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    • Benthic surveys along a water quality gradient in Aua, American Samoa: benthic images collected during belt transect surveys in 2022

    Metadata Updated: October 19, 2024

    This metadata record 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.

    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 October 3, 2024
    Metadata Created Date October 19, 2024
    Metadata Updated Date October 19, 2024
    Reference Date(s) 2022-10 (creation), (publication)
    Frequency Of Update notPlanned

    Metadata Source

    Harvested from NMFS PIFSC

    Other Data Resources

    Additional Metadata

    Resource Type Dataset
    Metadata Date October 3, 2024
    Metadata Created Date October 19, 2024
    Metadata Updated Date October 19, 2024
    Reference Date(s) 2022-10 (creation), (publication)
    Responsible Party (Point of Contact, Custodian)
    Contact Email
    Guid gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:67994
    Access Constraints Cite As: Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, [Date of Access]: Benthic surveys along a water quality gradient in Aua, American Samoa: benthic images collected during belt transect surveys in 2022 [Data Date Range], https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/67994., Access Constraints: None, Use Constraints: Please cite NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) when using the data. Example Cite as: Vargas-Angel, Bernardo; Ecosystem Sciences Division; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2022). Benthic Surveys in Aua, American Samoa: benthic photoquadrat images collected during belt transect surveys 2022. [access date], 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 -170.665
    Bbox North Lat -14.2717
    Bbox South Lat -14.2881
    Bbox West Long -170.669
    Coupled Resource
    Frequency Of Update notPlanned
    Harvest Object Id fdb7eddd-3544-48c2-8dd1-cbb26106fa40
    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 Benthic photographs were collected during belt transect surveys of corals by the NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) following the same protocol to that established by the NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Plan (NCRMP). BV ADD / MENTION THE COMPLEMENTARY IMAGERY / SITES COLLECTED AND HOW THEY WERE SELECTED
    Metadata Language eng
    Metadata Type geospatial
    Old Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[-170.669, -14.2881], [-170.665, -14.2881], [-170.665, -14.2717], [-170.669, -14.2717], [-170.669, -14.2881]]]}
    Progress onGoing
    Spatial Data Service Type
    Spatial Reference System
    Spatial Harvester True
    Temporal Extent Begin 2022-09-12
    Temporal Extent End 2022-09-22

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