National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Assessment of coral reef fish communities in the U.S. Virgin Islands from 2017-06-12 to 2017-08-04 (NCEI Accession 0176080)

The National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) assessed coral reef fish communities in St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) using the stationary point count method (7.5m radius cylinder).
This method collects and reports information on species composition, density, size structure, abundance and derived metrics (e.g., species richness, diversity). Data are collected using a 2-stage, stratified random survey design in hardbottom and coral reef habitats less than 30m in depth.

All datasets contain data fields on general station information (e.g., survey strata, depth, rugosity). Each of these data tables contain additional survey-specific data fields. For complete information and descriptions of attributes and data fields for all data tables, refer to the data dictionaries.

Three datasets are provided under the stationary point count fish protocols and are distributed as one compiled package: (1) Analysis Ready dataset, (2) Boatlog/Station dataset, and (3) raw QAQC'd sample data file. The methodology used for this survey can be found in the point count fish protocols.

All three datasets contain data fields on general station information (survey strata, depth, rugosity). Each of these data tables contain additional survey-specific data fields. For complete information and descriptions of attributes and data fields for all data tables, refer to the data dictionaries.

Tags: 0176080, 2017, atlantic ocean, belt transect, benthic, biological, biological classification, biological data, biosphere, caribbean, caribbean sea, coastal landforms, coral reef, coral reef conservation program (crcp), coral reef studies, coral reefs, corals, country/territory, doc/noaa/nmfs/sefsc, doc/noaa/nos/nccos, earth science, ecological and biological characterization, ecological dynamics, ecosystems, field observation, fish, fish - coral reef, fish biomass, fish census, fish species, geomorphic landforms/processes, habitat - benthic, in situ, leeward islands, lesser antilles, long-term monitoring, marine biology, marine ecosystems, marine spatial ecology, national centers for coastal ocean science, national centers for coastal ocean science us doc, national coral reef monitoring program (ncrmp), national marine fisheries service, national ocean service, national park service (nps), nccos research data types, nccos research locations, nccos research priorities, nccos research topics, nfms, noaa, north atlantic ocean, nos, numeric data sets, ocean, ocean basin, oceans, puerto rico, reef, reef and/or bottom regime - percent cover, reef fish census, reef monitoring and assessment, regions, solid earth, southeast fisheries science center, southeast fisheries science center (nmfs/sefsc), southeast fisheries science center us doc, species identification, species identification - count, species identification - organism length, species richness, st. croix, st. croix (17n064w0003), st. john, st. john (18n064w0011), st. thomas, st. thomas (18n064w0033), stationary, survey, survey - biological, survey - swimmer/diver, swimmer/diver, the nature conservancy, u. s. virgin islands, u. s. virgin islands (17n064w0000), u.s. department of commerce, u.s. states and territories, u.s. virgin islands, united states of america, university of miami, university of the virgin islands, us doc, us doi, us environmental protection agency (epa), usvi department of planning and natural resources, virgin islands, visual estimate, visual observation, visual observations, zoology
Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce