gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:71162 eng UTF8 dataset CSV Files Office for Coastal Management resourceProvider 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 pointOfContact 2026-03-04T19:17:17 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata Part 2 Extensions for imagery and gridded data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) EPSG::4979 Benthic Surveys in Culebra, Puerto Rico: comprehensive assessment of seagrass community structure and demography from transect surveys conducted in 2014 and 2022 Culebra Seagrass Community Monitoring Data 2014 creation 2022 revision publication NOAA/NMFS/EDM 71162 NOAA NCEI https://doi.org/10.25921/jwtc-7k82 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/71162 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Full Metadata Record View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. information tableDigital -Braun-Blanquet J (1932) Plant sociology: the study of plant communities. Authorized English translation of Pflanzensoziologie. Translated, revised, and edited by George D. Fuller and Henry S. Conard, 1st ed. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY. 439pp. -Culebra land-based sources of pollution dashboard. Available at: https://esassoc.shinyapps.io/culebra/ This record provides seagrass habitat metrics collected in 2014 and 2022 at 13 monitoring stations in Ensenada Honda and Puerto Manglar in the island of Culebra, Puerto Rico, as part of Culebra's Ridge-to-Reef Monitoring and Evaluation Framework to assess the effectiveness of the NOAA strategies and actions in priority watersheds to reduce land-based sources of pollution (LBSP) impacts to the nearshore marine ecosystems of the island. Metrics include benthic cover of: total seagrasses, seagrasses by species, macroalgae, coralline algae, scleractinian corals, sponges, and sand/sediments, short shoot densities, and epiphyte relative abundance. At each monitoring station, three replicate 30 meter transects were set up, oriented perpendicular to shoreline and extending offshore. A 0.25 m2 PVC sampling quadrat (50 cm x 50 cm) divided into 25 grid units (10 cm x 10 cm each) was used to estimate attributes of the seagrass community within each of 30 quadrats sampled contiguously (one at each meter mark) along each 30 m transect. Transect #2 was extended to the edge of the bed and seagrass community attributes were recorded within four quadrats placed equidistant from the 30 meter mark to the edge of the bed. Within each 0.25 m2 quadrat. seagrass community attributes were recorded implementing visually estimated Braun Blanquet (1932) index scores. Seagrass habitat metrics recorded included: 1- Total seagrass cover by species (i.e., Thalassia testudinum, Syringodium filiforme, Halodule wrightii, and Halophila stipulacea). Halophila was recorded as an individual seagrass species, but not considered in the total seagrass cover score. 2) Total cover of macroalgae, calcareous algae, sponge, corals, and sediment and/or rubble. 3) Epiphytic load index. 4) Short shoot densities (# shoots/100 cm2); collected within a single randomized 100 cm2 (10 cm x 10 cm) grid box within each quadrat along the 30 m transect. These data addresses biological response endpoint monitoring; specifically, seagrass monitoring to establish baseline data with which to evaluate the proximal effects of LBSP management actions to address increased terrigenous sediment transport to Ensenada Honda and associated nearshore waters of Culebra. Seagrass is viewed as a sentinel indicator of the effects of management actions because they are located more closely to the source of pollution than the coral reef track which is ultimately the key biological response endpoint of NOAA LBSP management goals and outcomes on Culebra. Lisa Vandiver, Michael Nemeth, Sean Griffin, Miguel Figuerola-Hernandez, Catalina Morales-Ruiz, Rebeca Rivera-Rieira, Yasiel Figueroa-Sanchez underDevelopment Vandiver, Lisa lisa.vandiver@noaa.gov custodian notPlanned EARTH SCIENCE EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > PLANTS EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > PLANTS > MACROALGAE (SEAWEEDS) EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS > COMMUNITY DYNAMICS EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS > COMMUNITY DYNAMICS > COMMUNITY STRUCTURE EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > ANTHROPOGENIC/HUMAN INFLUENCED ECOSYSTEMS EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > COASTAL EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > COASTAL > SAV/SEA GRASS BED EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > ESTUARY > SAV/SEA GRASS BED EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > VEGETATION EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > VEGETATION > MACROPHYTES EARTH SCIENCE > HUMAN DIMENSIONS > HABITAT CONVERSION/FRAGMENTATION > REFORESTATION/REVEGETATION EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > COASTAL PROCESSES > BOTTOM COVER TYPE EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > COASTAL PROCESSES > ESTUARIES EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > MARINE ENVIRONMENT MONITORING theme Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords 17.0 Water Oceans and Coasts Theme theme NGDA Portfolio Themes Decadal dataResolution Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Temporal Data Resolution Keywords 10.3 CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > CENTRAL AMERICA OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > CARIBBEAN SEA > PUERTO RICO place Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords 20.8 10 meters - < 30 meters dataResolution Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Vertical Data Resolution Keywords 10.3 MISCELLANEOUS Gear > Diving instrument International Standard Statistical Classification of Fishing Gear (ISSCFG) 1 Data Analysis Data Collections ZODIACS platform Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Platform Keywords 17.2 Benthic cover Land-based sources of pollution NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program NOAA Restoration Center Seagrass demographics Seagrass epiphytes Seagrass monitoring transects Seagrasses Watershed restoration theme Culebra Island Ensenada Honda Nearshore Puerto Manglar place Quadrats Scuba Seagrass visual assessment instrument Small boat platform DOC/NOAA/NOS/OCM > Office of Coastal Management, National Ocean 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 CaribbeanRegion project InPort otherRestrictions Cite As: Office for Coastal Management, [Date of Access]: Benthic Surveys in Culebra, Puerto Rico: comprehensive assessment of seagrass community structure and demography from transect surveys conducted in 2014 and 2022 [Data Date Range], https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/71162. 