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Benthic cover data collected at High Priority Reef Areas by the Guam Long-term Coral Reef Monitoring Program from 2010-08-04 to 2022-10-27 (NCEI Accession 0285768)

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The data in this package include benthic cover data collected at High Priority Reef Areas by the Guam Long-term Coral Reef Monitoring Program (GLTMP). These data were generated through the analysis of images obtained by benthic photo transect surveys at numerous sampling stations (= one transect) within the boundaries of each HPRA. Benthic cover estimates were initially derived from photo transect images using Coral Point Count with Excel extensions (CPCe; Kohler and Gill 2006) point sampling software, but the web-based image analysis platform CoralNet (Beijborn et al. 2012, Beijborn 2015) was used beginning with the 2019 images.

These data were collected using a split-panel sampling approach, whereby a mix of permanent and non-permanent sampling stations (one sampling station = one transect) are visited within each HPRA. The HPRAs were selected by an advisory body comprised of reef managers, researchers, and technicians. The sites were not selected randomly from around the island and thus should not be considered representative of reef condition at the island-scale. While the general location of the HPRAs were selected based on management priority, the site boundaries were delineated using bathymetry and benthic habitat data within ArcGIS; the locations of the sampling stations were generated randomly within each site’s boundaries using ArcGIS.

The benthic photo transect surveys, as well as reef fish SPC, macroinvertebrate belt transect, and rugosity surveys are carried out on an annual basis along the seaward slope between 7 and 15 m depth in the Tumon Bay Marine Preserve and in East Agana Bay, while surveys are carried out biennially within the Piti Bomb Holes Marine Preserve, the Achang Reef Flat Marine Preserve, the eastern side of the Cocos Barrier Reef (Cocos-East), and Fouha Bay. Surveys were also carried at along reef margin (1-2 m) and slope (2-15 m) of Western Shoals, in Apra Harbor, in 2011. The GLTMP has conducted surveys at the Tumon and East Agana HPRAs since 2010 and the Piti HPRA since 2012. Data collection for the Achang and Cocos-East HPRAs began in 2014 and at the Fouha Bay HPRA in 2015. Baseline data is available for the Western Shoals HPRA from 2011 but this site has not been re-visited since its establishment due to shifting management priorities.
  • Cite as: Burdick, David R. (2023). Benthic cover data collected at High Priority Reef Areas by the Guam Long-term Coral Reef Monitoring Program from 2010-08-04 to 2022-10-27 (NCEI Accession 0285768). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0285768. Accessed [date].
gov.noaa.nodc:0285768
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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 2010-08-04 to 2022-10-27
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West: 144.583
East: 144.991
South: 13.21
North: 13.671
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
Associated Resources
Publication Dates
  • publication: 2023-12-09
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: 6NJRLF

Imagery collected as part of this study were not included in the archival package submission.
Purpose The stated goals of the Guam Long-term Coral Reef Monitoring Program (GLTMP) are to determine the status and trends of selected coral reef ecosystem indicators to inform resource managers' decision-making process, provide managers with early notice of abnormal conditions, provide data to better understand the dynamic nature of the island's coastal ecosystems, allow resource agencies to meet certain legal and Congressional mandates, and measure progress towards performance goals. Benthic cover data collected by the GLTMP at several High Priority Reef Areas around Guam provide documentation of the structure and condition of the benthic communities at these sites; data from multiple visits can be used in time series analyses to determine trends in key ecosystem parameters.
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: Burdick, David R. (2023). Benthic cover data collected at High Priority Reef Areas by the Guam Long-term Coral Reef Monitoring Program from 2010-08-04 to 2022-10-27 (NCEI Accession 0285768). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0285768. Accessed [date].
