SCNPP: Coral Fragment Growth and Parent Colony Health in Saipan

Saipan Coral Nursery Pilot Project data tracks the fragmentation and growth of Acropora coral species from 2019 to 2020. It includes parent colony collection site details and nursery-based monitoring of fragment survival, health, and growth using a three-dimensional survey design. The dataset covers both Forereef and Lagoon reef types around Saipan.

Use Cases

• Analyzing coral fragment growth rates based on three-dimensional survey measurements.
• Assessing parent colony recovery after fragment collection to evaluate collection impact.
• Comparing survival and health status of different Acropora species in nursery conditions.
• Mapping collection sites and nursery locations using latitude, longitude, and reef zone data.

Strengths

• Includes detailed three-dimensional growth measurements for coral fragments.
• Covers a specific time range from 2019-06-06 to 2020-12-02 with monitoring of both parent colonies and fragments.
• Documents specific coral species (e.g., Acropora pulchra, A. globiceps) and nursery structure design (PVC trees with 100 corals each).

Limitations

• Column names and exact row counts are not provided in any source.
• Sources conflict on the number of target coral species (five vs. eight mentioned).
• Metadata for license, author, and precise data size is consistently missing.

Provenance

Source

NOAA_NCEI via the Saipan Coral Nursery Pilot Project (SCNPP).

Collection Method

Field collection via scoping surveys, parent colony fragmentation, and nursery monitoring using three-dimensional survey design and visual assessments.

Time Range

2019-06-06 to 2020-12-02

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-05 on some platforms, but another lists 2020-12-02.

Geography

Reefs around Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, including Forereef and Lagoon zones.