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. license These data were produced by NOAA and are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. NOAA waives any potential copyright and related rights in these data worldwide through the Creative Commons Zero 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication (CC0-1.0). SPDX License: Creative Commons Zero v1.0 Universal (CC0-1.0) otherRestrictions Access Constraints: None otherRestrictions Use Constraints: None 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 Comprehensive seagrass community structure and demography from transect surveys conducted in 2014 and 2022 in Culebra Island, Caribbean Sea (NCEI Accession 0301897) 2025-03-03 publication NCEI Accession 0301897 https://doi.org/10.25921/jwtc-7k82 NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information custodian crossReference NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) NOAA/NMFS/EDM 71162 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nos/ocm/dmp/pdf/71162.pdf WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. information crossReference .5 .5 eng; US biota environment oceans -65.30833333333 -65.24444444444 18.28861111111 18.31388888889 Ensenada Honda and Puneto Manglar in Culebra Island, Puerto Rico 2014 2022 XLS - Microsoft Excel Uncompressed 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://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/metadata/landing-page/bin/iso?id=gov.noaa.nodc:0301897 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Comprehensive seagrass community structure and demography from transect surveys on Culebra..... Comprehensive seagrass community structure and demography from transect surveys conducted in 2014 and 2022 in Culebra Island, Caribbean Sea (NCEI Accession 0301897 download dataset Accuracy Observations were made by experienced benthic survey personnel who met a set of minimum standards for the community assessment and taxon identification in each region. Prior to the initiation of data collection, the divers checked and calibrated their mutual Braun-Blanquet index scores for each species of seagrass present in the quadrat. Handheld GPS units were used to locate sites and mark site locations. Comparability Within monitoring stations, the 2014 and 2022 survey transects were not exactly collocated. Completeness Measure Complete. All planned benthic cover and demographic data were collected. Field Precision Within monitoring stations, the 2014 and 2022 survey transects were not exactly collocated. Conceptual Consistency Survey methods were consistent across all sites. Visually estimated benthic cover was quantified implementing the Braun-Blanquet Index scores Visual quality control Vandiver, Lisa lisa.vandiver@noaa.gov processor Source Contribution: Publication RE: Braun-Blanquet index scores Braun-Blanquet J (1932) Plant sociology: the study of plant communities. Authorized English translation of Pflanzensoziologie. Translated, revised, and edited by George D. Fuller and Henry S. Conard, 1st ed. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY. 439pp 1932-01-01 publication McGraw-Hill https://ia801300.us.archive.org/28/items/plantsociologyst00brau/plantsociologyst00brau.pdf WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Braun-Blanquet J (1932) Plant sociology: the study of plant communities. Authorized English translation of Pflanzensoziologie. Translated, revised, and edited by George D. Fuller and Henry S. Conard, 1st ed. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY. 439pp Copy of entire book, PDF format information publisher Source Contribution: NOAA Coral Reef Information System: The Coral Program Watershed Management Activities > Puerto RIco > Culebra > Related Resources Culebra Seagrass Monitoring Work Plan: Developing a seagrass monitoring program to evaluate changes in LBSP responses in Culebra, Puerto Rico 2024-08-01 publication NOAA CoRIS https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/coris/library/NOAA/CRCP/NMFS/OHC/Projects/30033/Culebra_LBSP_RidgeToReef_Monitoring_Program/Vargas-Angel2024e_Seagrass_Monitoring_Transects_WorkPlan.pdf WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Vargas-Angel 2024 Seagrass Monitoring Transects WorkPlan NOAA internal document information publisher 2014 NOAA Culebra Land-Based Sources of Pollution Dashboard 2024-10-01 publication NOAA https://esassoc.shinyapps.io/culebra/ WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Culebra land-based sources of pollution dashboard This dashboard displays results of environmental monitoring data associated with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) efforts to reduce LBSP threats to the island of Culebra and its nearshore environment (Culebra LBSP Ridge to Reef Monitoring Program). The dashboard is designed to allow the user examine specific datasets of interest (i.e., Water Quality, Nutrients, Seagrass). The user chooses a subset of data for display by selecting Location, Sample Level, Parameter, Treatment Group, and Station and adjusting the date range to specific temporal periods of interest. These interactive features allow for data exploration and quality control checks. The dashboard is continuously updated as new data are entered into the data portal. We hope you find this dashboard useful in exploring environmental monitoring data being collected on the island of Culebra. Seagrass data can be visualized and accessed: NOAA Culebra LBSP>Dashboard>Dataset>Seagrass. information publisher 2014 otherRestrictions otherRestrictions Access Constraints: None | Use Constraints: None