A 10-year ecological survey from 1990 to 1999 monitored coral growth and fish abundance at multiple stations near the Waianae Ocean Outfall on Oahu, Hawaii. The dataset, archived by NOAA NCEI, records species composition, coral cover percentages, and algal presence over time. It was produced to assess potential impacts of the ocean outfall operation on local marine biological communities.
Use Cases
- Analyze temporal trends in fish abundance and species richness at specific stations like W-3 (the diffuser) from 1990 to 1999.
- Model changes in total mean coral cover percentage at Station W-2 between 1991 and 1999.
- Investigate correlations between algal cover (e.g., Dictyopteris plagiogramma) and fish/coral metrics at inshore transect Alpha from 1995 to 1999.
- Compare species composition and relative abundances of fish populations between Station W-2 and other surveyed stations.
- Assess environmental conditions via recorded metrics like horizontal water visibility (13 to 20 m) and sediment description across stations.
Strengths
- Decade-long temporal coverage from 1990 to 1999.
- Multiple monitoring stations with specific geographic references (e.g., Station W-2 1.2 km south of diffuser).
- Quantitative metrics recorded including coral cover percentages and visibility measurements.
Limitations
- Sample size and row count are unknown.
- Data is temporally stale, with the last update in 1999.
- Geographic scope is limited to a specific outfall area on Oahu.
Provenance
- Source
- NOAA_NCEI (National Centers for Environmental Information).
- Collection Method
- Field surveys monitoring coral growth and fish abundance at designated stations.
- Time Range
- 1990 to 1999.
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Waianae Ocean Outfall vicinity, Oahu, Hawaii, USA.