Identification_Information:  
  Citation:
    Citation_Information:
      Originator: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA)/National Ocean Service (NOS)/National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)/Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (CCMA)/Biogeography Branch
      Publication_Date: 200610
      Title: Biogeographic Characterization of Benthic Composition within the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (2006 - 2007)
      Publication_Information:
        Publication_Place: Silver Spring, MD
        Publisher: NOAA's Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)
      Online_Linkage: http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/ecosystems/sanctuaries/fgb_nms.html
  Description:
    Abstract:
      The overarching goal of this collaboration was to provide the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) staff with information on biogeographic patterns within the Sanctuary.  This specific project focused on the development of a plan to spatially and quantitatively characterize the fish communities in relatively shallow waters throughout the Sanctuary (<110 ft).  This collaboration also included the initial implementation of that plan. 
       The FGBNMS represents the northernmost tropical western Atlantic coral reef on the continental shelf and support the most highly developed offshore hard bank community in the region. The complexity of habitats supports a diverse assemblage of organisms including approximately 250 species of fish, 23 species of coral, and 80 species of algae in addition to large sponge communities. Understanding and monitoring these resources is critical to both sanctuary inventory and management activities.
   Monitoring of the biological communities has taken place at FGBNMS since the 1970s. This work has focused primarily on monitoring the benthos with video transects and photostations documenting transitions between coral, algae and sponge communities over time. Until relatively recently, little has been done to monitor or characterize the reef fish community. In 1994 the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) began surveys of the Sanctuary and utilized a combination of REEF personnel, volunteers, and Sanctuary staff to visually census reef fish populations via roving diver surveys. These surveys have been invaluable in terms of species list development and understanding the ranges of these species. Subsequently, a stationary point-count survey technique was utilized to begin to quantify community metrics such as species abundance and trophic structure at selected locations. These data provide an important starting point for characterizing the fish community; however, they are limited in scope of inference to small portions of the Sanctuary coral cap environment and are therefore difficult to utilize in developing population estimates at the scale of the Sanctuary.
    Purpose: 1) To design a sampling strategy that will quantify in a spatially robust manner the status of the benthic fish community associated with the diveable portion of the coral cap regions (<110 ft) within the Sanctuary; 2) To carry out the initial implementation of this sampling strategy; 3) To develop a GIS based tool that will assist with the implementation of both strategies including site selection; 4)To relate the data collected describing the fish communities to data concurrently collected on associated benthic composition; and 5) To analyze the information gathered to help guide sanctuary resource management decisions.
    Supplemental_Information: This work is being conducted in collaboration with the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.
  Time_Period_of_Content:
    Time_Period_Information:
      Range_of_Dates/Times:
        Beginning_Date: 200609
        Ending_Date: 200709
    Currentness_Reference: Ground Condition
  Status:
    Progress: Completed
    Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: as needed
  Spatial_Domain:
    Bounding_Coordinates:
      West_Bounding_Coordinate: -93.82
      East_Bounding_Coordinate: -93.59
      North_Bounding_Coordinate: 27.92
      South_Bounding_Coordinate: 27.87
 Keywords: 
    Theme: 
      Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus
      Theme_Keyword: Numeric Data Sets > Biology
    Theme: 
      Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Theme Thesaurus
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Baseline studies
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Benthos analysis
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Benthos analysis > Transect monitoring
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Benthos analysis > Transect monitoring > Belt transect
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Benthos analysis > Quadrat monitoring
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Benthos analysis > Quadrat monitoring > In situ
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Rapid assessment studies
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Monitoring and assessment
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > In situ biological
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates > Census > Population density
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates > Macroinvertebrates
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Algal cover
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Calcareous macroalgae
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Coralline algae
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Crustose coralline algae
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Encrusting macroalgae
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Fleshy macroalgae
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Turf algae
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology > Biodiversity
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology > Coral cover
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology > Hard coral cover
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology > Hard coral cover Live percentage
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology > Hard coral cover Dead percentage
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology > Octocoral cover
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology > Rugosity
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology > Biodiversity
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology > Habitats
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Coral Diseases
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Reef Habitat > Description
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Benthic Habitat
      Theme_Keyword: EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Coral Diseases > Bleaching
    Theme: 
      Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115:2003 MD_TopicCategoryCode
      Theme_Keyword: biota
      Theme_Keyword: 002
      Theme_Keyword: environment
      Theme_Keyword: 007
      Theme_Keyword: oceans
      Theme_Keyword: 014
   Place:
      Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Place Thesaurus
      Place_Keyword: OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Gulf of Mexico > Flower Garden Banks > East Flower Garden Banks (27N093W0001)
      Place_Keyword: COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Texas > East Flower Garden Banks (27N093W0001)
      Place_Keyword: OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Gulf of Mexico > Flower Garden Banks > West Flower Garden Banks (27N093W0002)
      Place_Keyword: COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Texas > West Flower Garden Banks (27N093W0002)
  Access_Constraints: None
Use_Constraints:
    Please reference NOAA/NCCOS/CCMA/Biogeography Branch when utilizing these data in a report or peer reviewed publication.  Additionally, knowledge of how this dataset has been of use and which organizations are utilizing it is of great benefit for ensuring this information continues to meet the needs of the management and research communities. Therefore, it is requested but not mandatory, that any user of these data supply this information to the Program Manager: Chris Caldow (email: chris.caldow@noaa.gov).
  Point_of_Contact:
    Contact_Information:
      Contact_Organization_Primary:
        Contact_Organization: NOAA/NCCOS/CCMA/Biogeography Branch
      Contact_Position: Caribbean Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring Project Manager
      Contact_Address:
        Address_Type: Mailing and Physical Address
        Address: 1305 East-West Hwy. (SSMC4, N/SCI-1)
        City: Silver Spring
        State_or_Province: MD
        Postal_Code: 20910
        Country: USA
      Contact_Voice_Telephone: 301-713-3028
      Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: chris.caldow@noaa.gov
      Hours_of_Service: 9:00 - 5:00
  Data_Set_Credit: This is a cooperative effort between NOAA/NCCOS/CCMA Biogeography Branch and NOAA's National Marine Sanctuaries Program
Data_Quality_Information:
  Logical_Consistency_Report: Not applicable
  Completeness_Report: These data consists of percent cover, abundance, size, and composition of benthic communities across all diveable portions of the coral caps within the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS).  For 2006, sites were randomly selected within strata (East and West Bank and flat and steep slope). For 2007, sites were randomly selected within strata (East and West Bank, low and high relief coral and depth).
  Lineage:
    Process_Step:
      Process_Description:

