gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:36038 eng UTF8 dataset CSV Files Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center 808-725-5300 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Website Website for this organization information 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. resourceProvider Akridge, Michael W (808)725-5483 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA michael.akridge@noaa.gov pointOfContact 2026-03-04T19:17:25 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata Part 2 Extensions for imagery and gridded data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program: Assessing and Monitoring Cryptic Reef Diversity of Colonizing Marine Invertebrates using Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) Deployed at Coral Reef Sites across the U.S. Pacific from 2008 to 2012 RAMP: ARMS 2010 publication NOAA/NMFS/EDM 36038 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/36038 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Full Metadata Record View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. information Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center 808-725-5360 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA pifsc.info@noaa.gov https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Website Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center homepage information 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. originator NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (301) 713-3155 1305 East West Highway 10th Floor Silver Spring MD 20910-3281 https://coralreef.noaa.gov WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program Website Link to the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program website information originator https://origin-apps-pifsc.fisheries.noaa.gov/cred/survey_methods/arms/overview.php WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link ARMS Overview NOAA's official page for ARMS overview. download https://www.coris.noaa.gov/monitoring/ WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NOAA's National Coral Reef Monitoring Program Online Resource download https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/pacific-islands#science WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Information on NOAA PIFSC's official website Online Resource download tableDigital To support a long-term program for sustainable management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems, from 2008, Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) have been deployed and/or recovered across the U.S. on Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (Pacific RAMP) cruises conducted at two to three year intervals by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) at the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC). CREP partnered with other scientists from the Census of Marine Life (CoML) Census of Coral Reef Ecosystems (CReefs) to develop Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS). ARMS mimic the complexity of coral reefs to attract/collect colonizing invertebrates and provide a systematic, consistent, and comparable method to monitor cryptic reef diversity. The key innovation of this method is that ARMS sample biodiversity over precisely the same surface area in the exact same manner. Thus, the use of ARMS is a systematic, consistent, and comparable method for monitoring the cryptobiota community overtime. The data was gathered from the Hawaiian Archipelago, the Mariana Archipelago, American Samoa, and the Pacific Remote Island Areas between 2010 and 2012. At specific reef sites, divers enter the water and deploy and/or recover the ARMS unit. Each unit consists of 23 cm x 23 cm gray, type 1 PVC plates stacked in alternating series of 4 open and 4 obstructed layers and attached to a base plate of 35 cm x 45 cm which is affixed to the reef. They are designed to mimic the structural complexity of a reef and attract colonizing invertebrates. Upon recovery, the ARMS unit is encapsulated, brought to the surface, and disassembled and processed onboard the research ship. Disassembled plates are photographed to document recruited sessile organisms and scraped clean and preserved in 95% ethanol for future DNA processing. Recruited motile organisms are sieved into 3 size fractions: 2 mm, 500 um, and 100 um. The 500 um and 100 um fraction is bulked and preserved in 95% ethanol for future DNA processing. The 2 mm fraction is sorted into morphospecies. These DNA sequencing data are not included in this dataset. The Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (Pacific RAMP), established by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) and supported by NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP), is tasked with documenting and understanding the status and trends of coral reef ecosystems in the U.S. Pacific. Pacific RAMP involves interdisciplinary monitoring of oceanographic conditions and biological surveys of organisms associated with hard-bottomed habitats in the 0 - 30 m depth range. Regions are surveyed on a biennial cycle and aims to support integrated, consistent and comparable monitoring of coral reefs across all U.S.-affiliated regions. PIFSC Coral Reef Ecosystem Program and partners completed Oliver, Thomas (808)725-5444 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA thomas.oliver@noaa.gov pointOfContact Timmers, Molly A (808)725-5449 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA molly.timmers@noaa.gov custodian notPlanned https://origin-apps-pifsc.fisheries.noaa.gov/cred/images/arms_install_sm.jpg A NOAA diver installing an ARMS unit. JPEG https://origin-apps-pifsc.fisheries.noaa.gov/cred/images/arms_deployed4_sm.jpg ARMS recruitment after 2 years JPEG 1221 587 C204 Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (Pacific RAMP): Biennial monitoring for the US Pacific Islands and Atolls Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program: Monitoring coral reef ecosystems of the US Pacific Islands and Atolls theme CRCP Project Numeric Data Sets > Biology theme CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Benthic Habitat EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Reef Habitat EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structure (ARMS) EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > In Situ Biological EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Brachyura EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Cryptobiota EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates > Biodiversity EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates > Census EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates > Macroinvertebrates theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus INVERTEBRATE SPECIES SPECIES IDENTIFICATION SPECIES IDENTIFICATION - COUNT theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS survey - biological visual estimate visual observation theme NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS HI'IALAKAI OSCAR ELTON SETTE theme NODC PLATFORM NAMES THESAURUS CORAL REEF STUDIES Coral Reef Conservation Program theme NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Maug > Maug Island (20N145E0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Northern Mariana Islands > Northern Mariana Islands ( CNMI ) (18N146E0000) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Pagan > Pagan Island (18N145E0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Rota > Rota Island ( Luta ) (14N145E0007) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Saipan > Saipan Island (15N145E0002) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > American Samoa (14S170W0000) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Ofu Island (14S169W0013) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Olosega Island (14S169W0014) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Rose Atoll (14S168W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Swains Atoll (11S171W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Tutuila Island (14S170W0016) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Guam > Guam (13N144E0000) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Hawaii > Hawaii Island (19N155W0003) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Hawaii > Kauai Island (22N159W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > French Frigate Shoals (24N166W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > Kure Atoll (28N178W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > Lisianski Island (25N173W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (28N178W0000) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > Oahu (21N157W0003) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > Pearl and Hermes Reef (27N176W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Maui > Maui Island (20N156W0004) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaiian Islands (21N157W0027) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Baker Island (00N176W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Howland Island (00S176W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Jarvis Island (00S160W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Johnston Atoll (16N169W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Kingman Reef (06N162W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Palmyra Atoll (05N162W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Wake Atoll (19N167E0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > American Samoa > American Samoa (14S170W0000) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > American Samoa > Rose Atoll (14S168W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > American Samoa > Swains Atoll (11S171W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > American Samoa > Tutuila Island (14S170W0016) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Baker Island > Baker Island (00N176W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands (21N157W0027) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Hawaii Island > Hawaii Island (19N155W0003) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Kauai Island > Kauai Island (22N159W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Maui Island > Maui Island (20N156W0004) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Oahu Island > Oahu (21N157W0003) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Howland Island > Howland Island (00S176W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Johnston Atoll > Johnston Atoll (16N169W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Line Islands > Jarvis Island (00S160W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Line Islands > Kingman Reef (06N162W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Line Islands > Palmyra Atoll (05N162W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (28N178W0000) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Northwestern Hawaiian Islands > French Frigate Shoals (24N166W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Northwestern Hawaiian Islands > Kure Atoll (28N178W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Northwestern Hawaiian Islands > Lisianski Island (25N173W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Northwestern Hawaiian Islands > Pearl and Hermes Reef (27N176W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Wake Atoll > Wake Atoll (19N167E0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Manu'a Group > Ofu Island (14S169W0013) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Manu'a Group > Olosega Island (14S169W0014) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Guam > Guam (13N144E0000) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Mariana Archipelago > Northern Mariana Islands ( CNMI ) (18N146E0000) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Maug Island > Maug Island (20N145E0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Pagan Island > Pagan Island (18N145E0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Rota Island > Rota Island ( Luta ) (14N145E0007) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Saipan Island > Saipan Island (15N145E0002) place CoRIS Place Thesaurus Equatorial Pacific Ocean Marianas Trench Marine National Monument NW Pacific North Pacific Ocean Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument Rose Atoll Marine National Monument South Pacific Ocean place NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS CREP Coral Reef Ecosystem Program PIFSC Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) theme Biennial temporal CNMI Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands MHI Main Hawaiian Islands Mariana Archipelago Mariana Islands Marianas NWHI Northwestern Hawaiian Islands PRIA Pacific Remote Island Areas place DOC/NOAA/NMFS/PIFSC > Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce dataCentre Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords 2017-04-24 publication 8.5 Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords GCMD Keyword Forum Page Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 22. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords information custodian Ecosystem Monitoring and Assessment project InPort otherRestrictions Cite As: Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, [Date of Access]: Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program: Assessing and Monitoring Cryptic Reef Diversity of Colonizing Marine Invertebrates using Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) Deployed at Coral Reef Sites across the U.S. Pacific from 2008 to 2012 [Data Date Range], https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/36038. 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. otherRestrictions Access Constraints: None otherRestrictions Use Constraints: Please cite NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) when using the data. Suggested citation: Coral Reef Ecosystem Program; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2016). Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program: Assessing and Monitoring Cryptic Reef Diversity of Colonizing Marine Invertebrates using Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) Deployed at Coral Reef Sites across the U.S. Pacific from 2008 to 2012. NOAA's National Center for Environmental Information, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/36038. otherRestrictions 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. unclassified Not applicable Not applicable National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessing and Monitoring Cryptic Reef Diversity of Colonizing Marine Invertebrates using Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structure (ARMS) Deployed at Coral Reef Sites across American Samoa from 2012 to 2018 NOAA/NMFS/EDM 37505 crossReference National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessing and Monitoring Cryptic Reef Diversity of Colonizing Marine Invertebrates using Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structure (ARMS) Deployed at Coral Reef Sites across the Hawaiian Archipelago from 2010 to 2016 NOAA/NMFS/EDM 37506 crossReference National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessing and Monitoring Cryptic Reef Diversity of Colonizing Marine Invertebrates using Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) Deployed at Coral Reef Sites across the Mariana Archipelago from 2011 to 2017 NOAA/NMFS/EDM 37507 crossReference National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessing and Monitoring Cryptic Reef Diversity of Colonizing Marine Invertebrates using Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) Deployed at Coral Reef Sites across the Pacific Remote Island Areas from 2011 to 2018 NOAA/NMFS/EDM 22465 crossReference NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) NOAA/NMFS/EDM 36038 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nmfs/pifsc/dmp/pdf/36038.pdf WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. information crossReference eng; US biota oceans Microsoft Access Marianas Archipelago 144.6259167 145.79122 13.30528 20.02963 Mariana Archipelago ARMS across the Marianas archipelago, deployed in 2009 and recovered in 2011 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2009-04-05 2011-05-08 American Samoa -171.092233 -168.13792 -14.559317 -11.050833 American Samoa ARMS across American Samoa, deployed in 2008 and recovered in 2010 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2008-02-24 2010-03-16 ARMS across American Samoa, deployed in 2010 and recovered in 2012 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2010-02-17 2012-04-26 Hawaiian Archipelago -159.729133 -155.6884 18.939 22.1669 Main Hawaiian Islands -178.378433 -166.135383 23.627917 28.418667 Northwestern Hawaiian Islands ARMS across the Hawaiian archipelago, deployed in 2008 and recovered in 2010 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2008-09-14 2010-10-31 Pacific Remote Island Areas 166.60361 166.65164 19.27068 19.3105 Wake Atoll -176.623989 -159.99086 -0.3818 16.76337 Pacific Remote Island Areas, excluding Wake Atoll ARMS across Wake Atoll, deployed in 2009 and recovered in 2011 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2009-03-23 2011-03-26 ARMS across the Pacific Remote Island Areas (excluding Wake Atoll), deployed in 2008 and recovered in 2010 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2008-02-06 2010-04-17 ARMS across the Pacific Remote Island Areas (excluding Wake Atoll), deployed in 2010 and recovered in 2012 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2010-01-26 2012-05-18 With an increasing scarcity of trained invertebrate taxonomists, ARMS enable researchers to obtain information using molecular techniques, particularly for small, cryptic organisms that constitute the bulk of reef diversity. ARMS provides a standard method for taxonomic and molecular analysis to assess invertebrate biodiversity and improve ability to measure/monitor diversity of cryptic organisms globally over time. false eng false Data File ARMS Specimens 2017-04-28 publication CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) Beck, Brian 301-713-4844 1315 East-West Highway Silver Spring MD 20902 brian.beck@noaa.gov distributor https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0162469 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link ARMS_Specimens_RAMP_2010-2012.csv Specimens recovered by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) from ARMS units deployed across the Hawaiian archipelago, Marianas archipelago, American Samoa, and the Pacific Remote Island Areas in 2008 / 2009 / 2010 and recovered in 2010 / 2011 / 2012 download dataset Accuracy All species identifications are made visually by a trained analyst and subsequently reviewed by a taxonomic expert or through molecular processing for accuracy. Completeness