gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:78600 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 Luers, Lori H 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA lori.luers@noaa.gov pointOfContact 2026-08-21T02:01:09 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata Part 2 Extensions for imagery and gridded data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic Cover Derived from Analysis of Annotated Benthic Images Collected During Photoquadrat Surveys at Climate Stations across the U.S. Pacific Islands since 2012 NCRMP: Pacific-wide Benthic Cover Fixed 2025 creation 2025 revision 2025 publication NOAA/NMFS/EDM 78600 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/78600 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://cnso.nova.edu/cpce/ WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Coral Point Count with Excel Extensions Coral Point Count with Excel Extensions (CPCe) Home Page download https://coralnet.ucsd.edu/ WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Citation URL CoralNet Home Page download https://origin-apps-pifsc.fisheries.noaa.gov/ecosystem_sciences/ WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Ecosystem Sciences Division NOAA Fisheries, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center website. download https://www.coris.noaa.gov/monitoring/ WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) website. download https://noaa-pifsc.github.io/esd-arp-resources/surveys/benthic_cover WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link PIFSC ESD Archipelagic Research Program Website Survey Methods PIFSC ESD Archipelagic Research Program website with Benthic Cover methodology summary download https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/pacific-islands#science WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link PIFSC Website PIFSC Website download tableDigital This metadata record describes the benthic cover data collected at permanent sites under the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) across the U.S. Pacific Islands, including American Samoa, CNMI, Guam, Hawai'i, and Pacific Remote Island Areas since 2013, as well as pre-NCRMP benthic cover data at benthic permanent sites from 2012 for which a subset became NCRMP permanent sites. The data provided in the distribution refers to the sites as their NCRMP OCC site name when applicable. This record replaces InPort items 25274, 36146, 36147, 36148. The data described here result from the annotation (classification) of benthic images collected during photoquadrat surveys conducted by the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD, formerly the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division) as part of NOAA's ongoing National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP). The photoquadrat surveys were conducted at coral reef sites according to protocols established by ESD and NCRMP during ESD-led missions across the US Pacific since 2010. NCRMP began in 2013. SCUBA divers conducted benthic photoquadrat surveys at permanent sites established in coral reef habitats by ESD. A select number of these sites were chosen in hard-bottom habitat at ~15-m depths, and a subset of the permanent sites (climate stations) were established at north, south, east, and west points around each of the islands and atolls. The divers estimated and delineated each sites rectangular perimeter by temporarily placing measuring tapes with 1-m markers starting from a permanently installed reference stake on the reef. Along the nearshore 10-m side of the survey site and the downslope 5-m side, the measuring tapes marked every meter of the L-shaped 15-m transect used for photoquadrat documentation. The divers photographed the reef at 1-m intervals on both sides of the 15-m tape, generating 30 photographs per survey site. The benthic habitat images were quantitatively analyzed using Coral Point Count with Excel extensions (CPCe; Kohler and Gill, 2006) software from 2010-2014 and the web-based annotation tool, CoralNet (Beijbom et al. 2015), from 2015 to present. Ten points were randomly overlaid on each image and human analysts identified the organism or type of substrate beneath, with 300 annotations (points) generated per site. Benthic elements falling under each point were identified to genus/morphology for hard corals, and to genus/functional group for algae, invertebrates, and other taxa following Lozada-Misa et al. (2017). In general, the analysis resulted in three levels of benthic community data, including taxa group Tier 1 (e.g., coral, soft coral, macroalgae, turf algae, etc.), Tier 2 (e.g., Coral = massive hard coral, branching hard coral, foliose hard coral, encrusting hard coral, etc.; Macroalga = upright macroalgae), and Tier 3 (e.g., Coral = Astreopora sp, Favia sp, Pocillopora, etc.; Macroalgae = Caulerpa sp, Dictyosphaeria sp, Padina sp, etc.). If Tier 3 resolution is not possible, the next finest resolution is used.. These benthic data can ultimately be used to produce estimates of relative abundance (percentage of benthic cover), frequency of occurrence, benthic community taxonomic