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National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessment of coral reef benthic communities in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary from 2024-07-29 to 2024-08-01 (NCEI Accession 0302943)

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The National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) assessed coral reef communities in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) using two benthic surveys: the Benthic Assessment (includes Line Point-Intercept) and the Coral Demographic method. Benthic Assessment provides benthic cover estimates for ecologically important cover types/groups (e.g., macroalgae, turf algae, crustose coralline algae, corals, sponges, sand/sediment, etc.) using a 1-stage stratified random survey design in hardbottom and coral reef habitats less than 30m in depth. The goals of these surveys are to provide: (1) a quantification of percent cover of biotic and abiotic benthic components using a line point-intercept (LPI) method; (2) information on topographic complexity substratum rugosity) of the survey locations (3) quantitative information on local commercially and ecologically-important macroinvertebrates (Caribbean spiny lobster [Panulirus argus], queen conch [Lobatus gigas], long-spined sea urchin [Diadema antillarum]); and (4) presence-absence information for ESA-listed Threatened corals. The goal of the coral demographic surveys is to collect and report information on species composition, density, size, abundance, and specific parameters of condition (% live vs. dead, bleaching, disease) of non-juvenile scleractinian corals (>4 cm maximum diameter), and of overall species diversity (all corals) using 10m x 1m belt transects in a stratified random sampling design in hardbottom and coral reef habitats less than 30m in depth. Both Benthic Assessment and Coral Demographic surveys are concurrent. Three datasets are provided under the Benthic Assessment and coral demographic protocols, and are distributed as one compiled package: (1) analysis ready benthic cover dataset, (2) analysis ready invertebrates/ESA dataset, and (3) analysis ready coral demographic dataset. The methodologies used for this survey can be found in the Benthic Assessment and Coral Demographic protocols. All datasets contain data fields on general station information (e.g., survey strata, depth, rugosity). Each of these data tables contain additional survey-specific data fields. For complete information and descriptions of attributes and data fields for all data tables, refer to the data dictionaries.
  • Cite as: NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science; NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center (2025). National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessment of coral reef benthic communities in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary from 2024-07-29 to 2024-08-01 (NCEI Accession 0302943). https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0302943. In NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science; NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center. National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessment of coral reef benthic communities in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.7289/v5vd6wts. Accessed [date].
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Distributor NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
+1-301-713-3277
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Time Period 2024-07-29 to 2024-08-01
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West: -93.82249
East: -93.5963
South: 27.87344
North: 27.9184
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
Associated Resources
  • National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessment of coral reef benthic communities in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
  • NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science; NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center (2016). National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessment of coral reef benthic communities in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.7289/v5vd6wts.
  • NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science; NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center (2016). National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessment of coral reef fish communities in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.7289/v5057d81.
  • Coral Reef Conservation Program (2016). Documentation for NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) data archived at NCEI (NCEI Accession 0157633). NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0157633.
  • NOAA's National Coral Reef Monitoring Program
  • National Coral Reef Monitoring Program Implementation: Biological and Socioeconomic Monitoring
    • Parent ID (indicates this dataset is related to other data):
    • gov.noaa.nodc:NCRMP-Benthic-FGB
Publication Dates
  • publication: 2025-04-16
  • creation: 2025-03-27
Data Presentation Form Digital table - digital representation of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns
Dataset Progress Status Complete - production of the data has been completed
Historical archive - data has been stored in an offline storage facility
Data Update Frequency As needed
Purpose The National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) details a long-term approach to provide an ecosystem perspective via monitoring climate, fish, benthic, and socioeconomic variables in a consistent and integrated manner. The NCRMP is intended to coordinate various Coral Reef Conservation Coral Reef Program (CRCP) biological, physical, and human dimensions activities into a cohesive NOAA-wide effort. Through the implementation of the NCRMP, NOAA will be able to clearly and concisely communicate results of national-scale monitoring to national, state, and territorial policy makers, resource managers, and the public on a periodic basis.
Use Limitations
  • accessLevel: Public
  • Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives.
Dataset Citation
  • Cite as: NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science; NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center (2025). National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessment of coral reef benthic communities in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary from 2024-07-29 to 2024-08-01 (NCEI Accession 0302943). https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0302943. In NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science; NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center. National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessment of coral reef benthic communities in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.7289/v5vd6wts. Accessed [date].