Report All ARMS units that are recovered are disassembled, photographed, and sorted by size. Taxonomic classification occurs for materials greater than 2 mm. The research and development of the genetic analysis of ARMS samples is being done in collaboration with partners and data may exist for a subset of locations. ARMS that have been deployed may not have been recovered due to logistical constraints of the following mission or could not be found when divers returned to the site. Conceptual Consistency ARMS sample biodiversity over precisely the same surface area in the exact same manner. Thus, the use of ARMS is a systematic, consistent, and comparable method for monitoring the cryptobiota community overtime. Three units are deployed at each site to allow for replicate measurements. Divers typically record ARMS metadata into the master Microsoft Access database within a few days of the field operations and/or ARMS processing. QA/QC procedures by the ARMS team and the Cruise Data Manager are typically completed during the field mission. Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) are assembled, deployed on the benthos for 1-3 years during which they are colonized with marine organisms, recovered and processed as described below. The > 2-mm organisms are identified and counted, and the data is recorded in an MS Access database. The smaller fractions are sent for genomic analysis, although those data are not included with this dataset. This data can be found through its respective metadata record in the “Related Items” section below. ARMS Deployment - The ARMS platform consists of 23 cm x 23 cm grey, type 1 PVC plates stacked in alternating series of 4 open and 4 obstructed layers and attached to a base plate of 35 cm x 45 cm which is affixed to the reef. They are affixed to the sea floor with either four stainless steel stakes or weights and zip ties and are typically deployed on mid-depth (10-15 meters) forereef habitats in replicate sets of three. Each ARMS unit is typically separated by 2-5 meters. A GPS waypoint of the site is obtained by swimming over the site to get a point directly above the ARMS unit. The ARMS site and ARMS units are photo documented; pictures of the surrounding habitat as well as the deployed ARMS are captured. Close-up images of the dominant benthic cover around the ARMS units are captured. ARMS remain on the bottom for a set period of time during which they become colonized with marine organisms. The soak time varies by unit model. Please see the data to determine how long a particular unit was underwater. Reardon, Kerry G 808-725-5465 kerry.reardon@noaa.gov processor ARMS Recovery and Processing - Photo documentation occurs of the ARMS and recovery site before the ARMS units are removed off of the benthos. The ARMS unit is detached from the substrate, encapsulated, brought to the surface, and disassembled and processed onboard the research ship. Disassembled plates are photographed to document recruited sessile organisms. The plates are rinsed lightly in a container to remove sand particles thereby providing a cleaner surface for imaging the sessile organisms on the plates. Each plate is placed in a shallow tray containing seawater to be photographed. An initial photo of the plate is obtained along with a close up image of each quarter of the plate, the center, and of anything of interest. Photos are obtained of the top and bottom of each plate in the unit. Images are used for analyses of sessile recruitment and composition. When all of the plate layers in the ARMS unit have been photographed and set aside (in seawater), the seawater from the disassembly tub, photo tray, and rinse bucket is sieved through adjoining 2 mm and 500 um sieve pans and an attachable 100 um mesh hand net. Material collected in the 500 um sieve and 100 um net are bulk preserved into two separate jars. Jars are filled with EtOH and labeled accordingly. The preserved 500 and 100 um sample fractions undergo mass sequencing techniques. The > 2 mm size fraction can either be bulked preserved, like the 500 and 100 um fractions, with the understanding that they will be sorted at a later date or can be sorted at the time of processing into morphospecies. Sorting the > 2 mm size fraction is more efficient immediately after processing because the organisms are alive, intact, and colorful. Ethanol, as a preservative, fades away specimen coloration, can separate annelid segments and can detach crustacean limbs when bulk preserved. Immediate processing of the > 2 mm size fraction also provides you with the opportunity to photograph the specimens for vouchering. When photographing specimens, the first image has the unique specimen label in the image. Subsequent images may be taken without the label for finer details. When images and identifications are complete, the specimen(s) are preserved in ethanol. All plates from an individual ARMS unit are scrapped en masse. Once all plates have been scraped, all the scrapings are transferred into a blender (Brevill; BBL600XL). The scrapings are blended for 45-60 seconds on maximum power until sample is homogenized. The sample is then transferred from the blender to a 40 um net. The sample in the net is rinsed with filtered (< 40 um) seawater until all discharge from net is clear (takes ~2 gal). Four ~10 ml samples are preserved in 50 ml falcon tubes with DMSO or 95% EtOH, secure lid and shake. The remaining sample is stored in a sterile whirlpak at -20C. Between the processing of each ARMS unit the blender is rinsed in fresh water to remove any remaining homogenate. The blender is then placed in a 10% bleach solution for 15 minutes. Finally all parts thoroughly rinsed with DI water if available or fresh water. All recovered ARMS units are processed to the above step. When possible, ARMS samples are analyzed molecularly and taxonomically. Genetic analysis of ARMS samples using 454 Illumina mass sequencing techniques are currently under development through partnerships with the Smithsonian, San Diego State University, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, and the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology. Reardon, Kerry G 808-725-5465 kerry.reardon@noaa.gov processor otherRestrictions otherRestrictions Access Constraints: None | Use Constraints: None