composition, and relative generic richness. Permanent sites were first selected as 'climate stations' in 2010 as 3-4 sites per island that were selected to be roughly equally spaced, along the 15 m contour ('Mid' site), on hard bottom, and at least 1 km away from a river mouth or embayment. Here we assessed multiple features of the coral reef environment including in-situ temperature (STR), seawater carbonate, net carbonate accretion (CAU), bioerosion (BMU), and cryptobiota diversity (ARMS). In 2013 we began to establish OCC permanent sites at different depths and only collected photoquadrat imagery at Mid sites (STR,CAU,BMU data are available for these sites). Starting in 2019, photoquadrats were also collected and analyzed at sites at other depths (Shallow and Deep Sites). Data includes depth source where available. These data can be accessed online via the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Ocean Archive. The benthic data resulting from the collection and annotation of benthic imagery can ultimately be used to produce estimates of benthic community taxonomic composition, relative abundance (percentage of benthic cover), and frequency of occurrence, which are fundamental to understanding the status and change of coral reef benthic communities. PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division and funded by the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program onGoing Oliver, Thomas (808)725-5444 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA thomas.oliver@noaa.gov pointOfContact Oliver, Thomas (808)725-5444 1845 Wasp Blvd. Honolulu HI 96818 USA thomas.oliver@noaa.gov custodian asNeeded DOC/NOAA/NMFS/PIFSC/ESD > Ecosystem Sciences Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce dataCentre Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords 23.3 EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > ANIMALS/INVERTEBRATES EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > BACTERIA/ARCHAEA > CYANOBACTERIA (BLUE-GREEN ALGAE) EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > PLANTS > ANGIOSPERMS (FLOWERING PLANTS) > MONOCOTS > SEAGRASS EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > PLANTS > MACROALGAE (SEAWEEDS) EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > BENTHIC EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > REEF > CORAL REEF theme Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords 23.3 CAMERAS instrument Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords 23.3 743 National Coral Reef Monitoring Program theme CRCP Project Numeric Data Sets > Benthic theme CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Benthic Habitat EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Reef Habitat EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Microbiota > Blue-green Algae EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Algal Cover EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Crustose Coralline Algae EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Encrusting Macroalgae EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Turf Algae EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Baseline studies EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Benthos Analysis EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Benthos Analysis > Quadrat Monitoring > Photograph Analysis EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Benthos Analysis > Transect Monitoring EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Benthos Analysis > Transect Monitoring > Belt Transect EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Benthos Analysis > Transect Monitoring > Point Counts EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > In Situ Biological EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Photographic Analysis EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Rapid Assessment Studies EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Mollusks > Tridacna EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Sponges EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Benthic biology EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Coral Cover EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Hard Coral Cover EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Hard Coral Cover Live percentage EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Octocoral Cover EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Coral EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Coral Communities EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates > Macroinvertebrates EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Plants > Seagrass theme CoRIS Theme Thesaurus REEF AND/OR BOTTOM REGIME - PERCENT COVER theme NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS laboratory analyses theme NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS HI'IALAKAI OSCAR ELTON SETTE RAINIER small boat theme NODC PLATFORM NAMES THESAURUS CORAL REEF STUDIES Coral Reef Conservation Program National Coral Reef Monitoring Program theme NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS US