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National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Benthic Complexity and Urchin Abundance at Climate Stations in the Pacific Remote Island Areas from 2014 to 2018

Published by Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce | Metadata Last Checked: December 19, 2025 | Last Modified: 2019-03-01T00:00:00.000+00:00
Benthic complexity and urchin abundance data were collected as part of NOAA's ongoing National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP). These data were gathered around the Pacific Remote Island Areas as a part of the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), Ecosystem Sciences Division (formerly the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division) led missions from 2014 to 2018. During these missions, the variables of benthic complexity and urchin abundance were recorded by SCUBA divers during visual surveys at NCRMP climate stations. A select number of climate sites were chosen per island in hard-bottom habitat at 15-m depths in a stratified random fashion. To record benthic complexity, the divers ran a 15-m transect from the reference stake for the site and estimated two maximum vertical relief measurements per meter along the 15-m transect (based on an area of 0.5 m x 1 m to the left and 0.5 m x 1 m to the right of each meter on the transect) for a total of 30 measurements. The measurements were tallied into five substrate height bins, including 0-20 cm, 20-50 cm, 50-100 cm, 100-150 cm, and >150 cm. The total frequency for the five substrate height bins is 30 units for a 15-m transect. Maximum depth, minimum depth, and maximum vertical relief were also recorded for the climate station. Free and boring urchin abundance was estimated within the climate station and recorded using DACOR, an abundance code based on visual estimation; dominant (D), abundant (A), common (C), occasional (O), and rare (R).

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743 National Coral Reef Monitoring Program Numeric Data Sets > Benthic EARTH SCIENCE > Biological Classification > Animals/Invertebrates > ECHINODERMS > SEA URCHINS EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Benthic Habitat EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Aquatic Habitat > Reef Habitat EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Zoology > Corals > Reef monitoring and assessment EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Coastal Processes > Coral Reefs > Coral Reef Ecology > Rugosity EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Macroinvertebrates EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Marine Invertebrates > Macroinvertebrates HABITAT - BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATE CENSUS benthic survey - swimmer/diver visual estimate HI'IALAKAI CORAL REEF STUDIES Coral Reef Conservation Program National Coral Reef Monitoring Program US DOC; NOAA; NMFS; Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center; Ecosystem Sciences Division COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Baker Island (00N176W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Howland Island (00S176W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Jarvis Island (00S160W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Johnston Atoll (16N169W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Kingman Reef (06N162W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Palmyra Atoll (05N162W0001) COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > USA Minor Outlying Islands > Wake Atoll (19N167E0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Baker Island > Baker Island (00N176W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Howland Island > Howland Island (00S176W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Johnston Atoll > Johnston Atoll (16N169W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Line Islands > Jarvis Island (00S160W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Line Islands > Kingman Reef (06N162W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Line Islands > Palmyra Atoll (05N162W0001) OCEAN BASIN > Pacific Ocean > Central Pacific Ocean > Wake Atoll > Wake Atoll (19N167E0001) Equatorial Pacific Ocean Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument CRED CREP Coral Reef Ecosystem Division Coral Reef Ecosystem Program ESD Ecosystem Sciences Division PIFSC Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center RAMP Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program PRIA PRIMNM Pacific Remote Island Areas DOC/NOAA/NMFS/PIFSC > Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce Pacific Remote Island Areas

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