Data.gov - Empowering People

Skip to navigation Skip to main content Skip to search Skip to login

/

St. Croix, USVI Benthic Composition Assessment and Monitoring Data (2002 - Present)

Dataset Summary

Agency	NOAA's Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)
Sub-Agency/Organization
Category
Date Released	200703
Date Updated
Time Period	200202 - 2011
Frequency	001
Description	This fish and benthic composition database is the result of a multifaceted effort described below.The intent of this work is five fold: 1) To spatially characterize and monitor the distribution, abundance, and size of both reef fishes and macro-invertebrates (conch, lobster, Diadema); 2) To relate this information to in-situ data collected on associated benthic composition parameters; 3) To use this information to establish the knowledge base necessary for enacting management decisions in a spatial setting; 4) To establish the efficacy of those management decisions; and 5) To work with the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program to develop data collection standards and easily implemented methodologies for transference to other agencies and to work toward standardizing data collection throughout the US states and territories. Toward this end, the Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment's Biogeography Branch (BB) has been conducting research in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands since 2000 and 2001, respectively. It is critical, with recent changes in management at both locations (e.g. implementation of MPAs) as well as proposed changes (e.g. zoning to manage multiple human uses) that action is taken now to accurately describe and characterize the fish/macro-invertebrate populations in these areas. It is also important that BB work closely with the individuals responsible for recommending and implementing these management strategies. Recognizing this, BB has been collaborating with partners at the University of Puerto Rico, National Park Service, US Geological Survey and the Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources.To quantify patterns of spatial distribution and make meaningful interpretations, we must first have knowledge of the underlying variables determining species distribution. The basis for this work therefore, is the nearshore benthic habitats maps (less than 100 ft depth) created by NOAA's Biogeography Program in 2001 and NOS' bathymetry models. Using ArcView GIS software, the digitized habitat maps are stratified to select sampling stations. Sites are randomly selected within these strata to ensure coverage of the entire study region and not just a particular reef or seagrass area. At each site, fish, macro-invertebrates, and benthic composition information is then quantified following standardized protocols. By relating the data collected in the field back to the habitat maps and bathymetric models, BB is able to model and map species level and community level information. These protocols are standardized throughout the US Caribbean to enable quantification and comparison of reef fish abundance and distribution trends between locations. Armed with the knowledge of where "hot spots" of species richness and diversity are likely to occur in the seascape, the BB is in a unique position to answer questions about the efficacy of marine zoning strategies (e.g. placement of no fishing, anchoring, or snorkeling locations), and what locations are most suitable for establishing MPAs. Knowledge of the current status of fish/macro-invertebrate communities coupled with longer term monitoring will enable evaluation of management efficacy, thus it is essential to future management actions.

Dataset Ratings


	Current	Your Rating [?]
Overall	( votes)
Data Utility	( votes)
Usefulness	( votes)
Ease of Access	( votes)

(Privacy Policy)

Dataset Metrics

Number of Downloads

0

Dataset Information

Data.gov Data Category Type	Geodata
Specialized Data Category Designation	Geospatial
Keywords	CoRIS Discovery Thesaurus, CoRIS Theme Thesaurus, ISO 19115:2003 MD_TopicCategoryCode, NOS Data Explorer Topic Category, oceans, EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Baseline studies, EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Benthos analysis, EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Benthos analysis > Transect monitoring, EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Benthos analysis > Transect monitoring > Belt transect, EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Benthos analysis > Quadrat monitoring, EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Benthos analysis > Quadrat monitoring > In situ, EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Rapid assessment studies, EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > Monitoring and assessment, EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment > In situ biological, EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates > Census > Population density, EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates > Macroinvertebrates, EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Algal cover, EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Calcareous macroalgae, EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Coralline algae, EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Crustose coralline algae, EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Encrusting macroalgae, EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Fleshy macroalgae, EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Turf algae, EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals, EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs, EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology > Biodiversity, EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology > Coral cover, EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology > Hard coral cover, EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology > Hard coral cover Live percentage, EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology > Hard coral cover Dead percentage, EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology > Octocoral cover, EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology > Rugosity, EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology > Biodiversity, EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral reef ecology > Habitats, EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Coral Diseases, EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Reef Habitat > Description, EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Benthic Habitat, EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Plants > Seagrass, EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Coral Diseases > Bleaching, biota, 002, environment, 007, oceans, 014, Environmental Monitoring, CoRIS Theme Thesaurus, ISO 19115:2003 MD_TopicCategoryCode, NOS Data Explorer Topic Category, CoRIS Place Thesaurus, COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > US Virgin Islands > St. Croix > St. Croix (17N064W0003), OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea > Virgin Islands > Virgin Islands > St. Croix > (17N064W0003)
Unique ID	AAC3B6F3-FA44-9397-7B3B-EAFD980F82D5

Contributing Agency Information

Citation	National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA)/National Ocean Service (NOS)/National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)/Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment (CCMA)/Biogeography Branch
Agency Program Page
Agency Data Series Page	http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/ecosystems/coralreef/reef_fish/welcome.html

Dataset Coverage

Unit of Analysis
Granularity
Geographic Coverage	-64.67, -64.56, 17.81, 17.75

Data Description

Collection Mode
Data Collection Instrument
Data Dictionary/Variable List	We supply percent cover, relative abundance, size, and composition of benthic communities. This information is collected across all nearshore habitat types. In addition, we provide photographs of many of the taxa. For specific information please see the data dictionary available on the database website.

Additional Dataset Documentation

Technical Documentation
Additional Metadata	XML Format

OMB Control No. 3090-0284