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    • National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic cover derived from analysis of images collected during stratified random surveys (StRS) of the Hawaiian Archipelago

    Metadata Updated: March 1, 2025

    The benthic cover data in this collection result from the analysis of images produced by benthic photo-quadrat surveys. These surveys were conducted along transects at stratified random sites across the Hawaiian Archipelago as a part of the ongoing National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP). Benthic cover data and the associated images are both included in this collection.

    A stratified random sampling (StRS) design was employed to survey the coral reef ecosystems throughout the region. The survey domain encompassed the majority of the mapped area of reef and hard bottom habitats in the 0-30 m depth range. The stratification scheme included island, reef zone, and depth in all regions, as well as habitat structure type in the Main Hawaiian Islands. Sampling effort was allocated based on strata area and sites were randomly assigned within strata. Sites were surveyed using photo-quadrats along transects. The imagery were then analyzed to produce estimates of relative abundance (percent cover), frequency of occurrence, benthic community taxonomic composition, and relative generic richness.

    Benthic habitat imagery were quantitatively analyzed using Coral Point Count with Excel extensions (CPCe; Kohler and Gill, 2006) software from 2010 to 2014 and a web-based annotation tool called CoralNet (Beijbom et al. 2015) starting in 2015. In general, images were analyzed to produce three functional group levels of benthic cover: Tier 1 (e.g., hard coral, soft coral, macroalgae, turf algae, etc.), Tier 2 (e.g., Hard Coral = massive, branching, foliose, encrusting, etc.; Macroalgae = upright macroalgae, encrusting macroalgae, bluegreen macroalgae, and Halimeda, etc.), and Tier 3 (e.g., Hard Coral = Astreopora sp, Favia sp, Pocillopora, etc.; Macroalgae = Caulerpa sp, Dictyosphaeria sp, Padina sp, etc.).

    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.

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    Dates

    Metadata Date 2025-01-11T15:16:25Z
    Metadata Created Date December 4, 2020
    Metadata Updated Date March 1, 2025
    Reference Date(s) March 7, 2018 (publication), February 17, 2023 (revision)
    Frequency Of Update asNeeded

    Metadata Source

    Harvested from NOAA/NESDIS/ncei/accessions

    Other Data Resources

    Graphic Preview

    Preview graphic

    Additional Metadata

    Resource Type Series
    Metadata Date 2025-01-11T15:16:25Z
    Metadata Created Date December 4, 2020
    Metadata Updated Date March 1, 2025
    Reference Date(s) March 7, 2018 (publication), February 17, 2023 (revision)
    Responsible Party (Point of Contact)
    Contact Email
    Guid gov.noaa.nodc:NCRMP-StRS-Images-HI
    Access Constraints Cite as: NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Ecosystem Sciences Division (2018). National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic cover derived from analysis of images collected during stratified random surveys (StRS) of the Hawaiian Archipelago. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.7289/v5js9nr4. Accessed [date]., 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.
    Bbox East Long -154.807
    Bbox North Lat 28.458
    Bbox South Lat 18.9192
    Bbox West Long -178.384
    Coupled Resource
    Frequency Of Update asNeeded
    Graphic Preview Description Preview graphic
    Graphic Preview File https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/metadata/landing-page/bin/gfx?id=gov.noaa.nodc:NCRMP-StRS-Images-HI
    Graphic Preview Type PNG
    Harvest Object Id d1bd4a82-5e9f-4eb1-9853-6c57edba5687
    Harvest Source Id c084a438-6f6b-470d-93e0-16aeddb9f513
    Harvest Source Title NOAA/NESDIS/ncei/accessions
    Licence accessLevel: Public
    Lineage
    Metadata Language eng
    Metadata Type geospatial
    Old Spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[-178.384, 18.9192], [-154.807, 18.9192], [-154.807, 28.458], [-178.384, 28.458], [-178.384, 18.9192]]]}
    Progress onGoing
    Spatial Data Service Type
    Spatial Reference System
    Spatial Harvester True
    Temporal Extent Begin 2013-08-02

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