Cited Authors
Principal Investigators
Contributors
Resource Providers
Publishers
Acknowledgments
  • Related Funding Agency: US DOC; NOAA; NOS; Coral Reef Conservation Program (Coral Reef Conservation Program - CRCP)
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 > Microbiota > Blue-green Algae
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Microbiota > Cyanobacteria
  • 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 > Turf Algae
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Coral Diseases > Bleaching
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Benthos Analysis
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Benthos Analysis > Quadrat Monitoring > Photograph Analysis
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Benthos Analysis > Transect Monitoring
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > In Situ Biological
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Photographic Analysis
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Rapid Assessment Studies
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Mollusks > Tridacna
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Sponges
  • 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 > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Hard Coral Cover Live percentage
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Octocoral Cover
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Coral
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Coral Communities
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates > Macroinvertebrates
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Plants > Seagrass
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords Provider Keywords
  • Benthic Cover
  • Coral Reef Ecosystem
  • REA
  • Rapid Ecological Assessments
Data Center keywords NODC COLLECTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS Contributing Data Centers
  • GLTMP
  • Guam Bureau of Statistics and Plans
  • Guam Long-term Coral Reef Monitoring Program
  • NOAA Pacific Islands Regional Office
  • The Guam Coastal Management Program
  • University of Guam Marine Laboratory
Instrument keywords NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS Provider Instruments
  • CoralNet
  • digital camera
Place keywords NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS CoRIS Place Thesaurus
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Guam > Achang (13N144E0064)
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Guam > Cocos Barrier Reefs (13N144E0001)
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Guam > East Agana Bay (13N144E0063)
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Guam > Fouha Bay (13N144E0024)
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Guam > Guam (13N144E0000)
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Guam > Piti Bay (13N144E0061)
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Guam > Piti Bomb Hole (13N144E0052)
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Guam > Tumon Bay (13N144E0004)
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Guam > Western Shoal (13N144E0062)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Guam > Achang (13N144E0064)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Guam > East Agana Bay (13N144E0063)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Guam > Fouha Bay (13N144E0024)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Guam > Guam (13N144E0000)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Guam > Piti Bay (13N144E0061)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Guam > Piti Bomb Hole (13N144E0052)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Guam > Tumon Bay (13N144E0004)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Guam > Western Shoal (13N144E0062)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Guam Reefs > Cocos Barrier Reefs (13N144E0001)
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
Project keywords NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS CRCP Project
  • NA07NOS4260060
  • NA10NOS4260060
  • NA11NOS4820007
  • NA13NOS4820012
  • NA15NOS4820039
  • NA17NOS4820038
  • NA19NOS4820057
  • NA21NOS4820018
  • State and Territorial Government Cooperative Agreements
Provider Project Names
  • Comprehensive Long-term Coral Reef Monitoring at Permanent Sites on Guam
Keywords NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER
Use Constraints
  • Cite as: Burdick, David R. (2023). Benthic cover data collected at High Priority Reef Areas by the Guam Long-term Coral Reef Monitoring Program from 2010-08-04 to 2022-10-27 (NCEI Accession 0285768). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0285768. 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
  • 2023-12-09T07:45:02Z - NCEI Accession 0285768 v1.1 was published.
