CRED REA Coral Population Parameters at Agrihan Island, CNMI, 2003

Metadata:

• Identification_Information
• Data_Quality_Information
• Spatial_Reference_Information
• Distribution_Information
• Metadata_Reference_Information

Identification_Information:

Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Peter Houk; CNMI Division of Environmental Quality

Publication_Date: 20050906

Title:

CRED REA Coral Population Parameters at Agrihan Island, CNMI, 2003

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: spreadsheet

Online_Linkage: <http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred/eco_assess.php>

Description:

Abstract:

Fifteen quadrats (0.5m x 0.5m) were haphazardly tossed at 5-m intervals along 3 consecutively-placed, 25m transect lines, and examined for coral as part of Rapid Ecological Assessments in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) in August and September, 2003 from the NOAA vessel Oscar Elton Sette (OES03-07). Four sites were surveyed at Agrihan. For each quadrat, raw survey data included species presence, colony counts, measured maximum diameter (cm) of each colony, and diameter (cm) measured perpendicular to the maximum diameter. From these raw data, geometric diameter and area are computed for each colony, and corals are grouped into one of 7 size classes (0-2cm, 2-4 cm, 4-8 cm, 8-16 cm, 16-32 cm, 32-64 cm, and >64 cm).

Purpose:

Part of an initial assessment program in which corals, algae, fish, and other macroinvertebrates are co-sampled along the same set of transect lines

Supplemental_Information:

Maximum depth was 15 meters. Corals Observed:

Common Name Scientific Name Species Genus Family Order Class Phylum- Kingdom Division Coral Pavona Agariciidae Scleractinia Anthozoa Cnidaria Animalia Coral Pocillopora Pocilloporidae Scleractinia Anthozoa Cnidaria Animalia Coral Goniastrea Faviidae Scleractinia Anthozoa Cnidaria Animalia

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 20030827

Ending_Date: 20030906

Currentness_Reference: Ground condition

Status:

Progress: In Work

Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: Annual

Spatial_Domain:

Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: 145.625762

East_Bounding_Coordinate: 145.705743

North_Bounding_Coordinate: 18.823275

South_Bounding_Coordinate: 18.716814

Keywords:

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus

Theme_Keyword: Numeric Data Sets > Biology

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Theme_Keyword: coral

Theme_Keyword: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Theme_Keyword: OES0307

Theme_Keyword: Rapid Ecological Assessments (REA)

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Theme Thesaurus

Theme_Keyword:

EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > BioDiversity

Theme_Keyword:

EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Photic Zone Corals

Theme_Keyword:

EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Coral Cover

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Category

Theme_Keyword: biota

Theme_Keyword: 002

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Place_Keyword: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Place_Keyword: West Pacific

Place_Keyword: Mariana Archipelago

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: CoRIS Place Thesaurus

Place_Keyword:

OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Western Pacific Ocean > Agrihan Island > Agrihan Island (18N145E0002)

Place_Keyword:

COUNTRY/TERRITORY > Northern Mariana Islands > Agrihan Island > Agrihan Island (18N145E0002)

Access_Constraints: None

Use_Constraints:

Please cite CRED when using the data. Coral Reef Ecosystem Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Point_of_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization: CNMI Division of Environmental Quality

Contact_Person: Peter Houk

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical

Address: P.O. Box 501304

City: Saipan

State_or_Province: MP

Postal_Code: 96950

Country: U.S.A.

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 670-664-8505

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: deq.biologist@saipan.com

Data_Quality_Information:

Attribute_Accuracy:

Attribute_Accuracy_Report:

Observations were made by a diver who is an expert in coral biology. The population parameter survey is conducted one time per site per survey year; it is not replicated.

Logical_Consistency_Report:

The same methods of data collection were used at each of the sites surveyed at this location, and were conducted by the same scientist.

Completeness_Report:

The survey sites were selected to be representative of the dominant habitats at this reef system

Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report: GPS unit

Quantitative_Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Assessment:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Value: 1

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Explanation: Instrument parameters

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy:

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Report: Dive computer and SCUBA depth gauge

Quantitative_Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Assessment:

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Value: 0.3

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Explanation: Instrument parameters

Lineage:

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

Two divers swam along transect lines (3 x 25m) that had previously been laid out along an isobath by a fish survey team. At ~5 m intervals, a 0.5m x 0.5m quadrat was tossed. The divers identified all corals whose center fell within the quadrat to the species level. For each coral colony, the maximum diameter and diameter perpendicular to the maximum was measured using a hand held tape measurer. This process continued until both divers reached the end of the third transect line (15 quadrat tosses). For each quadrat, raw survey data included species presence, colony counts, measured maximum diameter (cm) of each colony, and diameter (cm) measured perpendicular to the maximum diameter. From these raw data, geometric diameter and area are computed for each colony, and corals are grouped into one of 7 size classes (0-2 cm, 2-4 cm, 4-8 cm, 8-16 cm, 16-32 cm,32-64 cm, and > 64 cm).

Process_Date: Unknown

Spatial_Reference_Information:

Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:

Geographic:

Latitude_Resolution: 0.0001

Longitude_Resolution: 0.0001

Geographic_Coordinate_Units: Degrees and Decimal Minutes

Geodetic_Model:

Horizontal_Datum_Name: World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84)

Ellipsoid_Name: Geodetic Reference System 80 (GRS80)

Semi-major_Axis: 6378137

Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 298.2572236

Vertical_Coordinate_System_Definition:

Depth_System_Definition:

Depth_Datum_Name: Local surface

Depth_Resolution: 1

Depth_Distance_Units: meters

Depth_Encoding_Method: Explicit Depth Coordinate Included with Horizontal Coordinates

Distribution_Information:

Distributor:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization:

Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), NOAA Fisheries Pacific Island
Fisheries Sciences Center

Contact_Person: Michael Parke

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical

Address: 1125B Ala Moana Blvd.

City: Honolulu

State_or_Province: HI

Postal_Code: 96814

Country: U.S.A.

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 808-592-7017

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 dies the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty.

Standard_Order_Process:

Digital_Form:

Digital_Transfer_Information:

Format_Name: XLS (Microsoft Excel worksheet)

Digital_Transfer_Option:

Offline_Option:

Offline_Media: CDROM, or email

Recording_Format: ISO 9660

Fees: None if receiving the data online

Custom_Order_Process: Contact CRED data management team for information

Technical_Prerequisites: Contact CRED data management team for information

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 20080812

Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization:

Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED), NOAA Fisheries Pacific Island
Fisheries Sciences Center

Contact_Person: Haiying Wang

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: mailing and physical

Address: 1125B Ala Moana Blvd.

City: Honolulu

State_or_Province: HI

Postal_Code: 96814

Country: U.S.A.

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 808-592-7017

Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata

Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998