IMA Coral Reef Monitoring Tobago for years 2010 to 2021

doi:10.15468/fae95q

IMA Coral Reef Monitoring Tobago for years 2010 to 2021

Citation

Institute of Marine Affairs (2023). IMA Coral Reef Monitoring Tobago for years 2010 to 2021. Version 1.6. Institute of Marine Affairs. Sampling event dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/fae95q accessed via GBIF.org on 2025-05-22.

Description

The long-term coral reef monitoring programme was established by the Institute of Marine Affairs to establish baseline surveys of coral reef health throughout Tobago. Four locations were established in 2010: Buccoo Reef (Outer and Western reef) and Culloden Reef (east and west). Angel Reef was added in 2014, BlackJack Hole was added in 2015 and Flying Reef was added in 2019. Castara, Plymouth, and Charlotteville were added to the monitoring sites in 2016. Sites are monitored for spatial and temporal changes along with associated environmental conditions to understand the reef's response to environmental and anthropogenic impacts.

Purpose

Long-term monitoring of coral reef health

Sampling Description

Study Extent

Tobago, ten sites - Flying Reef, Buccoo Outer Reef, Buccoo Western Reef, Culloden East, Culloden West, Plymouth, Castara, Angel Reef, Blackjack Hole, Booby Island

Sampling

Along each 10 m transect, a 1 m2 quadrat was laid over the adjacent reef to the transect at each meter mark, and the photo was taken. A total of ten images per transect were collected per site, giving a total of 100 images per site except for Castara which has 80 images. Benthic percent cover is assessed using the coral point count method. From 2010 to 2018, Coral Point Count (CPC) Programme was used to apply the CPC method. From 2019 to 2021, CPC method was done on CoralNet Platform (coralnet.ucsd.edu). Images were uploaded to the IMA’s CoralNet database and the metadata was inputted. For the image analysis, a virtual quadrat was drawn over the photographed 1m2 quadrat. CoralNet / CPC randomly generated 60 points for each quadrat annotated. CoralNet uses a deep-learning annotation tool where the trained machine using image annotations for previous years automatically annotated points with greater than 75 % confidence. For confidences lower than 75 %, the machine gives taxonomic recommendations to guide the annotators in their identification process. All annotators are experts in the field of coral taxonomy and use guides to assist in identifications. Annotated images were then compiled to give the benthic cover for each of the labels used and exported as a CSV file. Each label is identified down to species where possible and is based on regional standards.

Method steps

Image annotations are reviewed annually by the Coral Reef Research Officer. Technical reports associated with the coral reef monitoring can be found in the Bibliography Section. Please refer to these reports for more details on the methodology and additional information associated with the Coral Reef Monitoring Programme. Technical reports can be requested through the IMA Library

Taxonomic Coverages

N/A

Scleractinia
rank: order
Hydrozoa
rank: class
Demospongiae
rank: class
Alcyonacea
rank: order
Faviidae
rank: family
Milleporidae
rank: family
Dictyotales
rank: order
Agariciidae
rank: family
Chromista
rank: kingdom
Porifera
rank: phylum
Agelasida
rank: order
Zoantharia
rank: order
Dictyotaceae
rank: family
Agelasidae
rank: family
Crambeidae
rank: family
Animalia
rank: kingdom
Verongiida
rank: order
Haplosclerida
rank: order
Poritidae
rank: family
Anthoathecata
rank: order
Petrosiidae
rank: family
Anthozoa
rank: class
Montastraeidae
rank: family
Sphenopidae
rank: family
Briareidae
rank: family
Pocilloporidae
rank: family
Gorgoniidae
rank: family
Ochrophyta
rank: phylum
Merulinidae
rank: family
Meandrinidae
rank: family
Aplysinidae
rank: family
Anthothelidae
rank: family
Poecilosclerida
rank: order
Cnidaria
rank: phylum
Phaeophyceae
rank: class
Siderastreidae
rank: family

Geographic Coverages

Areas in Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago and, an occurrence at coastal areas AngelReef 209 BlackjackHole 150 BoobyIsland 105 BuccooOuter 258 BuccooWestern 343 Castara 94 CastaraReef 21 CullodenEast 344 CullodenWest 329 FlyingReef 72 Japanese Gardens 16 Plymouth 63 PlymouthReef 22

Bibliographic Citations

Alemu I and Clement (2010) Coral Reef Monitoring Programme, Status of the coral reef of Tobago 2010, Institute of Marine Affairs -
Alemu I and Clement (2011) Coral Reef Monitoring Programme, Status of the coral reef of Tobago 2011, Institute of Marine Affairs -
Alemu I and Clement (2012) Coral reef monitoring for Tobago, status of the coral reefs of Tobago 2012 and summary report 2010 - 2012, Institute of Marine Affairs -
Amoroso R (2017) Coral Reef Monitoring For Tobago. Institute of Marine Affairs -
Ganase (2019) Benthic composition of coral reefs of Tobago in 2019, and a summary report 2010-2019. Institute of Marine Affairs -

Contacts

Institute of Marine Affairs
originator
position: Data Officer
Institute of Marine Affairs
Hilltop Lane
Chaguaramas
.
TT
Telephone: +18686344291
email: gbifadmin@ima.gov.tt
homepage: https://www.ima.gov.tt/

Institute of Marine Affairs
metadata author
position: Data Officer
Institute of Marine Affairs
Hilltop Lane
Chaguaramas
.
TT
Telephone: +18686344291
email: pnelson@ima.gov.tt
homepage: https://www.ima.gov.tt/

Paul Nelson
publisher
position: Data Officer
Institute of Marine Affairs
Hilltop Lane
Chaguaramas
TT
Telephone: +18686344291
email: pnelson@ima.gov.tt
homepage: https://www.ima.gov.tt
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6221-4600

Paul Nelson
administrative point of contact
position: Data Officer
Institute of Marine Affairs
Hilltop Lane, Chaguaramas
Chaguaramas
.
TT
Telephone: +18686344291
email: pnelson@ima.gov.tt
homepage: https://www.ima.gov.tt/
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6221-4600