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Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessment of coral communities in the Florida Reef Tract from 2014-05-01 to 2014-10-01 (NCEI Accession 0156879)

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This coral demographics protocol was devised to provide additional, species-specific insight (and ‘signal magnitude’) for corals than is provided by percent cover. Specifics of the protocol are based closely on other long-established monitoring programs in the Atlantic region, including Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA; Caribbean-wide), Sanctuaries Coral Reef Ecosystem Assessment and Monitoring, Florida (SCREAM), and the Florida Reef Resilience Program (FRRP). However, the sampling resolution may not capture the population structure of rare or uncommon corals, including currently-listed or candidate Endangered Species Act (ESA) species.

Precise designations of coral condition (e.g., attributed disease, minor bleaching/paling conditions) are NOT included in this data. This is due to the low temporal resolution of the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) sampling (biennial and potentially not seasonally consistent) and the wide array of surveyors involved, which is why the survey protocol is designed to capture the least ambiguous colony conditions likely to be encountered: recent mortality (i.e., dead white skeleton) and bright-white bleaching on a partial or an entire coral colony.

The Line Point-Intercept (LPI) sampling is designed to provide resolution of benthic cover estimates for ecologically important cover types/groups (e.g., macroalgae, turf algae, crustose coralline algae, corals, sponges, sand/sediment, etc.). More detailed information on scleractinian corals, specifically density, size, and condition (percent mortality and bleaching) measurements, is being collected via the NCRMP Coral Demographics sampling.
  • Cite as: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission; National Park Service; University of Miami; Nova Southeastern University (2016). National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessment of coral communities in the Florida Reef Tract from 2014-05-01 to 2014-10-01 (NCEI Accession 0156879). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0156879. Accessed [date].
gov.noaa.nodc:0156879
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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 2014-05-01 to 2014-10-01
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West: -83.1036
East: -80.0163
South: 24.4239
North: 26.2592
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
Associated Resources
Publication Dates
  • publication: 2016-12-07
  • revision: 2017-03-10
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: 9C2WLU

Purpose:
The 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 is intended to coordinate various Coral Reef Conservation Coral Reef Program (CRCP) biological, physical, and human dimensions activities into a cohesive NOAA-wide effort. Through the implementation of the NCRMP, NOAA will be 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 will consolidate 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 NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) and supported by NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) and many other partners. NCCOS is co-leading biological monitoring missions with NOAA’s Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) to gather data on fish populations and coral reef communities in the U.S. Caribbean, Florida, and the Gulf of Mexico. Each year, our scientists work closely with CRCP and local partners to collect biological data from thousands of strategically selected sites. We then use innovative analysis techniques 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. The biological component of NCRMP provides a biennial 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). Data collection occurs at stratified random sites where the sampling domain for each region is partitioned by habitat type and depth, sub-regional location (e.g., along-shelf position) and management zone. Data collection occurs at stratified random sites where the sampling domain for each region is partitioned by regions specific sampling design protocols.
Purpose The goal of the coral demographic surveys is to collect and report information on species composition, density, size, abundance, and specific parameters of condition (% live vs. dead and bleaching) of non-juvenile scleractinian corals (> 4 cm maximum diameter), and of overall species diversity (all corals) using 10m x 1m belt transects in a stratified random sampling design in hard-bottom and coral reef habitats in the U.S. Atlantic and Caribbean. The goal of the surveys is to provide a measure of percent cover of biotic and abiotic components of the benthos, using the Line Point-Intercept (LPI) method in a stratified random sampling design in hard bottom and coral reef habitats in the U.S. Atlantic and Caribbean. Surveys are concurrent with and along the same transect as fish surveys.
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: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission; National Park Service; University of Miami; Nova Southeastern University (2016). National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessment of coral communities in the Florida Reef Tract from 2014-05-01 to 2014-10-01 (NCEI Accession 0156879). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0156879. Accessed [date].
Cited Authors
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Points of Contact
Publishers
Theme keywords NODC DATA TYPES THESAURUS NODC OBSERVATION TYPES THESAURUS WMO_CategoryCode
  • oceanography
CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus
  • Numeric Data Sets > Benthic
CoRIS Theme Thesaurus
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Reef Habitat > Description
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > ESA Listed Species
  • EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef Monitoring and Assessment > Coral Colony Size and Condition
  • 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 Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
Instrument keywords NODC INSTRUMENT TYPES THESAURUS
Place keywords NODC SEA AREA NAMES THESAURUS CoRIS Place Thesaurus
  • COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Florida > Florida Reef Tract (26N080W0007)
  • OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > North Atlantic Ocean > Florida Reef Tract (26N080W0007)
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: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission; National Park Service; University of Miami; Nova Southeastern University (2016). National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessment of coral communities in the Florida Reef Tract from 2014-05-01 to 2014-10-01 (NCEI Accession 0156879). [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/0156879. 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.
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  • 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
  • 2016-12-07T14:23:10Z - NCEI Accession 0156879 v1.1 was published.
  • 2017-03-10T01:32:18Z - NCEI Accession 0156879 was revised and v2.2 was published.
    Rationale: Updates were received for this dataset. These updates were copied into the data/0-data/ directory of this accession. These updates may provide additional files or replace obsolete files. This version contains the most complete and up-to-date representation of this archival information package. All of the files received prior to this update are available in the preceding version of this accession.
Output Datasets
Lineage information for: dataset
Processing Steps
  • Data Type: CORAL - CENSUS (measured); Units: number and length; Observation Type: in situ; Sampling Instrument: Diver Visual Survey; Sampling and Analyzing Method: Line point intercept for benthic cover and 10x1m belt transect for coral demographics; Data Quality Information: All data field undergo extensive QA/QC procedures.
Acquisition Information (collection)
Instrument
  • swimmer/diver
Last Modified: 2024-02-21T13:40:57Z
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