Status of Integrated Mapping and Monitoring of Shallow-water U.S. Coral Reef Ecosystems

U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting, October 2003

NOAA's Oceans & CoastsCenter for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment

Integrative Mapping, Monitoring & Assessment

Mapping Monitoring Assessment

Acquire Imagery Design Sample Protocols Analyze Data

Develop Map Implement Monitoring Complete Assessment

U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting, October 2003

• Produce digital high resolution maps of shallow-water (<30m) coral reef ecosystem habitats

• Delineate and characterize benthic habitats using a hierarchical classification system

• Map All U.S. States, Territories, and Commonwealths and the Freely Associated States by 2007

• Integrate maps with research and monitoring activities for use by scientists and managers

U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting, October 2003

USCRTF Mapping Implementation Plan

NOAA's Oceans & CoastsCenter for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment

U.S. Coral Reef Shallow-water Mapping Status:

*All area estimates exclude unknown areas, deep water and land.

Florida: CD-rom released 1998; total area mapped ~5,022 sq. km*.

U.S. Caribbean: CD-rom released 2001; total area mapped ~2,085 sq. km*.

Hawaii-1: CD-rom released 2003; total area mapped ~774 sq. km*.

Hawaii-2: Imagery acquired and processed for Lanai; ongoing proof of concept study.

NW Hawaiian Islands: CD-rom released 2003; total area mapped ~2,357 sq. km*.

CNMI (Southern Islands): Complete draft maps in October 2003; on-site training held in July 2003.

CNMI (Northern Islands): Complete draft maps in June 2004; imagery acquisition in progress.

Guam: Complete draft maps in February 2004; imagery acquisition in progress. On-site training to be held December 2003.

FAS and Florida-2: Mapping activities proposed to begin in 2004.

American Samoa: Draft maps complete; total area mapped ~73 sq. km*. Training held in May 2003.

U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting, October 2003

OBJECTIVES: 1. Provide leadership in the development and

implementation of a nationally-coordinated program to monitor the health of U.S. coral reef ecosystems.

2. Integrate disparate monitoring programs and sites into a coordinated national network.

3. Facilitate sharing of monitoring information among U.S. coral reef resource managers and scientists.

4. Fill gaps in monitoring coverage nationwide.

NOAA's Oceans & CoastsCenter for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment

NOAA/ NOS Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring Program:U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting, October 2003

The goal of the coral reef ecosystem monitoring program is to collect a robust and consistent suite of data that can be used to prepare a biennial report documenting the status and trends in the health, community structure, and condition of all US coral reef ecosystems.

MONITORING THEMES

Examples

Benthic Parameters Fishery ParametersWater Quality Parameters

Cover (live, dead, etc.)

Abundance

Condition

Size class distribution

Indicator species

Diversity

Abundance & distribution

Size class distribution

Indicator species

Diversity

Richness

Evenness

Nutrients

Suspended solids

Chlorophyll

Turbidity

Temperature

PAR

NOAA/ NOS Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring Program:U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting, October 2003

Total Actual Funds/Year

(FY00-02) and Projected (FY03-

07) Funds/Year Required to Meet

FY2007 Goals

NOAA/ NOS Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring Program:Outyear Projections

$ 3 M

$ 2.5M

$ 2 M

$ 1.5 M

$ 1 M

$ 0.5 M$0 M

2005 2006 20072000 2001 20042002 2003

Wat

er Q

ual

ity

Hab

itat

Bio

log

ical

Wat

er Q

ual

ity

Hab

itat

Bio

log

ical

Wat

er Q

ual

ity

Hab

itat

Bio

log

ical

Wat

er Q

ual

ity

Hab

itat

Bio

log

ical

Wat

er Q

ual

ity

Hab

itat

Bio

log

ical

Wat

er Q

ual

ity

Hab

itat

Bio

log

ical

Wat

er Q

ual

ity

Hab

itat

Bio

log

ical

Wat

er Q

ual

ity

Hab

itat

Bio

log

ical

American Samoa

CNMI

Guam

Hawai'i

Freely Associated States

Florida

Puerto Rico

USVI

TOTAL FUNDS

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

$444,000 $560,790 $1.1M $1.2M $1.2M $1.4M $1.8M $2.2M

Changes for the 2004 report:

1. Greater role for local experts and working groups in collecting and analyzing data, and writing individual report sections describing each location.

