Macroinvertebrate belt transect survey data collected by the Guam Long-term Coral Reef Monitoring Program from 2010-08-06 to 2019-09-06 (NCEI Accession 0228762)

The data in this package include macroinvertebrate belt transect survey data collected as part of the Guam Long-term Coral Reef Monitoring Program (GLTMP). The monitoring team counts the number of individuals of commercially and ecologically important macroinvertebrate species within a 4 m x 30 m belt transect (4 x 25 m prior to 2017) at all stations (except at the Western Shoals stations, where 4 m x 15 m belts were used). The longest dimension of Tridacna individuals is also recorded; these measurements are not included in this dataset but can be provided upon request.

These data were collected using a split-panel sampling approach, whereby a mix of permanent and non-permanent sampling stations (one sampling station = one transect) are visited within each site. The monitoring sites represent high priority reef areas selected by an advisory body comprised of reef managers, researchers, and technicians. The sites were not selected randomly from around the island and thus should not be considered representative of reef condition at the island-scale. While the general location of the sites were selected based on management priority, the site boundaries were delineated using bathymetry and benthic habitat data within ArcGIS; the locations of the sampling stations were generated randomly within each site’s boundaries using ArcGIS.