NOAA NCCOS Assessment: Agency priorities for mapping coral reef ecosystems in Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 2023-02-22 to 2023-06-12

Description: NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP has identified a need for priority locations based on emerging management requirements in shallow coral reef areas (up to 40 meters) surrounding Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). The priorities provided by participating agencies will inform research and monitoring activities, address current and future management needs, and maximize opportunities to leverage and complement existing regional efforts. To meet this need, NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) developed a systematic, quantitative approach and online GIS application to gather seafloor mapping priorities from researchers and coral reef managers. Participants placed virtual coins into a grid overlaid on the project area to express the location of their mapping priorities. They also used pull-down menus to indicate specific mapping data needs and the rationale for their selections. Participants’ inputs were compiled and analyzed to identify high priority areas along with their justifications and requirements. A total of seven participant groups entered their mapping priorities into the online tool for Guam and ten participant groups for CNMI. Identifying these high priority areas provide a critical spatial framework for prioritizing mapping efforts in shallow coral reef ecosystems in Guam and CNMI. Purpose: The overall goal of the project was to systematically gather and quantify suggestions for mapping needs to support management of shallow coral reef ecosystems along the coasts of the Guam and CNMI. This dataset supports these goals by compiling input from a diversity of regional experts on their recommended priorities for mapping data collection. Methods: An advisory group was established which included individuals from NOAA CRCP and NOAA Fisheries. This advisory team customized the prioritization process specifically to meet the needs of CRCP and local coral reef manager priorities. In the online prioritization tool, the Guam study area was divided into 153 hexagonal grid cells 2.6 km2 in size. The CNMI study area was divided into 330 hexagonal grid cells 2.6 km2 in size. Existing relevant spatial datasets (e.g., bathymetry, Sanctuary Protection Areas, etc.) were provided as a digital atlas to help participants understand information and data gaps within the project area and to identify locations they wanted to prioritize for future data collections. Each Guam participant was provided with 50 virtual coins to place into grid cells that they wished to prioritize. Each CNMI participant was provided with 110 coins. They were instructed to place more coins in grid cells that were higher priorities. A maximum of 5 coins could be placed into an individual grid cell in Guam by each respondent, and a maximum of 11 coins could be place into an individual grid cell in CNMI. Respondents also reported why these locations were important by selecting a minimum of one, and a maximum of two, management uses from the following list: endangered species management (e.g.,), habitat restoration, monitoring, coastal vulnerability planning, watershed management, fisheries management, consultations and