2. Report will appear as an edited volume with POCs and working group members as section authors.

3. Greater incorporation of quantitative data. At a minimum, data funded through NOS will be analyzed, however, working groups should be moving toward incorporation of all relevant, accessible data.

U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting, October 2003

The State of U.S. Coral Reef Ecosystems: 2004 Report

NOAA's Oceans & CoastsCenter for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment

The State of U.S. Coral Reef Ecosystems: 2004 ReportU.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting, October 2003

Monitoring Data Generated thru NOS

Program 2000-02

Federal agencies State/ territorial resource mgmt. agencies

Academia Existing Data

Other Monitoring Data Sets: Working

Groups

Status of US Coral Reef Ecosystems (Individual Island Sections)

A. Introduction to Island Sections B. Setting/ Context: Spatial distribution, general characterization,

and socio-economic characterization of resources C. Environmental and Anthropogenic Stressors D. Condition of Resources and Ecosystem (quantitative and

qualitative information) 1. Biology (e.g., status of fish and macro-invertebrates) 2. Benthic habitats (e.g., status of algae, benthic invertebrates,

e.g. coral) 3. Water quality (e.g., status of point and non-point pollution

sources) E. Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring Efforts

1. Description of local coral reef monitoring programs 2. Potential biometrics for each data theme 3. Methods and Results

a) Biology (e.g., fish and macro-invertebrates) b) Benthic habitats (e.g., algae, benthic invertebrates, e.g.

coral) c) Water quality (e.g., point and non-point sources)

F. Current Conservation Management Activities (e.g. MPAs, pollution control)

G. Overall Conclusions and Recommendations

Draft 2004 Report Outline

The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the United States and Pacific Freely Associated States

I. Introductory Information

II. Executive Summary

III. Biological & Socio-Economic Setting A. Spatial Distribution of Coral Reefs B. Environmental and Anthropogenic Stressors Facing Coral Reefs

IV. Status of US Coral Reef Ecosystems A. Introduction to Island Sections B. Setting/ Context: Spatial distribution, general characterization, and socio-

economic characterization of resources C. Environmental and Anthropogenic Stressors D. Condition of Resources and Ecosystem

1. Biology 2. Benthic habitats 3. Water quality

E. Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring Efforts 1. Description of local coral reef monitoring programs 2. Potential biometrics for each data theme 3. Methods and Results

a) Biology b) Benthic habitats c) Water quality

F. Current Conservation Management Activities G. Overall Conclusions and Recommendations

V. Overall Summary and Conclusions

A. Summary Tables B. Conclusions

VI. Bibliography/List of References

1. Global Warming/ Coral Bleaching

2. Diseases3. Tropical Storms4. Coastal Development and

Runoff5. Coastal Pollution6. Tourism and Recreation7. Fishing8. Trade in Coral and Live

Reef Species9. Ships, Boats and Groundings10. Marine Debris11. Alien Species12. Security Training Activities13. Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration14. Other

2004 Report: Data Acquisition, Review and Analysis (Tasks 4, 5, 6, 7) scheduled for completion in January 2004.

We need USCRTF assistance to ensure thatagency staff can actively participate in working groups.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Task 3 Task 9

review

Task

review

review

Task

Task

Task

Task 4Identify local working groups and data sets for report

Task 6

Task 5Obtain and review data

Determine key parameters and define summary tables for report

REPORT PRODUCTIONREPORT PLANNING AND DATA MINING/ ANALYSIS

Analysis and synthesis of monitoring data by all parties

Task 7Final editorial changes

2003 2004

Task 1Workplan development; project implementation; NCREMP status review

Task 8Working groups submit draft (individual sections)

