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Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

Benthic Surveys in Aua, American Samoa: benthic images collected during belt transect surveys from 2022-09-12 to 2022-09-22 (NCEI Accession 0270551)

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This dataset describes the imagery collected in 2022 of Aua Reef, American Samoa by the Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) of NOAA, funded by the Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP), to study effects of land-based source pollution by establishing biological, physical, and chemical baselines.

In September 2022, NOAA scientists conducted benthic survey protocols at 18 study sites in Aua, American Samoa. The surveys implemented a one-stage stratified random sampling (StRS) design and the survey domain encompassed the majority of the mapped area of reef and hard bottom habitats in the 0 to 6 m depth range. Photoquadrat benthic images were collected along belt transect surveys of coral demography according to protocols established by NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) in 2015.

Thirty images were collected along one, haphazardly laid, 30-m transects. Still photographs were collected to record the benthic community composition at predetermined points along belt transect with a high-resolution digital camera mounted on a pole. Photographs were taken every 1 m from the 1 m to the 30 m mark. This work generates 30 photographs per site, which are later analyzed by ESD staff and partners using the computer program CoralNet. This analysis is the basis for estimating benthic cover and composition at each site, which is documented and archived separately.

The StRS design effectively reduces estimate variance through stratification using environmental covariates and by sampling more sites rather than more transects per site. Therefore, site-to-site comparisons should proceed with caution.
  • Cite as: Ecosystem Sciences Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2023). Benthic Surveys in Aua, American Samoa: benthic images collected during belt transect surveys from 2022-09-12 to 2022-09-22 (NCEI Accession 0270551). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0270551. 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 2022-09-12 to 2022-09-22
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West: -170.669
East: -170.665
South: -14.2881
North: -14.2717
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
Associated Resources
  • Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, 2023: Benthic Surveys in Aua, American Samoa: benthic images collected during belt transect surveys in 2022, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/67994.
    • https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/67994
      Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, 2023: Benthic Surveys in Aua, American Samoa: benthic images collected during belt transect surveys in 2022, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/67994.
  • Winston, M., Couch, C., Huntington, B., & Vargas-Ángel, B. (2020). Ecosystem Sciences Division Standard Operating Procedures: Data Collection for Rapid Ecological Assessment Benthic Surveys: 2019 update. National Marine Fisheries Service, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center. https://doi.org/10.25923/ws5s-km69
  • 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). NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0275987.
Publication Dates
  • publication: 2023-01-30
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 This imagery is analyzed to produce benthic cover estimates which are archived and documented separately. This baseline assessment for land-based sources of pollution on Aua reef is part of a larger Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) funded project ID 31303: "Linking watershed management activities to reef health in American Samoa", and builds upon prior baseline and status and trends assessments conducted in 2012, 2015, and 2020 in Faga'alu Bay (U.S. Task Force watershed priority site) and Vatia (Territorial priority watershed) to address National and Jurisdictional goals to reduce land-based sources of pollution impacts in coral reef ecosystems. Data was generated from benthic surveys of Aua reef to establish a comprehensive biological baseline, for land-based sources of pollution impacts on benthic composition and coral demographics. 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. Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) profiles as well as water samples were also collected as part of this baseline assessment for the analysis of particulate and dissolved nutrients, total suspended solids, chlorophyll-a, and seawater pH and Alkalinity. These data are documented and archived separately.
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 (2023). Benthic Surveys in Aua, American Samoa: benthic images collected during belt transect surveys from 2022-09-12 to 2022-09-22 (NCEI Accession 0270551). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0270551. Accessed [date].
Cited Authors
Principal Investigators
Contributors
Resource Providers
Points of Contact
Publishers
Acknowledgments
  • 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
  • Visual Images > Habitats
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus
  • 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 > In Situ Biological
  • 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 > Marine Biology > Coral
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Coral Communities
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords Provider Keywords
  • PHOTOQUADRAT IMAGES (Measured)
Data Center keywords NODC COLLECTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS Contributing Organizations
  • Archipelagic Research Program
  • CRED
  • CREP
  • Coral Reef Ecosystem Division
  • Coral Reef Ecosystem 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 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords
Place keywords NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS CoRIS Place Thesaurus
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > Tutuila Island > Aua (14S170W0010)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Pago Pago Harbor > Aua (14S170W0010)
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords Provider Place Names
  • Central Pacific Ocean
Project keywords NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS CRCP Project
  • 31303
  • Linking watershed management actions to reef health in American Samoa
Provider Project Names
  • Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP)
Keywords NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER
Keywords Send2NCEI Submission Package ID
  • N8TM6A
Use Constraints
  • Cite as: Ecosystem Sciences Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2023). Benthic Surveys in Aua, American Samoa: benthic images collected during belt transect surveys from 2022-09-12 to 2022-09-22 (NCEI Accession 0270551). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0270551. 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.
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  • 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
  • 2023-01-30T13:56:24Z - NCEI Accession 0270551 v1.1 was published.
Output Datasets
Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps
  • Parameter or Variable: PHOTOQUADRAT IMAGES (measured); Units: N/A; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: camera; Sampling and Analyzing Method: Photoquadrat surveys were conducted along one, 30 meter transect per site. Photos of the benthic substrate were taken at one meter intervals starting at meter 1, along the left hand side of the transect (30 images/transect; 30 images total); Data Quality Method: Benthic Image collection was conducted by experienced benthic survey personnel who have been trained. Handheld GPS units were used to mark site locations. An optical validation QC procedure is employed to verify number of images, per site and file name. Image color correction is also implemented to improve image quality..
Acquisition Information (collection)
Instrument
  • camera
Platform
  • CHARTERED VESSEL
Last Modified: 2024-09-17T19:23:27Z
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