Fish and benthic composition data from La Parguera, Puerto Rico (2001-present) and Guanica, Puerto Rico (2011). NOAA's Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment Biogeography Branch conducted this monitoring to support spatial management decisions and establish data collection standards for the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program. Standardized protocols were used to quantify fish, macro-invertebrates, and benthic parameters at randomly selected sites stratified by nearshore habitat maps.
Use Cases
- Model fish species distribution and abundance using geospatial habitat and bathymetry data.
- Analyze relationships between benthic composition parameters and macro-invertebrate populations like conch and lobster.
- Monitor long-term trends in reef fish size and abundance from 2001 to present for La Parguera sites.
- Assess spatial 'hot spots' of species richness and diversity to evaluate marine zoning strategies.
Strengths
- Long-term monitoring at La Parguera spanning over two decades from 2001 onward.
- Data collection follows standardized protocols enabling comparison across US Caribbean territories.
- Sampling design uses stratified random selection based on habitat maps for comprehensive spatial coverage.
Limitations
- Sample size and row count are unknown.
- Data for Guanica is limited to a single year (2011).
- Specific column names and data structure are unspecified.
Provenance
- Source
- NOAA Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment Biogeography Branch.
- Collection Method
- Field surveys following standardized protocols, with sites selected via stratified random sampling using GIS and habitat maps.
- Time Range
- 2001 to present for La Parguera; 2011 for Guanica.
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- La Parguera and Guanica, Puerto Rico.