DOI: 10.5061/dryad.9vd0q
title: Data from: Predictive modeling of coral distribution and abundance in the Hawaiian Islands

description: This study developed species distribution models (SDMs) of the 6 dominant
 Hawaiian coral species (Montipora capitata, Montipora flabellata,
 Montipora patula, Pocillopora meandrina, Porites compressa, and Porites
 lobata) around the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI). To construct the SDMs, we
 used boosted regression tree (BRT) models to investigate relationships
 between the abundance (i.e. benthic cover) of each species with a set of
 environmental variables for the time period from 2000 to 2009. Mean
 significant wave height and maximum significant wave height were the most
 influential variables explaining coral abundance in the Hawaiian Islands.
 The BRT models also identified relationships between coral cover and
 island age, depth, downwelled irradiance, rugosity, slope, and aspect. The
 rank order of coral abundance (from highest to lowest) for the MHI was
 Porites lobata, M. patula, Pocillopora meandrina, M. capitata, Porites
 compressa, and M. flabellata. Mean coral cover predicted for each species
 was relatively low (≤5%) at each island and for the entire MHI except for
 Porites lobata around Hawaii (11%). The areas of highest predicted coral
 cover summed for the 6 species were Kaneohe Bay on Oahu; the
 wave-sheltered reefs of Molokai, Lanai, Maui, and Kahoolawe; and the
 Kohala coast of Hawaii. Regional-scale characterizations of coral species
 from these SDMs provide a framework for spatially explicit population
 modeling and ecological inputs to marine spatial planning of Hawaiian
 coral reef ecosystems.
description: Predicted benthic cover
 of Montipora capitata in the Hawaiian IslandsThe data files are
 output from a model to predict the benthic cover of Montipora capitata in
 the Hawaiian Islands. Coral cover was modeled with boosted regression
 trees (BRT) in R software using data from coral cover surveys and
 environmental covariates derived from models and/or observations including
 wave height, benthic geomorphology, and downwelled irradiance. The best
 performing BRT model was used to predict M. capitata cover for the entire
 geographic study domain. Data and model output represent conditions for
 shallow coral reefs in the Hawaiian Islands from 0 m to -30 m depth over
 the time period 2000-2009. The "mhi_mcap.zip" file contains two
 files: an ascii raster grid file of predicted benthic cover of the coral
 species Montipora capitata as a proportion (0-1.0) (“mhi_mcap.asc”) and a
 projection file that describes the geographic projection and datum of the
 ascii file (“mhi_cap.prj”). The ascii file includes a six line header
 section with data in 10,940 columns (“ncols”) and 6,841 rows (“nrows”)
 georegistered to 18.88N, 160.27W at the lower left corner of the grid
 (“xllcorner”, “yllcorner”). Grid cell size is 0.0005 (which approximates a
 50 m grid cell in the study area) and no data values are -9999. Further
 details on methodology and results are contained in Franklin et al. (2013)
 Predictive modeling of coral distribution and abundance in the Hawaiian
 Islands. MEPS 481:121-131.mhi_mcap.zipPredicted benthic cover of Monitipora flabellata in the Hawaiian IslandsThe data files are output from a model to predict the benthic cover of Montipora flabellata in the Hawaiian Islands. Coral cover was modeled with boosted regression trees (BRT) in R software using data from coral cover surveys and environmental covariates derived from models and/or observations including wave height, benthic geomorphology, and downwelled irradiance. The best performing BRT model was used to predict M. flabellata cover for the entire geographic study domain. Data and model output represent conditions for shallow coral reefs in the Hawaiian Islands from 0 m to -30 m depth over the time period 2000-2009. The "mhi_mfla.zip" file contains two files: an ascii raster grid file of predicted benthic cover of the coral species Montipora flabellata as a proportion (0-1.0) (“mhi_mfla.asc”) and a projection file that describes the geographic projection and datum of the ascii file (“mhi_fla.prj”). The ascii file includes a six line header section with data in 10,940 columns (“ncols”) and 6,841 rows (“nrows”) georegistered to 18.88N, 160.27W at the lower left corner of the grid (“xllcorner”, “yllcorner”). Grid cell size is 0.0005 (which approximates a 50 m grid cell in the study area) and no data values are -9999. Further details on methodology and results are contained in Franklin et al. (2013) Predictive modeling of coral distribution and abundance in the Hawaiian Islands. MEPS 481:121-131.mhi_mfla.zipPredicted benthic cover of Montipora patula in the Hawaiian IslandsThe data files are output from a model to predict the benthic cover of Montipora patula in the Hawaiian Islands. Coral cover was modeled with boosted regression trees (BRT) in R software using data from coral cover surveys and environmental covariates derived from models and/or observations including wave height, benthic geomorphology, and downwelled irradiance. The best performing BRT model was used to predict M. patula cover for the entire geographic study domain. Data and model output represent conditions for shallow coral reefs in the