Benthic habitat data for Wawaloi and Keei, Kona Coast, Island of Hawaii, August 2004 (NCEI Accession 0070530)

Transects were made at two locations on the west side of the Island of Hawaii in August 2004 to study the structure and composition of the benthic habitat. Photoquadrats were established to quantify the percent of the benthic substrate occupied by coral and algal species, through use of Coral Point Count with Excel Extensions. Rugosity along each transect was also calculated. The transects were 15 m in length with photoquadrats at each meter mark. Each set of transects at each site consists of 10 15-m long transects running ~parallel to the shore, with ends of all transects aligned, and transects spaced 10 m apart along the vertical profile of the reef from the reef flat to the sandy interface at a depth of ~25 m. Quantified data provided in Excel spreadsheets. Original JPEG images from the photoquadrats are given as well, for future users to have the opportunity to apply other methods of quantifying the benthos.