A quantitative analysis of non-coral communities at sites along a water quality gradient in the bay off of Aua, American Samoa: taxa species and counts of macroinvertebrates, benthic microalgae, and benthic foraminifera from samples collected between 2022-09-11 to 2022-09-26 (NCEI Accession 0284083)

This data package includes a quantitative analysis of non-coral communities at sites along a water quality gradient off of Aua, American Samoa in 2022. These datasets were funded by the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) Project Number 31303 to study effects of land-based sources of pollution (LBSP) in Aua, American Samoa. In September 2022 Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) scientists of the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) flew into American Samoa to survey 18 sites along a water quality gradient off of Aua. Three datasets are provided of the taxa species and counts of benthic foraminifera, benthic microalgae, and macroinvertebrates from samples collected between 9-28 September 2022. Samples were preserved in the field, and brought back to the NOAA Inouye Regional Center (IRC) and analyzed via microscopy. To analyze benthic foraminifera abundance, sediment samples were collected using a small sediment corer (60 ml syringe with the tip removed and a stopper placed there instead). Only the top 3 cm were retained. Under the microscope, benthic foraminifera were picked out of the sediment and identified. To analyze benthic microalgae, microscope slides were deployed on the seafloor at each site for 2 to 3 weeks. The benthic microalgae that settled was fixed and preserved in Lugol's solution and analyzed. Microalgae included diatoms (pennate and centric), dinoflagellates, chlorophyta, and cyanobacteria. To analyze macroinvertebrates: plastic scouring pads were deployed and attached to the substratum with zip-ties for 2 to 3 weeks. The scouring pads were removed after the settlement period, all plastic zip-ties and additional waste were removed from the reef. Macroinvertebrates that settled on the scouring pad were placed into sampling jars and fixed and preserved with 4% formalin, and subsequently analyzed under the microscope.

These quantitative non-coral community surveys were one of several surveys conducted at the same sites across Aua reef in September 2022. Other surveys described and archived separately include surveys of water quality, CTD casts, coral demography, benthic imagery/benthic cover, and coral demography. These can be accessed under the 'Related Items' section of the InPort metadata record.

Tags: 31303, 4dbb0n, american samoa, american samoa (14s170w0000), aua (14s170w0010), baseline studies, benthic biology, bioindicator, biology, biosphere, coastal processes, coral reef ecology, coral reef ecosystem division, coral reef ecosystem program, coral reefs, corals, country/territory, cred, crep, cyanobacteria, earth science, ecosystem sciences division, esd, in situ biological, land-based sources of pollution, lbsp, linking watershed management activities to reef health in aua, macroinvertebrates, marine biology, marine invertebrates, microalgae, microbiota, numeric data sets, ocean basin, oceanography, oceans, pacific islands fisheries science center, pacific ocean, pago pago harbor, phytoplankton, pifsc, protist, rapid assessment studies, reef monitoring and assessment, scouring pads, sediment corer, species, tutuila island, tutuila island (14s170w0016), united states of america, zoology
Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce