(2024). UTOPIAN Dataset - Mapping the benthic ecological state of the Reunion Island coral reef using the COral Reef Rapid Assessment Method (CORRAM). SEANOE. https://doi.org/10.17882/104728
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UTOPIAN Dataset - Mapping the benthic ecological state of the Reunion Island coral reef using the COral Reef Rapid Assessment Method (CORRAM)
As part of the UTOPIAN project, a data acquisition spanning from August 2021 to January 2025 has allowed for the evaluation of all coral reefs in Réunion. The CORRAM method (COral Reef Rapid Assessment Method) was used, which involves estimating 8 indicators of benthic community composition through circular plots (coral cover, percentage of the genus Acropora within coral communities, algal cover, opportunistic species cover, structural complexity, diameter of the coral colony, coral state of health, density of coral juveniles). More than 5,000 circular plots have been assessed through snorkeling or freediving up to 15 meters deep. From this database, the ATLAS project is underway to spatialize all this information and compile it into an Atlas of the ecological status of the coral benthic communities of Réunion.
Disciplines
Biological oceanography, Environment
Keywords
Coral reef, CORRAM, Spatilisation, Reunion Island, Benthic comunity
Location
-20.062648N, -22.112623S, 56.643997E, 54.446731W
Devices
The fieldwork took place from 7 September to 17 December 2021 at Saint-Pierre reef flat, during the interseason period, characterized by more stable environmental conditions compared to the dry and wet seasons (e.g: lower risk of heat peaks, strong swells or rainy season). To estimate the 8 BBIs, experienced operator used the CORRAM method, inspired by circular plot and visual quadrat approach. Each circular plot serves as a 100m² station, with its center marked by a weighted rope and its 5.6 m radius defined using a fiberglass tape measure. The coordinates of the center of each circular plot were recorded using a Garmin 76© GPS. The sampling plan is stratified with a distance of 50m between circular plot.
A preliminary tour of the station was conducted to gain on overall view. The benthic organisms cover indicators were first estimated. The sum of these percentages could exceed 100% due to the three-dimensional structure of the reef. The structural complexity and the mean diameter of coral colonies were then estimated. Coral state of health was estimated separately because of its qualitative nature (score between 0 and 3). Finally, juvenile corals density was estimated using four randomly placed quadrats of 50×50cm. Unidentified organisms were photographed for later identification. The estimation of the 8 BBIs took about 3 to 5 minutes per station.
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