permitting, emergency response, and spatial protection and management. Respondents also reported requirements of data were needed in priority cells. A minimum of one, to a maximum of two choices were selected from the following list: delineations of large topographic features, delineations of hard vs. soft bottom, models of habitat suitability for key taxa or communities, delineations of substrate type (e.g. sand, mud, coral, rock), models of presence/absence or density of corals, identification of coral species and their local environments, documentation of individual specimen condition. Coin values were summarized and mapped to identify high priority areas, reasons for those priorities, and information needs. This ESRI shapefiles contain the 2.6 km2 grid cells used in this prioritization and their associated coin values overall, as well as by management use, data product, and mapping methodology. Other summary values include the number of participants, number of participating groups, number of management uses, and number of data requirements. Additionally, coins for microscale (identification of coral species and their local environments and documentation of individual specimen condition), mesoscale (delineations of substrate type, models of presence/absence/density of corals), and regional (delineations of topographic features, delineations of hard vs. soft bottom, models of habitat suitability) requirements were summarized. Also included is a ranking of each grid cell based on the total number of coins, management uses, and participating groups allocating coins in the respective cell. For a complete description of the process and analysis see: Hile et al. 2023, in prep.说明： 美国国家海洋和大气管理局（NOAA）珊瑚礁保护计划（Coral Reef Conservation Program, CRCP）已识别出，需基于关岛及北马里亚纳群岛联邦（Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, CNMI）周边水深不超过40米的浅海珊瑚礁区域的新兴管理需求，划定优先区域。参与机构提交的优先级结果，将为研究与监测活动提供参考，应对当前及未来的管理需求，并最大化利用现有区域工作成果、补充相关工作的机会。 为满足该需求，NOAA国家沿海海洋科学中心（National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, NCCOS）开发了一套系统化、定量化的方法及在线地理信息系统（GIS）应用程序，用于收集研究人员与珊瑚礁管理者的海底测绘优先级意见。参与者通过在项目区域覆盖的网格中放置虚拟硬币，标注其优先测绘的位置；同时通过下拉菜单明确具体的测绘数据需求及选择该位置的理由。研究团队对参与者的输入数据进行汇总与分析，以识别高优先级区域及其依据与需求。共有7个参与小组为关岛提交了测绘优先级意见，10个参与小组为北马里亚纳群岛联邦提交。确定上述高优先级区域，可为关岛及北马里亚纳群岛联邦的浅海珊瑚礁生态系统测绘工作的优先级划分提供关键的空间框架。 项目目标： 本项目的总体目标是系统化收集并量化测绘需求建议，以支持关岛及北马里亚纳群岛联邦沿岸浅海珊瑚礁生态系统的管理工作。本数据集通过汇总来自各区域专家的测绘数据收集优先推荐意见，助力实现上述目标。 研究方法： 项目组建了顾问小组，成员来自NOAA珊瑚礁保护计划（CRCP）及NOAA渔业部门，该团队针对CRCP及当地珊瑚礁管理者的优先级需求定制了优先级划分流程。在线优先级工具中，关岛研究区域被划分为153个面积为2.6平方千米的六边形网格单元，北马里亚纳群岛联邦研究区域则被划分为330个面积为2.6平方千米的六边形网格单元。项目提供了包含现有相关空间数据集（如水深地形数据、保护区保护区域等）的数字图集，以帮助参与者了解项目区域内的信息与数据缺口，并确定其希望优先开展未来数据采集的位置。 每位关岛参与者可获得50枚虚拟硬币，用于放置在其认定的优先网格单元中；每位北马里亚纳群岛联邦参与者可获得110枚硬币，并被要求将更多硬币放置在优先级更高的网格单元中。每位参与者在关岛的单个网格单元中最多可放置5枚硬币，在北马里亚纳群岛联邦的单个网格单元中最多可放置11枚硬币。 参与者还需说明选择这些位置的原因：需从以下列表中选择至少1项、最多2项的管理用途：濒危物种管理（例如）、栖息地修复、监测、海岸脆弱性规划、流域管理、渔业管理、咨询与许可、应急响应以及空间保护与管理。同时，参与者还需说明优先网格单元内的数据采集需求：需从以下列表中选择至少1项、最多2项的需求类型：大型地形特征划定、硬底与软底区分、关键类群或群落的栖息地适宜性模型、底质类型划定（如沙、泥、珊瑚、岩石）、珊瑚存在/缺失或密度模型、珊瑚物种识别及其栖息环境记录、单个珊瑚个体健康状况记录。 硬币数值被汇总并制图，以识别高优先级区域、优先级成因及信息需求。本数据集包含的ESRI形状文件（ESRI shapefiles）涵盖了本次优先级划分所用的2.6平方千米网格单元及其总体硬币价值，以及按管理用途、数据产品和测绘方法分类的相关数据。其他汇总值包括参与者数量、参与小组数量、管理用途数量及数据需求数量。此外，研究团队还对微观尺度（珊瑚物种识别及其栖息环境记录、单个珊瑚个体健康状况记录）、中观尺度（底质类型划定、珊瑚存在/缺失或密度模型）及区域尺度（地形特征划定、硬底与软底区分、栖息地适宜性模型）的需求硬币数进行了汇总。数据集还包含了基于各网格单元的总硬币数、管理用途数量及在该单元投放硬币的参与小组数量进行的排名。如需了解流程与分析的完整细节，请参阅：Hile等人，2023年，待发表。