NCREMP reviewTask 1

Task 2Develop working reportoutline, island template

Coordinate regional coralmonitoring meetings

Official release of report

Submit report to printers

Compile + distribute

Revise + distribute

report (first draft)

report (second draft)

Task 11Revise + distribute final draft

NOAA's Oceans & CoastsCenter for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment

Status of Mapping Efforts for U.S. Coral Reefs: Caribbean

United States Caribbean: The Caribbean Benthic Habitat CD-rom was completed in 2001 and is being distributed. The effort mapped over 2,085 square kilometers of nearshore benthic habitats on St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John, Puerto Rico, Desecho, Mona, Culebra and Vieques. The imagery was collected using aerial photography and heads-up digitizing. All materials used in the mapping process, including the digitizing extension, aerial photographs, various polygon shapefiles, legend files, ground control points and accuracy assessment points are available at http://biogeo.nos.noaa.gov.

Florida: The Florida Keys Benthic Habitat CD-rom was completed in 1998. Due to the technological advances in imagery collection and a greater sophistication in mapping methodology, it may be highly beneficial to re-map areas represented in the present CD-rom and expand the area of interest to include important coral reef ecosystems and related habitats in adjacent coastal areas of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.

Status of Mapping Efforts for U.S. Coral Reefs: Pacific (1)

Hawaii, Effort 1: The Hawaii Benthic Habitat CD-rom was completed earlier this year and is being distributed. The print atlas version, as requested by the POC and others, is nearing completion. The effort mapped 774 square kilometers of nearshore benthic habitats on all main islands. All materials used in the mapping process are available at http://biogeo.nos.noaa.gov.

Hawaii, Effort 2: Hyperspectral imagery for the entire Island of Lanai has been collected. This includes16 flight lines, with 2-3 meter pixel size, an 1/10 an acre MMU, features imaged up to 30 meters in depth; Imagery is >95% obstruction free. Bottom classification is complete for 4 flight lines using new classification scheme: records zone, geomorphic structure, and cover type. This effort uses a hybrid processing approach- a combination of automated and visual processing. NOAA acceptance of the data is required before acquisition begins for the remaining 7 major islands.

American Samoa: Draft maps of all the islands (Tutuila, Manua, Rose & Swains atolls) are complete with 95% thematic accuracies. 90% cloud-free IKONOS imagery was acquired for all shallow water areas, orthorectified and distributed to Federal and Island Partners. Horizontal accuracies ~ 7 meters. Training was conducted with local coral reef biologists to transfer mapping capabilities and methodologies. Detailed coral reef Accuracy Assessment (n=652) and ground validation (n = 348) points were collected throughout the islands.

Northern Marianas Islands: Draft maps of the Northern Islands will be started March 1 and completed by June 2004. NOAA has purchased cloud-free imagery for 5 of the islands; acquisition for the remaining islands is ongoing. Accuracy Assessment and Ground Validation point collection will be conducted by ALH in April 2004.

Southern Marianas Islands: Draft maps of all the Islands will be completed by October 2003. 92% cloud-free IKONOS imagery was acquired for shallow waters, orthorectified and distributed to Federal and Island Partners. Horizontal accuracies ~ 7 meters. Training was conducted with CNMI coral reef biologists to transfer mapping capabilities and methodologies. Detailed coral reef Accuracy Assessment (n=519) and ground validation (n=231) points were collected throughout the islands.

Guam: Draft maps of Guam will be started November 1 and completed by February 2004. NOAA is in the process of purchasing more cloud-free IKONOS imagery. Training, Accuracy Assessment and Ground Validation collection will be conducted with Guam coral reef biologists December 7 through the 13th.

Status of Mapping Efforts for U.S. Coral Reefs: Pacific (2)