CRED Rapid Ecological Assessment Line Point Intercept Survey of Benthic Parameter Assessments at Asuncion, Marianas in 2011

line point intercept lpi surveys and benthic composition assessments were conducted during rapid ecological assessments rea as part of the pacific reef assessment and monitoring program ramp cruise ha1101 in marianas from 20110407 to 20110509 surveys are conducted by the coral reef ecosystem division cred of the noaa pacific islands fisheries science center pifsc at biennial intervals to support a long term noaa coral reef conservation program crcp for sustainable management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems during the cruise 6 rea sites were surveyed at asuncion in marianas benthic biologists from noaa s coral reef ecosystem division conducted line point intercept surveys to quantitatively document the benthic cover at pre determined long term monitoring rea sites two linear 25 m transects were surveyed with a 5 m inter transect region between the end of transect 1 and the start of transect 2 the lpi diver determines the benthic composition at 20 cm intervals for a total of 125 data points per transect all living benthic elements e g coral algae and other invertebrates were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible often substituting functional group categories for turf algae and crustose coralline algae when identification in the field was extremely difficult in cases where the substrate is bare or covered with turf algae the substrate composition is also noted as either sand rock rubble carbonate pavement or dead coral the data allows for the assessment and monitoring of species composition and abundance and provide the basis for computing quantitative estimates of percent cover at higher taxonomic levels like functional group live coral macroalgae turf algae or on a finer taxonomic resolution such as genus level