DOC; NOAA; NMFS; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center; Ecosystem Sciences Division; Coral Reef Ecosystem Program theme NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Aguihan > Aguihan Island (Aguijan) (14N145E0006) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Asuncion Island > Asuncion Island (19N145E0001) 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 > Northern Mariana Islands > Sarigan Island > Sarigan Island (16N145E0003) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Tinian > Tinian Island (14N145E0005) 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 > Ta'u Island (14S169W0012) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Tutuila Island (14S170W0016) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > Ofu Island > Ofu (14S169W0002) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > Olosega Island > Olosega (14S169W0016) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Guam > Guam (13N144E0000) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Hawaii > Hawaii (21N160W0000) 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 > Hawaii > Kauai Island (22N159W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Hawaii > Molokai Island (21N157W0001) 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 > Kalawao > Kahoolawe Island (20N156W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Kauai > Niihau Island (21N160W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Maui > Lanai Island (20N156W0002 COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Maui > Lanai Island (20N156W0002) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Maui > Maui Island (20N156W0004 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 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 > Hawaii (21N160W0000 OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Hawaii > Hawaii (21N160W0000) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Hawaii Island > Hawaii Island (19N155W0003 OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Hawaii Island > Hawaii Island (19N155W0003) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Kahoolawe Island > Kahoolawe Island (20N156W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Kauai Island > Kauai Island (22N159W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Lanai Island > Lanai Island (20N156W0002) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Maui Island > Maui Island (20N156W0004) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Molokai Island > Molokai Island (21N157W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Hawaiian Islands > Niihau Island > Niihau Island (21N160W0001) 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 (14S169W0002) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Manu'a Group > Ofu Island (14S169W0013) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Manu'a Group > Olosega (14S169W0016) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Manu'a Group > Olosega Island (14S169W0014) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Manu'a Group > Ta'u Island (14S169W0012) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Aguihan Island Reefs > Aguihan Island (Aguijan) (14N145E0006) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Asuncion Island > Asuncion Island (19N145E0001) 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) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Sarigan Island > Sarigan Island (16N145E0003) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Tinian Island Reefs > Tinian Island (14N145E0005) place CoRIS Place Thesaurus Coastal Waters of Hawaii Equatorial Pacific Ocean Marianas Trench Marine National Monument Northwest Pacific Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument place NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS Central Pacific Ocean North Pacific Ocean place NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS: North Pacific Ocean Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument Rose Atoll Marine National Monument South Pacific Ocean place NODC Sea Area Names Thesaurus photograph scale instrument NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS CRED CREP Coral Reef Ecosystem Division Coral Reef Ecosystem Program ESD Ecosystem Sciences Division PIFSC Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center theme AMSM American Samoa CNMI Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands MHI Main Hawaiian Islands Marianas NWHI Northwestern Hawaiian Islands PMNM PRIA PRIMNM 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). 2026. GCMD Keywords, Version 24. 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 Pacific-wide Benthic project InPort otherRestrictions Cite As: Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, [Date of Access]: National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic Cover Derived from Analysis of Annotated Benthic Images Collected During Photoquadrat Surveys at Climate Stations across the U.S. Pacific Islands since 2012 [Data Date Range], https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/78600. 