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National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic cover derived from analysis of images collected during stratified random surveys (StRS) of the Hawaiian Archipelago

Published by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce | Metadata Last Checked: October 04, 2025 | Last Modified: 2023-02-17T00:00:00.000+00:00
The benthic cover data in this collection result from the analysis of images produced by benthic photo-quadrat surveys. These surveys were conducted along transects at stratified random sites across the Hawaiian Archipelago as a part of the ongoing National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP). Benthic cover data and the associated images are both included in this collection. A stratified random sampling (StRS) design was employed to survey the coral reef ecosystems throughout the region. The survey domain encompassed the majority of the mapped area of reef and hard bottom habitats in the 0-30 m depth range. The stratification scheme included island, reef zone, and depth in all regions, as well as habitat structure type in the Main Hawaiian Islands. Sampling effort was allocated based on strata area and sites were randomly assigned within strata. Sites were surveyed using photo-quadrats along transects. The imagery were then analyzed to produce estimates of relative abundance (percent cover), frequency of occurrence, benthic community taxonomic composition, and relative generic richness. Benthic habitat imagery were quantitatively analyzed using Coral Point Count with Excel extensions (CPCe; Kohler and Gill, 2006) software from 2010 to 2014 and a web-based annotation tool called CoralNet (Beijbom et al. 2015) starting in 2015. In general, images were analyzed to produce three functional group levels of benthic cover: Tier 1 (e.g., hard coral, soft coral, macroalgae, turf algae, etc.), Tier 2 (e.g., Hard Coral = massive, branching, foliose, encrusting, etc.; Macroalgae = upright macroalgae, encrusting macroalgae, bluegreen macroalgae, and Halimeda, etc.), and Tier 3 (e.g., Hard Coral = Astreopora sp, Favia sp, Pocillopora, etc.; Macroalgae = Caulerpa sp, Dictyosphaeria sp, Padina sp, etc.).

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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 EARTH SCIENCE > BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > BENTHIC EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > COASTAL PROCESSES > CORAL REEFS EARTH SCIENCE > SOLID EARTH > GEOMORPHIC LANDFORMS/PROCESSES > COASTAL LANDFORMS > CORAL REEFS EARTH SCIENCE > SPECTRAL/ENGINEERING > VISIBLE WAVELENGTHS > VISIBLE IMAGERY PHOTOQUADRAT IMAGES (Measured) REA Rapid Ecological Assessment CAMERA > CAMERA VISUAL OBSERVATIONS > VISUAL OBSERVATIONS Ships Hi'ialakai (call sign: WTEY, ICES code: 33HL, 2004-) OSCAR ELTON SETTE (call sign: WTEE, ICES code: 33OC, 2003-) 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 > 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 > Laysan Island (25N171W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > Lisianski Island (25N173W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > Maro Reef (25N170W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaii > Honolulu > Midway Atoll (28N177W0001) 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 > Maui Island (20N156W0004) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Hawaiian Islands (21N157W0027) 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 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 > 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 > Laysan Island (25N171W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Northwestern Hawaiian Islands > Lisianski Island (25N173W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Northwestern Hawaiian Islands > Maro Reef (25N170W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Northwestern Hawaiian Islands > Midway Atoll (28N177W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Northwestern Hawaiian Islands > Pearl and Hermes Reef (27N176W0001) OCEAN > PACIFIC OCEAN > CENTRAL PACIFIC OCEAN > HAWAIIAN ISLANDS OCEAN > PACIFIC OCEAN > NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN MHI Main Hawaiian Islands NWHI Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Triennial 0MLTL4 1MTGLK 9URM5J AALRA4 DDHRFA PX2THA UFDJ8C X7FXJ9

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