Output Datasets
Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps
  • Parameter or Variable: REEF AND/OR BOTTOM REGIME - PERCENT COVER (measured); Units: percent; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: digital camera; Sampling and Analyzing Method: Benthic photo transect surveys were carried out at all sampling stations within designated High Priority Reef Areas (HPRAs). The locations of all HPRA sampling stations were generated using a stratified random sampling design, occur only on hardbottom habitat, and are a combination of fixed and non-fixed transects (split panel approach). Each sampling station was located in the field using a GPS receiver. Upon reaching a given station, a small weight and line tied to a buoy is carefully lowered to the ocean floor. Starting at the weight tied to the buoy, a 30 m transect is laid out [25 m-long transects were used prior to 2017]. The transect is laid out in a clockwise direction relative to the island, following the depth contour if it is readily determined; if the area is relatively flat and a depth contour is not readily discernible the transect is laid at an angle parallel to the reef margin (which is determined prior to entering the water). The nenthic photo transect survey was carried out by capturing non-overlapping digital photos every 0.5 meters along the left side of a 30-meter transect, for a total of 30 images. Beginning in 2017, images were obtained using a 20 megapixel Sony Cybershot RX-100 digital point and shoot camera (in a Nauticam NA-RX100 housing with a red filter) mounted on a PVC monopod. Prior to 2017, several different cameras in underwater housings were mounted to PVC frame such that a 0.5 m x 0.5 m quadrat at the base of the frame is visible within each image. Percent cover was estimated from quantitative analysis of the 2010-2018 benthic images using Coral Point Count with Excel extensions (CPCe; Kohler and Gill, 2006). Initially, each frame was analyzed using 25 random points stratified with a 5 x 5 grid. After conducting a series of tests using various combinations of images and points in an effort to maximize accuracy while minimizing effort, is was determined that 16 random points stratified using a 4 x 4 grid would provide the desired accuracy and efficiency. The use of 16 points per frame began with the 2014 images. Beginning with the 2019 images, the web-based image analysis platform CoralNet was utilized in place of CPCe. Currently, 16 points are analyzed per frame, but this number will likely increase (in order to better detect less common benthic classes) once the CoralNet robot is relied upon to alleviate a majority of the annotations. The 2019-2022 images were analyzed entirely by a human observer. The benthic feature falling directly underneath each point was identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible. For those images analyzed using CPCe a "note" was added to points that fell on recently dead, diseased, or bleached corals; the notes indicated the likely cause of the mortality or the name of the disease. However, a note was only provided if the point fell directly on an area of recently dead tissue or an area of disease activity of pale/bleached tissue. The ability to separately record colony condition is not currently available in CoralNet. If a point fell precisely on the border between two benthic categories (e.g., coral-algae), the benthic category occupying the greatest area within the symbol (circle wrapping the cross-hairs) was classified. Additionally, if the two benthic categories occupied equal space within the symbol, the benthos falling on the top left quadrant within the point symbol was classified. The category Shadow was used when the point fell on an area that is dark and the nature of the benthos could not be assessed due to diminished light. The categories Tape and Frame were used when the point fell on a transect line/tape measure or photo quadrat frame. Percent cover was calculated at the sampling station level.; Data Quality Method: Data sets derived from image analysis are highly reliable within the stipulated taxonomic context. Image analysts underwent a training period during which they analyze images from numerous sampling stations in the presence of the monitoring program coordinator. The total number of images analyzed during the training period varied according to the prior experience level of the trainee. The results of the CPCe image analyses (2010-2018) and the initial fully-manual CoralNet-based analyses (2019-2022) underwent extensive quality control procedures carried out by the benthic community specialist (currently the program coordinator). However, it should be understood that some benthic features, such as turf algae, crustose coralline algae, small coral colonies and other diminutive living or non-living features may be difficult to discern from each other in the benthic photo transect images. It should also be noted that the higher image resolution achieved by the more recently-used cameras allows for greater taxonomic resolution during image analysis, and likely allows for greater accuracy in the identification of benthic features, particularly for features, such as turf algae, crustose coralline algae, and small corals, that can be difficult to discern at lower image resolutions. Comparisons of data across HPRAs or across years must take into account differences in environmental and biological aspects of each site. Comparisons for a give HPRA across time should consider any changes to the site boundaries over time and the mix of paired and unpaired sampling stations. Please refer to the Extents section of the InPort metadata record to see how the Tumon site boundaries shifted after 2010. Comparisons for a given site across time could potentially be affected by changes in the benthic photo transect survey and image analysis methodologies. These changes, which include changes in transect length, image spacing, image quality, camera frame, image analysis method, and modifications to the benthic habitat classification system, are described in detail in the InPort metadata record..
Acquisition Information (collection)
Instrument
  • photograph
Last Modified: 2024-02-21T13:44:27Z
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