Non-Coral Bioindicator Surveys Along a Water Quality Gradient in Aua, American Samoa, 2022

NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program Project 31303 funded surveys of benthic foraminifera, benthic microalgae, and macroinvertebrates at 18 sites along a water quality gradient off Aua, American Samoa. Ecosystem Sciences Division scientists collected samples between September 9 and 28, 2022, preserved them in the field, and analyzed them via microscopy at the NOAA Inouye Regional Center. The dataset likely contains quantitative counts and taxonomic identifications for these three bioindicator groups.

Use Cases

• Modeling relationships between water quality gradients and benthic community composition based on taxonomic counts.
• Assessing the impact of land-based sources of pollution (LBSP) on specific bioindicator groups like benthic foraminifera.
• Comparing settlement patterns of macroinvertebrates and benthic microalgae across different reef sites.
• Establishing baseline ecological conditions for coral reef conservation efforts in American Samoa.

Strengths

• Data collection was conducted at 18 distinct sites along a defined water quality gradient, providing spatial context.
• Samples were collected over a focused period (September 9-28, 2022) using standardized methods for three bioindicator groups.
• Analysis was performed at a NOAA facility (Inouye Regional Center), suggesting institutional oversight.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to the single study location in Aua, American Samoa.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Field collection of sediment cores, microscope slides, and scouring pads, followed by laboratory microscopy analysis.

Time Range

September 9-28, 2022

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-14 23:04:06.591733; freshness should be verified.

Geography

18 sites along a water quality gradient off Aua, American Samoa, Central Pacific Ocean