title: Regional status assessment of stony corals in the US Virgin Islands.
abstract: States may protect coral reefs using biological water quality standards outlined by the Clean Water Act. This requires biological assessments with indicators sensitive to human disturbance and regional, probability-based survey designs. Stony coral condition was characterized on a regional scale for the first time in the nearshore waters of the US Virgin Islands (USVI). Coral composition, abundance, size, and health were assessed at 66 stations in the St. Croix region in fall 2007 and at 63 stations in the St. Thomas and St. John region in winter 2009. Indicators were chosen for their sensitivity to human disturbance. Both surveys were probability-based (random) designs with station locations preselected from areas covered by hardbottom and coral reef substrate. Taxa richness was as high as 21 species but more than half the area of both regions exhibited taxa richness of <10 species in the 25 m(2) transect area. Coral density was as high as 5 colonies m(-2) but more than half the area of both regions had <2 colonies m(-2). Both regions showed similar dominant species based on frequency of occurrence and relative abundance. Because of large colony sizes, Montastrea annularis provided more total surface area and live surface area than more abundant species. The surveys establish baseline regional conditions and provide a foundation for long-term regional monitoring envisioned by the USVI Department of Planning and Natural Resources. The probabilistic sampling design assures the data can be used in Clean Water Act reporting.
authors: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Gulf Ecology Division, 1 Sabine Island Drive, Gulf Breeze, FL, 32561, USA, fisher.william@epa.gov.
authors: William S
authors: WS
authors: Fisher
authors: Leska S
authors: LS
authors: Fore
authors: Leah M
authors: LM
authors: Oliver
authors: Charles
authors: C
authors: Lobue
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Quarles
authors: Jed
authors: J
authors: Campbell
authors: Peggy
authors: P
authors: Harris
authors: Becky
authors: B
authors: Hemmer
authors: Sherry
authors: S
authors: Vickery
authors: Mel
authors: M
authors: Parsons
authors: Aaron
authors: A
authors: Hutchins
authors: Kent
authors: K
authors: Bernier
authors: Danny
authors: D
authors: Rodriguez
authors: Patricia
authors: P
authors: Bradley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D057894:Coral Reefs; D003625:Data Collection; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062312:Islands; D012621:Seasons; D014767:United States Virgin Islands; D060753:Water Quality