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    • Coral Bleaching & Recovery Observations using Structure-from-Motion (SfM) Models from Main Hawaiian Islands Fixed Sites Surveyed from 2019 to 2021

    Metadata Updated: September 20, 2025

    Coral adult demographic data described in this dataset are derived from the GIS analysis of benthic photomosaic imagery. This data includes coral species identification, bleaching extent and severity, colony diameter, perimeter, and planar size. The source imagery was collected using a Structure from Motion (SfM) approach during in-water surveys conducted by divers and is documented and described separately. The data was collected by the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD; formerly the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division) and [on Hawaii Island] in partnership with State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) during the 2019 bleaching event in the Main Hawaiian Islands, and in subsequent years (2020, 2021) to assess recovery. The SfM surveys were conducted at fixed sites ranging in depth from 18-52'. Sites were photographed using underwater cameras for later processing using one of two SfM approaches: using a spiral swim pattern (where divers take images continuously in a circular pattern covering a circle of 12m diameter), or within a defined box where divers swam back and forth to cover a 10 x 10m area. The photographs were processed using Agisoft Metashape software to generate orthomosaic images that were analyzed in ArcGIS for adult coral colony demographic metrics. Data was collected for each site within at least 10 randomly generated 0.49m2 quadrats. Additional quadrats were analyzed if necessary until the sample sizes per species of interest were met. If a species had very low density at a given site (= 5cm in diameter), maximum diameter, ID (to lowest taxonomic level), morphology, bleaching extent (% of the patch with reduced pigmentation), and bleaching severity (1-3 from least to most severe) were recorded. In 2023 the methodology was updated for the second stage of data collection; the updated dataset includes measures of planar area and a "genet" (colony) identification column. The 2023 dataset was also collected following an update to the model process methodology (see Lineage). Users should refer to the most updated dataset published in 2023.

    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 September 9, 2025
    Metadata Created Date October 19, 2024
    Metadata Updated Date September 20, 2025
    Reference Date(s) 2021-11 (creation), September 14, 2023 (revision), 2023 (publication)
    Frequency Of Update asNeeded

    Metadata Source

    Harvested from NMFS PIFSC

    Other Data Resources

    Additional Metadata

    Resource Type Dataset
    Metadata Date September 9, 2025
    Metadata Created Date October 19, 2024
    Metadata Updated Date September 20, 2025
    Reference Date(s) 2021-11 (creation), September 14, 2023 (revision), 2023 (publication)
    Responsible Party (Point of Contact, Custodian)
    Contact Email
    Guid gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:65764
    Access Constraints Cite As: Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, [Date of Access]: Coral Bleaching & Recovery Observations using Structure-from-Motion (SfM) Models from Main Hawaiian Islands Fixed Sites Surveyed from 2019 to 2021 [Data Date Range], https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/65764., Access Constraints: None, Use Constraints: Please cite NOAA Fisheries, Ecosystem Science Division (ESD) when using the data. Example: Ecosystem Science Division; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, 2023: Coral Bleaching & Recovery Observations using Structure-from-Motion (SfM) Models from Main Hawaiian Islands Fixed Sites Surveyed from 2019 to 2021, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/65764., 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 -155.830367
    Bbox North Lat 21.47959
    Bbox South Lat 19.42335
    Bbox West Long -158.0667
    Coupled Resource
    Frequency Of Update asNeeded
    Harvest Object Id a4ee02a5-4f7f-4c37-bdf2-978a64d8fe9b
    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 imagery was collected at permanent sites and generated into 3D dense point clouds (DPCs) using Agisoft Metashape software. DPCs from the same site, but different collection dates were converted into 2D orthomosaics and scaled, oriented and aligned together. Orthomosaics were sub-sampled by randomly distributing quadrats throughout the orthopmosaic. Quadrat location was conserved across all orthomosaics associated with the same permanent site. Target coral species were identified within each quadrat and their perimeters were annotated until a sufficient sample size of each species was recorded. Annotations included coral species identification, maximum diameter measurement, planar area measurement, morphology, and, for sites surveyed in 2019, bleaching extent and bleaching severity. Each coral was annotated at the patch level, and patches composing individual colonies, also known as genets, were assigned a unique genet ID number. The same coral patches were tracked over each time point, unless mortality of a coral patch occurred.
    Metadata Language eng
    Metadata Type geospatial
    Old Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[-158.0667, 19.42335], [-155.830367, 19.42335], [-155.830367, 21.47959], [-158.0667, 21.47959], [-158.0667, 19.42335]]]}
    Progress onGoing
    Spatial Data Service Type
    Spatial Reference System
    Spatial Harvester True
    Temporal Extent Begin 2019-10-08
    Temporal Extent End 2021-07-20

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