 2002-2006 Final Report, included as a .PDF file as part of this data set under NODC Accession 0012632. See complete citation in the CROSS-REFERENCE section of this metdata record.
SSMC3, 4th Floor, E/OC1 1315 East-West Highway
Phone/FAX/E-mail/letter during business hours
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.
Space delimited ASCII files
FILES: Raw data 2001-2003.txt, Raw data 2004-2005 Part 1.txt, EB 3_11_04 to 4_15_04 YSI.txt, EB hobo 3_11_04 to 7_15_04.txt, EB 7_15_04 to 2_25_05 YSI.txt, EB hobo 7_15_04 to 11_19_04.txt, EB YSI Data 6_08_05.txt, EB hobo temp 6_08_05.txt, EB vertical profile.txt, scatter plot.txt, EB YSI July05.txt, EB hobo July05.txt, EB 8_27_05 to 10_12_05 YSI.txt, EB hobo 8_26_05 to 10_12_05.txt, EB 10_12_05 to 11_2_05 YSI.txt, EB hobo 10_12_05 to 11_14_05.txt, WB 3_11_04 to 7_15_04 YSI.txt, WB hobo 3_11_04 to 7_15_04.txt, WB 7_15_04 to 11_19_04 YSI.txt, WB hobo 7_15_04 to 11_19_04.txt, WB 11_19_04 to 2_23_05 YSI.txt, WB YSI Data 6-7-05.txt, WB hobo temp 6-7-05.txt, WB vertical profile 6-6-05.txt, WB scatter plot.txt, WB YSI July05.txt, WB hobo July05.txt, WB 8_24_05 to 10_12_05 YSI.txt, WB hobo 8_24_05 to 10_12_05.txt, Raw Data 2004-2005 Part 4.txt, Raw Data 2006.txt, Raw Data for Post Hurricane 2005.txt, YSI_Calibration_Procedures.txt, FGBNMS Nutrients Metals 2002-2006.txt, FGBNMS Nutrients Metals Above Detectable Levels 2002-2006.txt
These data may be directly downloaded via the NODC's "Ocean Archive System". The system can be accessed through the NODC Home Page at www.nodc.noaa.gov or directly at: http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/search/prod/. See the "ACCESS INSTRUCTIONS" field of this metadata record for specific steps for direct download. Contact NODC via e-mail/phone/letter for custom order.
Contact the NODC User Services Group phone/FAX/e-mail at: nodc.services@noaa.gov
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