Cited Authors
Principal Investigators
Contributors
Resource Providers
Points of Contact
Publishers
Acknowledgments
  • Funding Agency: NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center
  • Funding Agency: NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program
  • Funding Agency: NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science
Theme keywords NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS WMO_CategoryCode
  • oceanography
CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus
  • Numeric Data Sets > Benthic
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Reef Habitat > Description
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Ecological Dynamics > Species Richness
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Coral Diseases > Bleaching
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > ESA Listed Species
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Benthos analysis > Transect monitoring > Linear transect (point)
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Coral Colony Size and Condition
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > In Situ Biological
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Scleractinia (stony corals)
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Hard Coral Cover
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Hard Coral Cover Dead percentage
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Hard Coral Cover Live percentage
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Rugosity
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates > Macroinvertebrates
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords NCCOS Keywords
  • NCCOS Research Data Type > Field Observation
  • NCCOS Research Data Type > Long-term Monitoring
  • NCCOS Research Priority > Marine Spatial Ecology
  • NCCOS Research Topic > Ecological and Biogeographic Assessments
Data Center keywords NODC COLLECTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS Contributing Data Centers
  • US DOC; NOAA; NFMS; Southeast Fisheries Science Center (NMFS/SEFSC)
  • US DOC; NOAA; NOS; OFfice of National Marine Sanctuaries
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
Platform keywords NODC PLATFORM NAMES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Platform Keywords ICES/SeaDataNet Ship Codes
Instrument keywords NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords
Place keywords NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS CoRIS Place Thesaurus
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Texas > East Flower Garden Banks (27N093W0001)
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Texas > West Flower Garden Banks (27N093W0002)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Gulf of America > Flower Garden Banks > East Flower Garden Banks (27N093W0001)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Gulf of America > Flower Garden Banks > West Flower Garden Banks (27N093W0002)
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords NCCOS Location Keywords
  • NCCOS Research Location > Region > Gulf of America
Project keywords NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS CRCP Project
  • 743
  • National Coral Reef Monitoring Plan (NCRMP)
Provider Project Names
  • CP Project #743 National Coral Reef Monitoring Plan (NCRMP) Implementation
  • NCCOS Project #180 National Coral Reef Monitoring Program Implementation: Biological and Socioeconomic Monitoring
Keywords NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER
Keywords Send2NCEI Submission Package ID
  • 9A73JH
Use Constraints
  • Cite as: NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science; NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center (2025). National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessment of coral reef benthic communities in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary from 2024-07-29 to 2024-08-01 (NCEI Accession 0302943). https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0302943. In NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science; NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center. National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessment of coral reef benthic communities in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.7289/v5vd6wts. Accessed [date].
Data License
Access Constraints
  • Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.
Fees
  • In most cases, electronic downloads of the data are free. However, fees may apply for custom orders, data certifications, copies of analog materials, and data distribution on physical media.
Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps
  • 2025-04-16T12:18:36Z - NCEI Accession 0302943 v1.1 was published.
Output Datasets
Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps
  • Parameter or Variable: CORAL - CENSUS (measured); Units: colony; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: visual observation; Sampling and Analyzing Method: Benthic taxa enumerated using Line Point-Intercept (LPI) Survey Protocol for the U.S. Caribbean and Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (2024); Data Quality Method: Quality assurance checks for every data sheet and entry into database, as well as analytical checks for using query outputs.
  • Parameter or Variable: BENTHIC SPECIES - TAXA COUNTS (measured); Units: count; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: visual observation; Sampling and Analyzing Method: Benthic taxa enumerated using Line Point-Intercept (LPI) Survey Protocol for the U.S. Caribbean and Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (2024); Data Quality Method: Quality assurance checks for every data sheet and entry into database, as well as analytical checks for using query outputs.
  • Parameter or Variable: CORAL - SPECIES IDENTIFICATION (measured); Units: presence; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: visual observation; Sampling and Analyzing Method: Presence/absence of ESA-listed and potential ESA coral species using Line Point-Intercept (LPI) Survey Protocol for the U.S. Caribbean and Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (2024); Data Quality Method: Quality assurance checks for every data sheet and entry into database, as well as analytical checks for using query outputs.
  • Parameter or Variable: BENTHIC SPECIES (measured); Units: count; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: visual observation; Sampling and Analyzing Method: Abundance of Diadema antillarum, Panulirus argus, and Lobatus gigas species using Line Point-Intercept (LPI) Survey Protocol for the U.S. Caribbean and Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (2024); Data Quality Method: Quality assurance checks for every data sheet and entry into database, as well as analytical checks for using query outputs.
  • Parameter or Variable: CORAL (measured); Units: count; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: visual observation; Sampling and Analyzing Method: Coral colony counts, measurements and condition recorded using Coral Demographic Survey Protocol for the U.S. Caribbean and Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (2024); Data Quality Method: Quality assurance checks for every data sheet and entry into database, as well as analytical checks for using query outputs.
Acquisition Information (collection)
Instrument
  • visual observation
Platform
  • MV Fling
Last Modified: 2026-04-06T18:22:23Z
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