Skip to main content
Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

Benthic Surveys in Aua, American Samoa: benthic cover derived from analysis of benthic images collected during belt transect surveys of coral demography from 2022-09-12 to 2022-09-22 (NCEI Accession 0275987)

browse graphicPreview graphic
This data package includes benthic cover data of Aua Reef, American Samoa, produced from the analysis of benthic imagery performed by the Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) of the Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), and funded by the Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP). Benthic imagery was collected at 18 randomly-selected sites during coral demographic surveys by the NOAA ESD during the 2022 fly-in mission to American Samoa (MP2206). After processing and sorting site photos, imagery was qualitatively analyzed using the web-based CoralNet image annotation tool. CoralNet projects random points on each image, and the benthic elements falling directly underneath each point are identified by trained scientists. The source imagery analyzed to produce benthic cover estimates are archived separately with the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) in NCEI Accession 0270551.
  • Cite as: Ecosystem Sciences Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2022). Benthic Surveys in Aua, American Samoa: benthic cover derived from analysis of benthic images collected during belt transect surveys of coral demography from 2022-09-12 to 2022-09-22 (NCEI Accession 0275987). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0275987. Accessed [date].
gov.noaa.nodc:0275987
Full Text · XML
Download Data
  • HTTPS (download)
    Navigate directly to the URL for data access and direct download.
  • FTP (download)
    These data are available through the File Transfer Protocol (FTP). FTP is no longer supported by most internet browsers. You may copy and paste the FTP link to the data into an FTP client (e.g., FileZilla or WinSCP).
Distribution Formats
  • CSV
Ordering Instructions Contact NCEI for other distribution options and instructions.
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 2022-09-12 to 2022-09-22
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West: -170.669158
East: -170.66486
South: -14.288051
North: -14.271722
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
Associated Resources
  • Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, 2022: Benthic Surveys in Aua, American Samoa: benthic cover derived from analysis of benthic images collected in 2022, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/67996.
  • Lozada-Misa, Paula; Schumacher, Brett; Vargas-Ángel, Bernardo. Analysis of benthic survey images via CoralNet: a summary of standard operating procedures and guidelines. Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center administrative report H; 17-02. 2017. https://doi.org/10.7289/v5/ar-pifsc-h-17-02
  • Ecosystem Sciences Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2023). Benthic Surveys in Aua, American Samoa: benthic images collected during belt transect surveys from 09-12-2022 to 09-22-2022 (NCEI Accession 0270551). NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0270551.
Publication Dates
  • publication: 2022-12-14
  • revision: 2023-02-10
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
Supplemental Information
Submission Package ID: C5AUM3