Hawaiian Islands from 0 m to -30 m depth over the time period 2000-2009. The "mhi_mpat.zip" file contains two files: an ascii raster grid file of predicted benthic cover of the coral species Montipora patula as a proportion (0-1.0) (“mhi_mpat.asc”) and a projection file that describes the geographic projection and datum of the ascii file (“mhi_mpat.prj”). The ascii file includes a six line header section with data in 10,940 columns (“ncols”) and 6,841 rows (“nrows”) georegistered to 18.88N, 160.27W at the lower left corner of the grid (“xllcorner”, “yllcorner”). Grid cell size is 0.0005 (which approximates a 50 m grid cell in the study area) and no data values are -9999. Further details on methodology and results are contained in Franklin et al. (2013) Predictive modeling of coral distribution and abundance in the Hawaiian Islands. MEPS 481:121-131.mhi_mpat.zipPredicted benthic cover of Porites compressa in the Hawaiian IslandsThe data files are output from a model to predict the benthic cover of Porites compressa in the Hawaiian Islands. Coral cover was modeled with boosted regression trees (BRT) in R software using data from coral cover surveys and environmental covariates derived from models and/or observations including wave height, benthic geomorphology, and downwelled irradiance. The best performing BRT model was used to predict P. compressa cover for the entire geographic study domain. Data and model output represent conditions for shallow coral reefs in the Hawaiian Islands from 0 m to -30 m depth over the time period 2000-2009. The "mhi_pcom.zip" file contains two files: an ascii raster grid file of predicted benthic cover of the coral species Porites compressa as a proportion (0-1.0) (“mhi_ pcom.asc”) and a projection file that describes the geographic projection and datum of the ascii file (“mhi_ pcom.prj”). The ascii file includes a six line header section with data in 10,940 columns (“ncols”) and 6,841 rows (“nrows”) georegistered to 18.88N, 160.27W at the lower left corner of the grid (“xllcorner”, “yllcorner”). Grid cell size is 0.0005 (which approximates a 50 m grid cell in the study area) and no data values are -9999. Further details on methodology and results are contained in Franklin et al. (2013) Predictive modeling of coral distribution and abundance in the Hawaiian Islands. MEPS 481:121-131.mhi_pcom.zipPredicted benthic cover of Porites lobata in the Hawaiian IslandsThe data files are output from a model to predict the benthic cover of Porites lobata in the Hawaiian Islands. Coral cover was modeled with boosted regression trees (BRT) in R software using data from coral cover surveys and environmental covariates derived from models and/or observations including wave height, benthic geomorphology, and downwelled irradiance. The best performing BRT model was used to predict P. lobata cover for the entire geographic study domain. Data and model output represent conditions for shallow coral reefs in the Hawaiian Islands from 0 m to -30 m depth over the time period 2000-2009. The "mhi_plob.zip" file contains two files: an ascii raster grid file of predicted benthic cover of the coral species Porites lobata as a proportion (0-1.0) (“mhi_ plob.asc”) and a projection file that describes the geographic projection and datum of the ascii file (“mhi_ plob.prj”). The ascii file includes a six line header section with data in 10,940 columns (“ncols”) and 6,841 rows (“nrows”) georegistered to 18.88N, 160.27W at the lower left corner of the grid (“xllcorner”, “yllcorner”). Grid cell size is 0.0005 (which approximates a 50 m grid cell in the study area) and no data values are -9999. Further details on methodology and results are contained in Franklin et al. (2013) Predictive modeling of coral distribution and abundance in the Hawaiian Islands. MEPS 481:121-131.mhi_plob.zipPredicted benthic cover of Pocillopora meandrina in the Hawaiian IslandsThe data files are output from a model to predict the benthic cover of Pocillopora meandrina in the Hawaiian Islands. Coral cover was modeled with boosted regression trees (BRT) in R software using data from coral cover surveys and environmental covariates derived from models and/or observations including wave height, benthic geomorphology, and downwelled irradiance. The best performing BRT model was used to predict P. meandrina cover for the entire geographic study domain. Data and model output represent conditions for shallow coral reefs in the Hawaiian Islands from 0 m to -30 m depth over the time period 2000-2009. The "mhi_pmea.zip" file contains two files: an ascii raster grid file of predicted benthic cover of the coral species Pocillopora meandrina as a proportion (0-1.0) (“mhi_ pmea.asc”) and a projection file that describes the geographic projection and datum of the ascii file (“mhi_ pmea.prj”). The ascii file includes a six line header section with data in 10,940 columns (“ncols”) and 6,841 rows (“nrows”) georegistered to 18.88N, 160.27W at the lower left corner of the grid (“xllcorner”, “yllcorner”). Grid cell size is 0.0005 (which approximates a 50 m grid cell in the study area) and no data values are -9999. Further details on methodology and results are contained in Franklin et al. (2013) Predictive modeling of coral distribution and abundance in the Hawaiian Islands. MEPS 481:121-131.mhi_pmea.zip