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    • Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program: Water Chemistry of the Coral Reefs across the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands from Water Samples collected from 2012 to 2014

    Metadata Updated: March 16, 2024

    Water samples are collected and analyzed to assess spatial and temporal variation in the seawater carbonate systems of coral reef ecosystems in the Hawaiian and Mariana Archipelagos, American Samoa, and the Pacific Remote Island Areas as part of the NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP).

    Laboratory experiments reveal calcification rates of crustose coralline algae (CCA) are strongly correlated to seawater aragonite saturation state. Predictions of reduced coral calcification rates, due to ocean acidification, suggest that coral reef communities will undergo ecological phase shifts as calcifying organisms are negatively impacted by changing seawater chemistry.

    The data described here are from water samples collected at existing, long-term monitoring sites during NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) led NCRMP missions around the American Samoa and the Pacific Remote Island Areas in 2012, the Hawaiian Archipelago in 2013, and Wake Island and the Mariana Archipelago in 2014. Two water samples are typically collected from each site—one at the reef and one at the surface directly above the reef—and a third sample may also be collected approximately 1 km offshore from the site. The samples are processed by ESD and sent to NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) to be analyzed for total alkalinity (TA) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). From these constituents, alongside temperature, salinity, and depth data, other constituents of the seawater carbonate system can be calculated. These monitoring data provide a baseline for tracking reef carbonate system changes due to globally increasing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

    Access & Use Information

    License: No license information was provided. If this work was prepared by an officer or employee of the United States government as part of that person's official duties it is considered a U.S. Government Work.

    Downloads & Resources

    Dates

    Metadata Date February 29, 2024
    Metadata Created Date November 12, 2020
    Metadata Updated Date March 16, 2024
    Reference Date(s) 2016 (publication)
    Frequency Of Update asNeeded

    Metadata Source

    Harvested from NMFS PIFSC

    Other Data Resources

    Graphic Preview

    Example of a SCUBA diver collecting a water sample underwater using a Niskin Bottle. Source: Galapagos Science Center, El-Nino Research Cruise News Blog, https://galapagosscience.wordpress.com/.

    Additional Metadata

    Resource Type Dataset
    Metadata Date February 29, 2024
    Metadata Created Date November 12, 2020
    Metadata Updated Date March 16, 2024
    Reference Date(s) 2016 (publication)
    Responsible Party (Point of Contact, Custodian)
    Contact Email
    Guid gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:25253
    Access Constraints Cite As: Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, [Date of Access]: Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program: Water Chemistry of the Coral Reefs across the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands from Water Samples collected from 2012 to 2014 [Data Date Range], https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/25253., Access Constraints: None, Use Constraints: Please cite PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) when using the data. Suggested Citation: Ecosystem Sciences Division; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2016). Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program: Water Chemistry of the Coral Reefs across the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands from Water Samples collected from 2012 to 2014. NOAA's National Center for Environmental Information, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/25253., Distribution Liability: While every effort has been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the limits of the current state of the art, NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by errors or omissions in the data, nor as a result of the failure of the data to function on a particular system. NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty.
    Bbox East Long 145.832969
    Bbox North Lat 20.54501178
    Bbox South Lat 13.23108553
    Bbox West Long 144.6259204
    Coupled Resource
    Frequency Of Update asNeeded
    Graphic Preview Description Example of a SCUBA diver collecting a water sample underwater using a Niskin Bottle. Source: Galapagos Science Center, El-Nino Research Cruise News Blog, https://galapagosscience.wordpress.com/.
    Graphic Preview File https://galapagosscience.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/chuki_niskin.jpg
    Graphic Preview Type JPG
    Harvest Object Id 37ad57cb-92d7-49ca-a2a6-35ce976fca43
    Harvest Source Id c0beac72-5f43-4455-8c33-1b345fbc2dfe
    Harvest Source Title NMFS PIFSC
    Licence NOAA provides no warranty, nor accepts any liability occurring from any incomplete, incorrect, or misleading data, or from any incorrect, incomplete, or misleading use of the data. It is the responsibility of the user to determine whether or not the data is suitable for the intended purpose.
    Lineage PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) assembles carbonate chemistry information from discrete seawater samples analyzed for two parameters: 1) Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (DIC), which in some literature is defined as Total Carbon (CT), and 2) Total Alkalinity (TA or AT). The carbonate system is influenced by seawater salinity, temperature, pressure, and the dissolved nutrients silicate (SiO44-) and phosphate (PO43-). All carbonate system collection and measurement methodologies follow the protocols accepted by the greater scientific community and outlined in Dickson et al. (2007)
    Metadata Language eng
    Metadata Type geospatial
    Old Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[144.6259204, 13.23108553], [145.832969, 13.23108553], [145.832969, 20.54501178], [144.6259204, 20.54501178], [144.6259204, 13.23108553]]]}
    Progress superseded
    Spatial Data Service Type
    Spatial Reference System
    Spatial Harvester True
    Temporal Extent Begin 2014-03-24
    Temporal Extent End 2014-05-05

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