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 Ecosystem Science Division (ESD) when using the data. Example: Ecosystem Science Division (ESD); Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2016). National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic Percent Cover Derived from Analysis of Benthic Images Collected for Climate Stations across American Samoa in 2015, 2018, and 2023. NOAA's National Center for Environmental Information, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/25383 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: Benthic Cover Derived from Analysis of Annotated Benthic Images Collected During Stratified Random Surveys (StRS) across the U.S. Pacific Islands since 2010 NOAA/NMFS/EDM 77771 crossReference National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic Cover Derived from Analysis of Benthic Images Collected during Stratified Random Surveys (StRS) across American Samoa in 2015, 2018, and 2023. NOAA/NMFS/EDM 25274 crossReference National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic Cover Derived from Analysis of Benthic Images Collected for Climate Stations across the Hawaiian Archipelago since 2013 NOAA/NMFS/EDM 36146 crossReference National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic Cover from Annotated Benthic Images Collected During Photoquadrat Surveys at Climate Stations across the Mariana Archipelago since 2014 NOAA/NMFS/EDM 36147 crossReference National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic Cover from Annotated Benthic Images Collected During Photoquadrat Surveys at Climate Stations across the Pacific Remote Island Areas since 2014 NOAA/NMFS/EDM 36148 crossReference National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic Images Collected at Permanent Sites across the US Pacific since 2010 NOAA/NMFS/EDM 71813 crossReference eng; US biota PIFSC Oracle database view: MV_BIA_CNET_ANALYSIS_DATA (CoralNet) / MV_BIA_PERC_COVER_PHOTO_CLI_RW (CPCe) American Samoa including Tutuila, Manu'a (Ofo, Olosega, and Ta'u), Rose Atoll, and Swains. -171.09222 -168.13792 -14.559317 -11.0457 ASRAMP 2015 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2015-02-15 2015-03-26 ASRAMP 2018 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2018-06-19 2018-07-16 RA2301 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2023-06-30 2023-08-08 Pacific Remote Island Areas (PRIA) including Baker, Howland, Jarvis, and Wake islands, Kingman Reef, and Johnston and Palmyra atolls. -176.624 -159.97881 -0.38241 16.76343 Phoenix (Baker and Howland) and Line Islands (Jarvis, Kingman, and Palmyra), and Johnston Atoll. These six of the seven PRIA are routinely surveyed as part of the American Samoa missions. 166.59824 166.65115 19.27116 19.31654 Wake Island, one of the seven PRIA, is routinely surveyed as part of the Mariana Archipelago RAMP (MARAMP) missions. MARAMP 2014 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2014-03-16 2014-03-19 ASRAMP 2015 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2015-01-26 2015-04-27 Time frame of benthic images collected at Wake during MARAMP 2017 that were analyzed for benthic community data. | Currentness: Ground Condition 2017-04-19 2017-04-20 Time frame of benthic images collected at Baker, Howland, Jarvis, Kingman, and Palmyra during ASRAMP 2018 that were analyzed for benthic community data. | Currentness: Ground Condition 2018-06-08 2018-08-10 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2023-03-15 2023-03-19 Mariana Archipelago (Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, including Rota, Tinian, Saipan, Pagan, Asuncion, and Maug). 144.6259167 145.8166 13.240901 20.545128 MARAMP 2014 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2014-03-25 2014-05-05 Time frame benthic images were collected across the Mariana Archipelago during MARAMP 2017 that were analyzed for benthic community data. | Currentness: Ground Condition 2017-05-03 2017-06-21 MARAMP 2022; timeframe of collection of photoquadrat imagery for which this benthic cover dataset was derived. | Currentness: Ground Condition 2022-04-12 2022-07-24 Time frame photoquadrat images are available for fixed sites during 2025 NCRMP | Currentness: Ground Condition 2025-04-03 2025-06-28 Hawaiian Archipelago including the main and Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. -178.383718 -166.11682 23.627917 28.459215 Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI), including French Frigate, Kure, Lisianski, and Pearl & Hermes. -160.23392 -154.8176 18.968567 22.168448 Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI), including Hawaii, Kauai, Maui, Oahu, Molokai, Niihau, and Lanai. Northwestern Hawaiian Islands mission (Kure) | Currentness: Ground Condition 2013-07-12 2013-07-14 MHI RAMP 2013 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2013-08-03 2013-08-23 NWHI RAMP 2013 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2013-09-05 2013-09-13 NWHI RAMP 2013 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2013-09-18 Shore-based surveys of Oahu | Currentness: Ground Condition 2013-10-22 2013-10-30 MHI RAMP 2016 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2016-07-17 2017-08-23 NWHI RAMP 2016 