	A stratified random sampling design was employed to sample fish on the coral cap communities of the East and West Flower Garden Banks.  The survey domain at each coral cap was designated as all areas shallower than 110 feet below sea level.  Fine-scale (0.5 m) bathymetric data provided by the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary was used to ascertain depths and slope.  In 2006, the survey domain was partitioned into flat/gentle sloping (0-30 degrees) and steep sloping (>30 degrees) area and into East and West Banks. A continuous surface of slope estimates was produced for each Bank using a nearest neighbor filter on an aggregated resolution (5m X 5m) bathymetric grid derived from the original bathymetric dataset in ArcGIS (ESRI, 2006). The combination of two slope and two location groupings resulted in four strata.  Survey sites were then randomly positioned in each stratum in ArcGIS (ESRI, 2006).  Data were collected using 100m2 transects.  Transects radiated from each point at a random bearing. In 2007, a sample frame consisting of mutually-exclusive 50m X 50m grid cells was produced and overlaid on each coral cap to exhaustively cover all diveable areas (i.e <110ft).  Each grid cell was considered a sample unit and units were divided into six strata.  Strata were defined using benthic habitat, location and depth. High (dominated by plate and head corals) and low relief (dominated by Madracis and rubble) coral categories were determined using a benthic habitat map generated by visual interpretation of multibeam data. Units were divided into deep (>105 ft) and shallow (<105ft) groups based on the location of sampling unit centroids on multibeam bathymetric models. Location and high relief coral categories were divided by depth, low relief coral was not. Data were collected within 100m2 transects.  Transects radiated from the centroid of each sample unit at a random bearing.  
	Once in the field, the boat captain navigated to previously selected sites using a handheld GPS unit.  On-site, divers were deployed and maintained contact with each other throughout the entire census.  One diver was responsible for collecting data on benthic composition.  This diver followed the belt-transect diver and recorded data on small-scale benthic habitat composition and structure within a 1m2 quadrat divided into 100 (10 x 10cm) squares at 4 separate positions along the transect.  Each position was randomly chosen before entering the water such that there was one random point within every 6m interval along the transect.  Percent cover was obtained as if looking at the quadrat in a two dimensional plane (i.e. a photograph) vs. three dimensions where percent cover could add up to greater than 100%.  To estimate percent cover, the diver first positioned the quadrat at the chosen meter mark along a randomly chosen side of the transect tape. The remaining quadrats were placed on alternating sides of the transect at the last three locations. 

	Data were collected on the following:

	1) Logistic information - diver name, dive buddy, date, time of survey, site code, and meter numbers at which the quadrat is placed.

	2) Habitat structure - In 2006, to characterize the benthic habitats of the dive site, the habitat diver first categorizes the habitat structure of the site (head corals, plate corals or Madracis-dominated).  The habitat category to which a site is assigned should be made independently of the map so that in-situ data can be used for map validation.  In 2007, to characterize the benthic habitats of the dive site, the habitat diver identified the percentage of high- and low relief coral structure within a 25m radius circle of the centroid of the sampling unit.

	3) Transect depth profile - the depth at each quadrat position. Depth is measured with a digital depth gauge to the nearest 1ft.

	4) Abiotic footprint - defined as the percent cover (to the nearest 1%) of sand, rubble, hard bottom, fine sediments, and other non-living bottom types within a 1m2 quadrat. Rubble refers to rocks and coral fragments that are moveable; immovable rocks are considered hard bottom.  The percent cover given as a part of the abiotic footprint should total 100%.  In a hard coral area for example, despite the fact that living hard corals may provide 50% cover the underlying substrate is 100% hard substrate so this is what is recorded.  The diver then estimates the height (in centimeters) of the hardbottom within each quadrat from the substrate to get a sense of bottom relief.  

