Pacific Islands Network Benthic Marine Community Monitoring Protocol: Version 2.0 (Natural Resource Report NPS/PACN/NRR?2011/339)

The benthic marine community in the Pacific Island Network (PACN) is a complex ecologic system and a diverse taxonomic environment, including algae and corals and other invertebrates. Reef-building corals are the primary architectural organism and are sensitive to environmental degradation; therefore, they are a good indicator of overall health for nearshore park’s marine ecosystems. The benthic marine protocol will be implemented initially in four parks: Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park (KAHO), Kalaupapa National Historical Park (KALA), National Park of American Samoa (NPSA), and War in the Pacific National Historical Park (WAPA). The protocol addresses two monitoring questions: 1) what are the changes over time in the composition (e.g., species or assemblage) and physical structure (rugosity) of the coral reef benthos? And, 2) what are the changes over time in settlement, growth, survival, and health of target coral assemblages, species, or individuals? The first monitoring question has two objectives.