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2016-09-21 MHI RAMP 2019 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2019-04-26 2019-08-05 NWHI RAMP 2019 | Currentness: Ground Condition 2019-08-27 2019-09-04 Time frame photoquadrat images were taken at fixed sites during 2024 NCRMP mission | Currentness: Ground Condition 2024-05-29 2024-08-27 Pacific-wide 144.63472222222 -154.804172 -14.559759 28.459287 Pacific-wide Start of dataset with all US Pacific regions combined | Currentness: Ground Condition 2012-03-02 The NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) details a long term approach to provide an ecosystem perspective via monitoring climate, fish, benthic, and socioeconomic variables in a consistent and integrated manner. The NCRMP coordinates various NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) biological, physical, and human dimensions activities into a cohesive NOAA-wide effort. Through the implementation of the NCRMP, NOAA is able to clearly and concisely communicate results of national-scale monitoring to national, state, and territorial policy makers, resource managers, and the public on a periodic basis. NCRMP is a framework for conducting sustained observations of biological, climate, and socioeconomic indicators at 10 priority coral reefs across the U.S. and its territories. This integrated approach consolidates monitoring of coral reefs under a uniform method in the Pacific, Atlantic, Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico for the first time. NCRMP is funded by the CRCP and supported by NOAA Fisheries, NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), and many other partners. The PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) at NOAA Fisheries is leading biological monitoring in the U.S. Pacific Islands Region. The biological component of NCRMP in the Pacific provides a triennial ecological characterization at a broad spatial scale of general reef condition for reef fishes, corals and benthic habitat (i.e., fish species composition/density/size, benthic cover, and coral density/size/condition). Innovative analysis techniques are then used to develop products that give fellow scientists, managers, decision makers and the public a better understanding of a region's resources and how they are changing over time. false eng false Data Table ESD_NCRMP_BENTHIC_COVER_FIXED_DataDictionary_2025 2026-08-21 publication CSV - Comma Separated Values (Text) NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information ncei.info@noaa.gov https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NCEI Contact Information Information for contacts at NCEI. information distributor https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0317416 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NCRMP_BENTHIC_COVER_FIXED_PACIFIC_2012-2025 Raw data of annotations of benthic photoquadrat images to capture benthic cover data at established permanent fixed (revisited) sites across the Pacific Islands regions including the Hawaiian Archipelago, Mariana Archipelago, American Samoa, and the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument. download dataset Accuracy Data sets derived from image analysis are highly reliable within the stipulated taxonomic context. Each time a production run is performed for a region, a calibration exercise is conducted by all staff that will participate in that round of image analysis classification. Usually 100-150 photos are selected from the photos being processed as part of the production run series, or other region-relevant photo streams. Then, CPCE or CoralNet assigns 10 random points per photo. Each photo analyst is asked to classify the same set of points in each of the photos used as part of the calibration exercise. The goal of the calibration exercise is to assess inter-observer variability. Inter-observer variability rates are available upon request for each production run. Handheld GPS units were used to locate and mark site locations. Analytical Accuracy Data sets derived from image analysis include 20-30 benthic photographs per survey site from both the climate team surveys. Appropriate site level benthic cover estimates are generated from all site images. Comparability Survey transects were appropriately marked to allow direct, site-level temporal comparisons. Completeness Report The data set derived from the image analysis is as good as the images themselves; poor images with low contrast, inappropriate white balance, or out of focus may have to be discarded. Therefore, benthic cover estimates for some sites may derive from differing number of points between sites. Although the analysis process is statistically robust to allow for differing n (points) between sites the users should be aware of this limitation. For REA survey imagery analyzed or collected since 2013, classification is completed to the functional group/genus level (Tier 3). Only shallow water (0 to 30 meter depth range) hard-bottom habitats are surveyed. The survey sites were randomly selected using a systematic process based on available habitat and bathymetric data. Although efforts are made to include broad spatial coverage