NOAA/NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) /Center for Coastal Ocean Science (CCMA) benthic habitat and fish community assessment, U.S. Virgin Islands, 2011-2012 (NODC Accession 0088018)

These data were collected 2011-2012 from select locations on St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John (U.S. VI) in order to 1) to spatially characterize and monitor the distribution, abundance, and size of both reef fishes and macro-invertebrates (conch, lobster, Diadema); 2) to relate this information to in situ data collected on water quality and associated habitat parameters; 3) to use this information to establish the knowledge base necessary for enacting management decisions in a spatial setting; 4) to establish the efficacy of those management decisions; 5) to work with the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program to develop data collection standards and easily implemented methodologies for transference to other agencies and to work toward standardizing data collection throughout the U.S. states and territories; and to 6) conduct a baseline characterization of fish and benthic communities. This work was variously conducted in collaboration with the Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources, the Nature Conservancy, the University of Miami, the U.S. Department of Interior National Park Service and the University of the Virgin Islands. These data include benthic habitat data (benthic coverage type, species, percent cover), reef fish survey data (habitat and species), and macroinvertebrate counts with included metadata in FGDC (Federal Geographic Data Committee) format. Data are in ASCII, Microsoft EXCEL, and .csv format and are in individual subfolders by year and island location.本数据集采集于2011至2012年间，覆盖美属维尔京群岛（U.S. Virgin Islands，U.S. VI）的圣托马斯岛（St. Thomas）、圣克罗伊岛（St. Croix）及圣约翰岛（St. John）的选定区域，旨在达成以下6项目标：1）空间表征并监测礁栖鱼类与大型无脊椎动物（macro-invertebrates，含海螺、龙虾、冠海胆（Diadema））的分布、丰度及体型大小；2）将该调查结果与现场采集的水质及相关生境参数数据进行关联分析；3）构建支撑空间管理决策的必要知识库；4）评估前述管理决策的实施成效；5）与国家珊瑚礁监测计划（National Coral Reef Monitoring Program）合作，制定数据采集标准与易推广的方法体系，以供其他机构复用，并推动全美各州及领地的数据采集标准化进程；6）完成鱼类与底栖生物群落的本底特征调查。 本研究由维尔京群岛规划与自然资源部、大自然保护协会（The Nature Conservancy）、迈阿密大学、美国内政部国家公园管理局（U.S. Department of Interior National Park Service）以及维尔京群岛大学多方协作开展。 本数据集涵盖底栖生境数据（底栖覆盖类型、物种、覆盖百分比）、礁栖鱼类调查数据（生境与物种）以及大型无脊椎动物计数数据，配套元数据采用联邦地理数据委员会（Federal Geographic Data Committee，FGDC）格式。数据集文件包含ASCII、Microsoft EXCEL及.csv三种格式，按年份与岛屿位置划分独立子文件夹进行存储。