One, 25-m line transect was surveyed at 50-cm intervals as part of the Rapid Ecological Assessment conducted at 9 sites at Lisianski Island in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands in October, 2004 from the NOAA vessel Hi'ialakai (HI04-01). Raw survey data included percent live coral cover. Following the line-interspect survey, a 6m-wide transect, placed along the previously laid 25-m line was examined for the prevalence of coral disease.

One, 25-m line transect was surveyed at 50-cm intervals as part of the Rapid Ecological Assessment conducted at 14 sites at Pearl and Hermes Reef in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands in September, 2004 from the NOAA vessel Hi'ialakai (HI04-01). Raw survey data included percent live coral cover. Following the line-interspect survey, a 6m-wide transect, placed along the previously laid 25-m line was examined for the prevalence of coral disease.

One, 25-m line transect was surveyed at 50-cm intervals as part of the Rapid Ecological Assessment conducted at 9 sites at Midway Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands in October, 2004 from the NOAA vessel Hi'ialakai (HI04-01). Raw survey data included percent live coral cover. Following the line-interspect survey, a 6m-wide transect, placed along the previously laid 25-m line was examined for the prevalence of coral disease.

One, 25-m line transect was surveyed at 50-cm intervals as part of the Rapid Ecological Assessment conducted at 3 sites at Gardner Pinnacles in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands in September, 2004 from the NOAA vessel Hi'ialakai (HI04-01). Raw survey data included percent live coral cover. Following the line-interspect survey, a 6m-wide transect, placed along the previously laid 25-m line was examined for the prevalence of coral disease.

One, 25-m line transect was surveyed at 50-cm intervals as part of the Rapid Ecological Assessment conducted at 9 sites at Maro Reef in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands in September, 2004 from the NOAA vessel Hi'ialakai (HI04-01). Raw survey data included percent live coral cover. Following the line-interspect survey, a 6m-wide transect, placed along the previously laid 25-m line was examined for the prevalence of coral disease.

One, 25-m line transect was surveyed at 50-cm intervals as part of the Rapid Ecological Assessment conducted at 9 sites at Kure Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands in October, 2004 from the NOAA vessel Hi'ialakai (HI04-01). Raw survey data included percent live coral cover. Following the line-interspect survey, a 6m-wide transect, placed along the previously laid 25-m line was examined for the prevalence of coral disease.

Coral health and disease assessments were conducted along 2 consecutively placed 25-m transects, as part of Rapid Ecological Assessments conducted at 3 sites at Laysan Island in the NW Hawaiian Islands during 1 September - 4 October 2006, aboard the NOAA Hi'ialakai Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) Cruise HI0611. Within an area of 1-3m on each side of both transect lines, each colony was inspected and every diseased/afflicted coral enumerated and identified to the lowest taxonomic level. For each affected coral the following information was recorded: colony size, type of affliction, area affected, percent live/dead, and severity of the affliction (mild = 1-10%, moderate = 11-25%, marked = 26-50%, severe = 51-75%, acute = 76-100%). Coral afflictions were classified into one of six general categories (following Willis et al., 2004) including: bleaching, tissue loss, black band disease, skeletal growth anomaly, predation, and other lesions. This latter category included algal overgrowth, as well as unidentified syndromes causing deterioration of scleractinian corals. Tissue samples of selected cases were procured for histopathological analyses. These data provide the basis for computing quantitative estimates of disease incidence and prevalence. Samples and photographs provide aid in further disease characterization and description. Histological tissue samples are traditionally fixed in a formaldehyde solution prior to preparation for processing and analysis.

Coral health and disease assessments were conducted along 2 consecutively placed 25-m transects, as part of Rapid Ecological Assessments conducted at 13 sites at Pearl and Hermes Atoll in the NW Hawaiian Islands during 1 September - 4 October 2006, aboard the NOAA Hi'ialakai Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) Cruise HI0611. Within an area of 1-3m on each side of both transect lines, each colony was inspected and every diseased/afflicted coral enumerated and identified to the lowest taxonomic level. For each affected coral the following information was recorded: colony size, type of affliction, area affected, percent live/dead, and severity of the affliction (mild = 1-10%, moderate = 11-25%, marked = 26-50%, severe = 51-75%, acute = 76-100%). Coral afflictions were classified into one of six general categories (following Willis et al., 2004) including: bleaching, tissue loss, black band disease, skeletal growth anomaly, predation, and other lesions. This latter category included algal overgrowth, as well as unidentified syndromes causing deterioration of scleractinian corals. Tissue samples of selected cases were procured for histopathological analyses. These data provide the basis for computing quantitative estimates of disease incidence and prevalence. Samples and photographs provide aid in further disease characterization and description. Histological tissue samples are traditionally fixed in a formaldehyde solution prior to preparation for processing and analysis.

Coral health and disease assessments were conducted along 2 consecutively placed 25-m transects, as part of Rapid Ecological Assessments conducted at 10 sites at French Frigate Shoals in the NW Hawaiian Islands during 1 September - 4 October 2006, aboard the NOAA Hi'ialakai Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) Cruise HI0611. Within an area of 1-3m on each side of both transect lines, each colony was inspected and every diseased/afflicted coral enumerated and identified to the lowest taxonomic level. For each affected coral the following information was recorded: colony size, type of affliction, area affected, percent live/dead, and severity of the affliction (mild = 1-10%, moderate = 11-25%, marked = 26-50%, severe = 51-75%, acute = 76-100%). Coral afflictions were classified into one of six general categories (following Willis et al., 2004) including: bleaching, tissue loss, black band disease, skeletal growth anomaly, predation, and other lesions. This latter category included algal overgrowth, as well as unidentified syndromes causing deterioration of scleractinian corals. Tissue samples of selected cases were procured for histopathological analyses. These data provide the basis for computing quantitative estimates of disease incidence and prevalence. Samples and photographs provide aid in further disease characterization and description. Histological tissue samples are traditionally fixed in a formaldehyde solution prior to preparation for processing and analysis.

Belt transects along 2 consecutively-placed, 25m transect lines were surveyed at 50-cm intervals as part of Rapid Ecological Assessments conducted at 12 sites at Kauai Island in the Main Hawaiian Islands in July, 2005 from the NOAA vessel Hi'ialakai (HI05-05). Raw survey data included percent cover of benthic parameters, including live coral, carbonate pavement, sand, coral rubble, fleshy macroalgae, and crustose coralline algae. In addition, an area of 6x25 m along each transect was surveyed for prevalence of coral disease.