of surveys at each island, weather conditions and other environmental constraints may have prevented the team from surveying exposed reef areas. There are several missions in which the benthic images collected by the program are in the process of or have not yet been analyzed. In some cases, the benthic imagery sets are not planned to be analyzed due to funding and resource constraints. Contact ESD at nmfs.pic.credinfo@noaa.gov for more information. Conceptual Consistency The same method of image analysis was used at each surveyed site. Benthic photographs were collected during photoquadrat surveys conducted at permanent sites and climate stations in coral reef habitats by the PIFSC Ecosystem Sciences Division. The imagery was later analyzed using Coral Point Count with Excel Extentions (CPCe; 2014 and prior) or CoralNet (starting in 2015) to generate benthic community data. SCUBA divers conduct benthic photoquadrat surveys at permanent sites established in hard-bottom habitat at ~15-m depths. A subset of the permanent sites (climate stations) were established at north, south, east, and west points around the island/atoll. The divers estimate and delineate each site’s rectangular perimeter by temporarily placing measuring tapes with 1-m markers starting from a permanently installed reference stake on the reef. Along the nearshore 10-m side of the survey site and the downslope 5-m side, the measuring tapes mark every meter of the L-shaped 15-m transect used for photoquadrat documentation. Divers photograph the reef at 1-m intervals on both sides of the 15-m tape, generating 30 photographs per survey site. Photoquadrat images are organized by site, color-corrected (if necessary), and quality controlled to remove non-photoquadrat/poor quality images. An optical validation script is used to re-name photos and enforce several validation checks. Barkley, Hannah C hannah.barkley@noaa.gov processor Benthic habitat images collected during photoquadrat surveys at permanent sites and climate stations (30 images per site) were quantitatively analyzed using Coral Point Count with Excel extensions (CPCe; Kohler and Gill 2006) software through 2014 or by using the web-based annotation tool CoralNet (Beijbom et al. 2015) from 2015 to present. Ten points were randomly overlaid on each image by CPCe or CoralNet and human analysts identified the organism or type of substrate beneath, with 300 annotations (points) generated per site. Benthic elements falling under each point were identified to genus/morphology for hard corals, and to genus/functional group for algae, invertebrates, and other taxa following Lozada-Misa et al. (2017). The analysis resulted in three levels of benthic community data, including taxa group (Tier 1: hard coral, soft coral, macroalgae, turf algae, etc.), morphology (Tier 2: massive, branching, upright macroalgae, etc.), and genus (Tier 3). The detailed list of each functional group level or tier is included in the benthic image analysis classification scheme. Oliver, Thomas (808)725-5444 thomas.oliver@noaa.gov processor Raw survey data includes unique image name, individual point observations identified at three levels, and the corresponding physical data that reflect the description of the site. The physical data includes: region, island, site, date, latitude, longitude, reef zone, and depth. Oliver, Thomas (808)725-5444 thomas.oliver@noaa.gov processor Beijbom, Oscar, Peter J. Edmunds, Chris Roelfsema, Jennifer Smith, David I. Kline, Benjamin P. Neal, Matthew J. Dunlap, et al. 2015. “Towards Automated Annotation of Benthic Survey Images: Variability of Human Experts and Operational Modes of Automation.” Edited by Chaolun Allen Chen. PLOS ONE 10 (7): e0130312. 2015-07-08 publication PLOS ONE https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0130312 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link PLOS ONE Research article, RE: CoralNet information publisher Source Contribution: Research article, RE: CPCe Kohler, Kevin E., and Shaun M. Gill. 2006. “Coral Point Count with Excel Extensions (CPCe): A Visual Basic Program for the Determination of Coral and Substrate Coverage Using Random Point Count Methodology.” Computers & Geosciences 32 (9): 1259–69. 2006-11-01 publication ScienceDirect Computers & Geosciences https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cageo.2005.11.009 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link ScienceDirect Source Citation URL information publisher Source Contribution: The published benthic image analysis SOP using CoralNet. Lozada-Misa P, Schumacher BD, Vargas-Angel B. 2017. Analysis of benthic survey images via CoralNet : a summary of standard operating procedures and guidelines. Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, PIFSC Administrative Report, H-17-02, 169 p. 2017-01-31 publication Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, PIFSC https://doi.org/10.7289/V5/AR-PIFSC-H-17-02 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NOAA Institutional Repository Source Citation URL information originator otherRestrictions otherRestrictions Access Constraints: None | Use Constraints: None