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    • Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program: line-point-intercept (LPI) surveys for benthic cover at coral reef sites across the Pacific Ocean from 2005-10-03 to 2012-05-19 (NCEI Accession 0163748)

    Metadata Updated: December 1, 2023

    A Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) survey is a collection of inter-disciplinary protocols for gathering data pertaining to ecologically relevant biological components of a reef habitat over small spatial scales. A key facet of a REA survey includes specialists in different disciplines, including Fish, Coral, Algae, and Invertebrates. The REA surveys are conducted along a set of transect lines that are laid out by the first team to enter the water (i.e., the fish team). In this way, all of the biotic observations are referenced with regard to the same spatial coordinates, producing a more integrated biological description of a reef community than would any single, specialized survey.

    At each REA survey site, the Line-Point-Intercept (LPI) methodology is implemented to quantitatively document the benthic cover along two consecutively placed, 25 m line transects (with a 5 m inter-transect distance). The LPI diver determines the benthic composition at pre-determined intervals along the transect line. During the initial years (2005-2008) of the Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) LPI surveys were conducted at 50-cm intervals for a total of 50 data points per transect; subsequently (2010–2012) LPI surveys were conducted at 20-cm intervals for a total of 125 data points per transect.

    All living benthic elements (e.g., coral, algae, and other sessile invertebrates) are identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible, often substituting functional group categories for turf algae and crustose coralline algae when identification in the field is extremely difficult. Raw survey data consist of counts of benthic elements, including but not limited to live coral, dead coral, carbonate pavement, sand, coral rubble, fleshy macroalgae, crustose coralline algae, turfalgae, as well as other sessile invertebrates along the two transects. The data allows for the assessment and monitoring of community structure and composition, and provide the basis for computing quantitative estimates of percent benthic cover at higher taxonomic levels like functional group (live coral, macroalgae, turf algae) or on a finer taxonomic resolution such as genus level. However, actual percent benthic cover data is not included in this submission.

    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 2023-04-30T14:15:19Z
    Metadata Created Date December 4, 2020
    Metadata Updated Date December 1, 2023
    Reference Date(s) August 19, 2017 (publication)
    Frequency Of Update asNeeded

    Metadata Source

    Harvested from NOAA/NESDIS/ncei/accessions

    Other Data Resources

    Graphic Preview

    Preview graphic

    Additional Metadata

    Resource Type Dataset
    Metadata Date 2023-04-30T14:15:19Z
    Metadata Created Date December 4, 2020
    Metadata Updated Date December 1, 2023
    Reference Date(s) August 19, 2017 (publication)
    Responsible Party (Point of Contact)
    Contact Email
    Guid gov.noaa.nodc:0163748
    Access Constraints Cite as: Coral Reef Ecosystem Program; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2017). Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program: line-point-intercept (LPI) surveys for benthic cover at coral reef sites across the Pacific Ocean from 2005-10-03 to 2012-05-19 (NCEI Accession 0163748). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0163748. 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 -154.881
    Bbox North Lat 28.4546
    Bbox South Lat -14.5596
    Bbox West Long 144.4239
    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:0163748
    Graphic Preview Type PNG
    Harvest Object Id 5713a4f8-c0fd-4f6f-b7bf-82ca0bfe60ad
    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": [[[144.4239, -14.5596], [-154.881, -14.5596], [-154.881, 28.4546], [144.4239, 28.4546], [144.4239, -14.5596]]]}
    Progress completed
    Spatial Data Service Type
    Spatial Reference System
    Spatial Harvester True
    Temporal Extent Begin 2005-10-03
    Temporal Extent End 2012-05-19

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