National Coral Reef Monitoring Program: Calcification rates of crustose coralline algae derived from calcification accretion Units (CAUs) deployed across the Mariana Archipelago

The calcification rate data in this collection are from Calcification Accretion Units (CAUs) that have been retrieved and replaced at existing, long-term monitoring sites during NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) led NCRMP missions, in accordance with protocols developed by Price et al. 2012. There are typically (but not always) five CAU sites established at each location CREP visits, with five units deployed at each site.

This study provides information about spatial patterns of algal calcification and accretion rates and serves as a basis for detecting changes associated with changing seawater chemistry due to ocean acidification. In conjunction with benthic community composition data (archived separately), the calcification rates will aid in determining the magnitude of how ocean acidification affects coral reefs in the natural environment.

本数据集的钙化速率数据源自钙化堆积单元（Calcification Accretion Units, CAUs）。这些单元是在美国国家海洋和大气管理局（National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA）太平洋岛屿渔业科学中心（Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, PIFSC）珊瑚礁生态系统项目（Coral Reef Ecosystem Program, CREP）主导的国家珊瑚礁监测计划（National Coral Reef Monitoring Program, NCRMP）任务中，于现有长期监测站点回收并重新部署的，所有操作均严格遵循Price等人2012年制定的实验规程。CREP每次到访的监测点位通常（但并非全部）会设置5个CAU监测站点，每个站点部署5个CAU单元。

本数据集提供了藻类钙化速率与堆积速率的空间分布模式相关信息，可为检测海洋酸化引发的海水化学变化所导致的相关改变提供研究基础。结合另行归档的底栖生物群落组成数据，该钙化速率数据将有助于量化海洋酸化对自然环境中珊瑚礁的影响程度。