In this accession, NCEI has archived multiple versions of these data. The latest (and best) version of these data has the largest version number.
Purpose Data from benthic surveys of Aua Reef establishes a comprehensive biological baseline for land-based sources of pollution impacts on benthic composition and coral demography. These efforts feed into the higher-level CRCP objectives by establishing an in-situ tracking system to assess the effects of management and mitigation strategies and activities in the target watersheds to reduce land-based sources of pollution impacts on coral reefs.
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: Ecosystem Sciences Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2022). Benthic Surveys in Aua, American Samoa: benthic cover derived from analysis of benthic images collected during belt transect surveys of coral demography from 2022-09-12 to 2022-09-22 (NCEI Accession 0275987). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0275987. Accessed [date].
Cited Authors
Principal Investigators
Contributors
Resource Providers
Points of Contact
Publishers
Acknowledgments
  • Related Funding Agency: US DOC; NOAA; NMFS; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center
  • Related Funding Agency: US DOC; NOAA; NOS; Coral Reef Conservation Program
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 > Benthic Habitat
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Reef Habitat
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Algal Cover
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Crustose Coralline Algae
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Encrusting Macroalgae
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Fleshy Macroalgae
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Turf Algae
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Baseline studies
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Benthos Analysis
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Benthos Analysis > Transect Monitoring
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Benthos Analysis > Transect Monitoring > Belt Transect
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Photographic Analysis
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Benthic biology
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Coral Cover
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Hard Coral Cover
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Coral
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Coral Communities
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords Provider Keywords
  • LBSP
  • land-based source pollution
Data Center keywords NODC COLLECTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS Contributing Data Centers
  • Archipelagic Research Program
  • ESD
  • Ecosystem Sciences Division
  • PIFSC
  • Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
Platform keywords NODC PLATFORM NAMES THESAURUS
Instrument keywords NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS Provider Instruments
  • CoralNet
Place keywords NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS CoRIS Place Thesaurus
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > American Samoa (14S170W0000)
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > Tutuila Island > Aua (14S170W0010)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > American Samoa > American Samoa (14S170W0000)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Pago Pago Harbor > Aua (14S170W0010)
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
Project keywords NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS CRCP Project
  • 31303
  • Linking watershed management actions to reef health in American Samoa
Keywords NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER
Use Constraints
  • Cite as: Ecosystem Sciences Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2022). Benthic Surveys in Aua, American Samoa: benthic cover derived from analysis of benthic images collected during belt transect surveys of coral demography from 2022-09-12 to 2022-09-22 (NCEI Accession 0275987). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0275987. Accessed [date].
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
  • 2022-12-14T16:58:27Z - NCEI Accession 0275987 v1.1 was published.
  • 2023-02-10T14:31:01Z - NCEI Accession 0275987 was revised and v2.2 was published.
    Rationale: Updates were received for this dataset. These updates were copied into the data/0-data/ directory of this accession. These updates may provide additional files or replace obsolete files. This version contains the most complete and up-to-date representation of this archival information package. All of the files received prior to this update are available in the preceding version of this accession.
Output Datasets
Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps
  • Parameter or Variable: BENTHIC COMMUNITIES (calculated); Units: unitless; Observation Category: visual estimate; Sampling Instrument: photograph; Sampling and Analyzing Method: Benthic habitat images collected during photoquadrat surveys are quantitatively analyzed visually with the assistance of a web-based, machine-learning, image annotation tool, CoralNet. The robot tool annotates ten random points on each image for a total of 300 points per site, which are then reviewed by human analysts. The human annotations are then used to train the robot. This data is the final form of the robot-assisted human annotations. Taxa identification occurs at three functional group levels of benthic cover. Tier 1 (e.g., hard coral, soft coral, macroalgae, turf algae, etc.), Tier 2 (e.g., Hard Coral = massive, branching, foliose, encrusting, etc.; Macroalgae = upright macroalgae, encrusting macroalgae, bluegreen macroalgae, and Halimeda, etc.), and Tier 3 (e.g., Hard Coral = Astreopora sp, Favia sp, Pocillopora, etc.; Macroalgae = Caulerpa sp, Dictyosphaeria sp, Padina sp, etc.); Data Quality Method: ACCURACY: 1) Each analyst is required to complete training and a calibration exercise prior to image analysis (classification/annotation), and follows the Benthic Image Analysis Standard Operating Procedure (Lozada-Misa et al. 2017). For a calibration exercise, a subset of photos (~100-150) are selected from the production series and CoralNet assigns 10 random fixed points per photo. Each analyst classifies the same set of points for each of the photos used in the calibration exercise. The goal of the calibration exercise is to assess inter-observer variability. 2) Handheld GPS units were used to locate random sites and mark site locations. COMPLETENESS REPORT: The data set derived from the image analysis is as good as the images themselves; poor images with low contrast, inappropriate white balance, or out of focus may have to be discarded. Therefore, benthic estimates for some sites may derive from differing numbers of points between sites. Although the analysis process is statistically robust to allow for differing n (points) between sites, users should be aware of this limitation..
Acquisition Information (collection)
Instrument
  • photograph
Platform
  • CHARTERED VESSEL
Last Modified: 2024-02-21T13:44:27Z
For questions about the information on this page, please email: ncei.info@noaa.gov