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National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Erosion data from bioerosion monitoring units (BMUs) deployed at select coral reef sites in the Pacific Ocean

Metadata Updated: March 1, 2025

The erosion rates provided in this collection were gathered from bioerosion monitoring units (BMUs) retrieved at existing long-term monitoring sites at Wake Island and the Hawaiian and Mariana Archipelagos during NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) led National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) missions. The samples were analyzed at NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML), as part of NOAA's ongoing NCRMP. BMUs are constructed from clean coral skeletons and left on the reef for a period of 3 years. This collection of data contains the first run of BMUs that has ever been produced, and as such, the protocol established at the time was shortly thereafter amended in order to give a more thorough picture of bioerosion rates. Early analysis procedures utilized a benchtop micro computed tomography scanner (microCT, Bruker) for initial scans (pre-deployment), while post collection analyses (including those in this collection) were analyzed by a larger Computed Tomography device (CT scanner, Siemens).

BMUs are CT scanned for changes in density, volume and mass in which rates of bioerosion can be assessed. Annual erosion and accretion rates can be determined from these data in terms of loss of reef structure volume as well as mass in grams of calcium carbonate. Accretion rates given in this collection are determined by finding the volume of non-original carbonate material found on the external surface of the BMUs divided by the number of years the BMU was deployed on the reef. These rates can detect accretion signals when calcifying organisms, such as corals or algae, have grown on their exteriors. Rates of macroboring were determined by changes in the internal volume of the BMUs (e.g., that removed by bore holes) divided by the number of years the BMU was deployed on the reef. Macroboring can occur from eroders such as clionaid sponges, annelids and other macroboring fauna.

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 2025-01-17T15:44:03Z
Metadata Created Date December 4, 2020
Metadata Updated Date March 1, 2025
Reference Date(s) August 8, 2018 (publication), January 15, 2025 (revision)
Frequency Of Update asNeeded

Metadata Source

Harvested from NOAA/NESDIS/ncei/accessions

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Additional Metadata

Resource Type Series
Metadata Date 2025-01-17T15:44:03Z
Metadata Created Date December 4, 2020
Metadata Updated Date March 1, 2025
Reference Date(s) August 8, 2018 (publication), January 15, 2025 (revision)
Responsible Party (Point of Contact)
Contact Email
Guid gov.noaa.nodc:NCRMP-BMU-Pacific
Access Constraints Cite as: NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2018). National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Erosion data from bioerosion monitoring units (BMUs) deployed at select coral reef sites in the Pacific Ocean. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.25921/esff-pv90. 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 -154.8176
Bbox North Lat 27.95493
Bbox South Lat 19.06075
Bbox West Long -175.99722
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-BMU-Pacific
Graphic Preview Type PNG
Harvest Object Id cc58c90e-081f-41ee-bc49-235edf67b0b5
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": [[[-175.99722, 19.06075], [-154.8176, 19.06075], [-154.8176, 27.95493], [-175.99722, 27.95493], [-175.99722, 19.06075]]]}
Progress onGoing
Spatial Data Service Type
Spatial Reference System
Spatial Harvester True
Temporal Extent Begin 2013-08-03

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