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Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

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 American Samoa from 2015-02-28 to 2018-07-16 (NCEI Accession 0226244)

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This dataset includes species identification data gathered from Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS). The 2-mm fraction morphospecies data provided in this dataset are from ARMS deployed in 2015 and recovered in 2018 at permanent reef sites around American Samoa during NCRMP missions. These ARMS are used by the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), Ecosystem Sciences Division (formerly the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division) to assess and monitor cryptic reef diversity in American Samoa as part of the ongoing National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP). Developed in collaboration with the Census of Marine Life (CoML) Census of Coral Reef Ecosystems (CReefs), ARMS are designed to mimic the structural complexity of a reef and attract/collect colonizing marine invertebrates. The key innovation of the ARMS method is that biodiversity is sampled over precisely the same surface area in the exact same manner.

This data was gathered at specific reef sites across American Samoa. At these sites, divers entered the water and deployed and/or recovered the ARMS unit. Each unit used to gather this data consists of 23 cm x 23 cm gray, 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 that is affixed to the reef. They are designed to mimic the structural complexity of a reef and attract colonizing invertebrates. Soak times are approximately 3 years. Refer to the data to determine how long a particular unit was underwater as soak times can vary by location.

Upon recovery, each ARMS unit was encapsulated, brought to the surface, disassembled and processed on-board the research ship. Disassembled plates were photographed to document recruited sessile organisms, scraped clean, and preserved in 95% ethanol for future DNA processing. Recruited motile organisms were then sieved into 3 size fractions: 2 mm, 500 um, and 100 um. The 500-um and 100-um fractions were bulked and preserved in 95% ethanol for future DNA processing. The 2-mm fraction was sorted into morphospecies. The DNA sequencing data are not included in this dataset.
  • Cite as: Ecosystem Sciences Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2021). 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 American Samoa from 2015-02-28 to 2018-07-16 (NCEI Accession 0226244). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0226244. Accessed [date].
gov.noaa.nodc:0226244
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Distributor NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
+1-301-713-3277
NCEI.Info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Time Period 2015-02-28 to 2018-07-16
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West: -170.81192
East: -169.44067
South: -14.36351
North: -14.152125
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
Associated Resources
  • 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 American Samoa
    • NCEI Collection
      Navigate directly to the URL for data access and direct download.
  • Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, 2020: 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, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/37505.
  • Parent ID (indicates this dataset is related to other data):
    • gov.noaa.nodc:NCRMP-ARMS-AmSam
Publication Dates
  • publication: 2021-03-11
Data Presentation Form Digital table - digital representation of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns
Dataset Progress Status Complete - production of the data has been completed
Historical archive - data has been stored in an offline storage facility
Data Update Frequency As needed
Supplemental Information
Submission Package ID: JGU3EJ
Purpose The use of ARMS is a systematic, consistent, and comparable method for monitoring the marine cryptobiota community in coral reef ecosystems over time. 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 Ecosystem Sciences Division at NOAA Fisheries is leading climate monitoring in the U.S. Pacific Islands Region. The climate component of NCRMP in the Pacific provides a comprehensive view of climate change impacts on coral reef ecosystems and helps identify areas of resilience and vulnerability. The key indicators used to identify and monitor climate-driven trends include 1) thermal stress caused by changes in sea temperature, 2) ocean acidification resulting from changes in carbonate chemistry, and 3) ecological impacts by collecting data on coral growth rates, erosion, and community structure to understand the impacts of thermal stress and ocean acidification on the ecosystem. Each year, ESD scientists work closely with CRCP and partners during Pacific RAMP missions to collect data using moored oceanographic (subsurface temperature recorders) and ecological (calcification accretion units [CAUs] and autonomous reef monitoring structures [ARMS]) instruments stationed at fixed sites in the Pacific Ocean, and water samples collected by divers. The in-situ data (along with satellite-based observations) are also used in modeling efforts. Innovative analysis techniques are 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.
Use Limitations
  • accessLevel: Public
  • Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives.
Dataset Citation
  • Cite as: Ecosystem Sciences Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2021). 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 American Samoa from 2015-02-28 to 2018-07-16 (NCEI Accession 0226244). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0226244. Accessed [date].
Cited Authors
Principal Investigators
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Contributors
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Points of Contact
Publishers
Acknowledgments
  • Related Funding Agency: NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program
Theme keywords NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS WMO_CategoryCode
  • oceanography
CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus
  • Numeric Data Sets > Biology
CoRIS Theme 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 > 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
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
Data Center keywords NODC COLLECTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS NODC SUBMITTING INSTITUTION NAMES THESAURUS Contributing Data Centers
  • CRED
  • CREP
  • Coral Reef Ecosystem Division
  • Coral Reef Ecosystem Program
  • ESD
  • Ecosystem Sciences Division
  • PIFSC
  • Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
Platform keywords NODC PLATFORM NAMES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Platform Keywords ICES/SeaDataNet Ship Codes
Instrument keywords NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Instrument Keywords Provider Instruments
  • ARMS
  • Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures
Place keywords NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS CoRIS Place Thesaurus
  • 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 > Ta'u Island (14S169W0012)
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > American Samoa > American Samoa > Tutuila Island (14S170W0016)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > American Samoa > American Samoa (14S170W0000)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > American Samoa > Tutuila Island (14S170W0016)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Manu'a Group > Ofu Island (14S169W0013)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Manu'a Group > Olosega Island (14S169W0014)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Manu'a Group > Ta'u Island (14S169W0012)
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
Project keywords NODC PROJECT NAMES THESAURUS CRCP Project
  • 743
  • National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP)
Keywords NCEI ACCESSION NUMBER
Use Constraints
  • Cite as: Ecosystem Sciences Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2021). 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 American Samoa from 2015-02-28 to 2018-07-16 (NCEI Accession 0226244). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0226244. Accessed [date].
Access Constraints
  • 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.
Fees
  • In most cases, electronic downloads of the data are free. However, fees may apply for custom orders, data certifications, copies of analog materials, and data distribution on physical media.
Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps
  • 2021-03-11T21:04:46Z - NCEI Accession 0226244 v1.1 was published.
Output Datasets
Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps
  • Parameter or Variable: INVERTEBRATE SPECIES (measured); Units: unitless; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: autonomous reef monitoring structure (ARMS).
  • Parameter or Variable: SPECIES IDENTIFICATION (measured); Units: unitless; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: autonomous reef monitoring structure (ARMS).
  • Parameter or Variable: SPECIES IDENTIFICATION - COUNT (measured); Units: count; Observation Category: in situ; Sampling Instrument: autonomous reef monitoring structure (ARMS).
Acquisition Information (collection)
Instrument
  • visual observation
Platform
  • NOAA Ship Hi'ialakai
Last Modified: 2024-02-21T13:40:56Z
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