	5) Biotic footprint - defined as the percent cover (to the nearest 0.1%) of macroalgae, live corals, sponges, gorgonians, and other biota (tunicates, anemones, zooanthids and hydroids) within a 1m2 quadrat. The remaining cover is recorded as bare substrate to bring the total to 100%.  Again, the diver must use a planar view to estimate percent cover of the biota.  Species covering less than 0.1% of the area are not recorded.  Taxa are identified to the following levels: stony coral-species, algae-morphological group (macro, turf, crustose), sponge-morphological group, and gorgonians-morphological group.  For stony corals, the approximate area covered by living coral tissue is recorded. Coral skeleton (without living tissue) is usually categorized as turf algae or uncolonized substrate. Data on the condition of coral colonies are also recorded.  When coral is noticeably bleached, the entire colony is considered affected and is recorded to the nearest 0.1%.  Diseased/dead coral refers to coral skeleton that has recently lost living tissue because of disease or damage, and has not yet been colonized by turf algae. Turf algae include a mix of short (less than 1cm high) algae that colonize dead coral substrate.

	6) Maximum canopy height - for each soft biota type (e.g., gorgonians, sponges-except encrusting form, algae), maximum height is recorded to the nearest 1cm.

	7) Abundance of queen conchs (Strombus gigas) - conch encountered within the 25m x 4m belt transect are enumerated.

	8) Abundance of spiny lobsters (Panulirus argus) - a count of the total number of lobsters encountered within the 25m x 4m belt transect. 

	9) Abundance of long-spined urchin (Diadema antillarium) - a count of the total number of urchins encountered within the 25m x 4m belt transect.  

	10) Photos  2 photos are taken in opposite directions at each location to document the surrounding habitat.  Additional photos may be taken to document disease, bleaching or other events of note.

	11) Marine debris  type of marine debris within the transect is noted.  The size of the marine debris and area of habitat that it is affecting is also recorded along with a note identifying any flora or fauna that has colonized it.

	Data caveats: The mission in 2007 was aborted early due to Hurricane Humberto (September 2007).  No sites were surveyed on the West Bank and only a subset of the sample of random sites selected on the East Bank were surveyed.  Randomly selected sites on the East Bank were not sampled randomly.  These data should not be aggregated to make synoptic population or community estimates for the East Bank.

      Process_Date: 200709
Spatial_Reference_Information:
  Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:
    Geographic:
      Latitude_Resolution: 0.00001
      Longitude_Resolution: 0.00001
      Geographic_Coordinate_Units: Decimal Degrees
Entity_and_Attribute_Information:
  Overview_Description:
    Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
      We supply percent cover, abundance, size, and composition of benthic communities across all diveable portions of the coral caps within the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS).  In addition, we provide photographs of many of the taxa.  For specific information please see the data dictionary available on the database website.
    Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation: NOAA/NCCOS/CCMA/Biogeography Branch
Distribution_Information:
  Distributor:
    Contact_Information:
      Contact_Organization_Primary:
        Contact_Organization: NOAA/NCCOS/CCMA/Biogeography Branch
      Contact_Position: Caribbean Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring Database Manager
      Contact_Address:
        Address_Type: Mailing and Physical Address
        Address: 1305 East-West Hwy. (SSMC4, N/SCI-1)
        City: Silver Spring
        State_or_Province: MD
        Postal_Code: 20910
        Country: USA
      Contact_Voice_Telephone: 301-713-3028
      Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: tom.mcgrath@noaa.gov
      Hours_of_Service: 9:00 - 5:00
  Resource_Description: Downloadable data
  Distribution_Liability:
    These data were prepared by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, make any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference therein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. Any views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. Although all data have been used by NOAA, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by NOAA as to the accuracy of the data and/or related materials. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by NOAA in the use of these data or related materials.
    NOAA makes no warranty regarding these data, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA can not assume liability for and 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.
  Standard_Order_Process:
    Digital_Form:
      Digital_Transfer_Information:
        Format_Name: tab delimited text file
      Digital_Transfer_Option:
        Online_Option:
          Computer_Contact_Information:
            Network_Address:
              Network_Resource_Name: http://www8.nos.noaa.gov/biogeo_public/query_habitat.aspx
    Fees: None
    Ordering_Instructions:
Metadata_Reference_Information:
  Metadata_Date: 20060714
  Metadata_Contact:
    Contact_Information:
      Contact_Organization_Primary:
        Contact_Organization: NOAA/NCCOS/CCMA/Biogeography Branch
      Contact_Position: Caribbean Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring Project Manager
      Contact_Address:
        Address_Type: Mailing and Physical Address
        Address: 1305 East-West Hwy. (SSMC4, N/SCI-1)
        City: Silver Spring
        State_or_Province: MD
        Postal_Code: 20910
        Country: USA
      Contact_Voice_Telephone: 301-713-3028
      Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: chris.caldow@noaa.gov
      Hours_of_Service: 9:00 - 5:00
  Metadata_Standard_Name: Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
  Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998

