Benthic data for corals, macroalgae, invertebrates, and non-living bottom types from 12 sites in American Samoa, 2005-2009. (NODC Accession 0068364)

Benthic transects were repeated at 12 sites around Tutuila at various depths on the reef slopes and flats. Benthic coverage categories include coral species, invertebrates, and non-living substrate type. Annual surveys took place during 2005-2009. The most detailed data are from 2008. The data were provided as spreadsheets and metadata within a PDF document, focusing on the 2008 surveys.A related data set was can be found in NODC Accession 0066319,which was derived from surveys in Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Pago Pago (Rainmaker and Aua), and Fagasa (Sita Bay and Cape Larsen) conducted in 2004 and 2007-2008. Parameters include coral, algal, or invertebrate species, coral colony diameter size, and non-living bottom type. Alsoin 0066319 are summaries of species identification from sites above and Ofu-Olosega Islands, Ta'u Island, Aunu'u, Manu'a, and Rose Atoll, based on historic surveys back to 1917 are also given in spreadsheets. This is a working list put together by Dr. Charles Birkeland.