A survey of coral communities was carried out in the American Samoa Archipelago to assess the current status of coral reefs and provide a rigorous quantitative baseline dataset for future monitoring of these reefs. Five replicate belt transects were used to estimate the size structure, density and percent cover of corals at 29 locations around Tutuila and Manu'a Islands during October and November, 1995. Data are in .xls and .csv format with associated document files

A re-survey of coral communities in the American Samoa Archipelago covering the island of Tutuila and the Manu'a Group of islands (Ofu, Olosega, and Tau), was carried out during March 2002. All surveyed sites in 2002 were restricted to the 10m deep slope habitat only. The 1995 baseline survey utilized a larger sample size (belt width) within replicate transects, that could not be duplicated in the allocated time for the present survey due to the significant increase in colony densities. The same number of belt transects (5 per site) was used in both surveys for the Manu'a Group sites, but the number of transects per site was reduced to 3 per site on Tutuila. Consequently, sample unit size per site was 50% to 70% of the area sampled in 1995. Data were analyzed to investigate changes in coral colony size structure, cover, and density, and to interpret community dynamics. The variation in sample effort between surveys and to a less extent, among sites in 2002, meant that pooled analyses were limited, so descriptive and statistical tools were used to interpret community dynamics during the period between the two surveys. Threats and disturbances were also interpreted from features of the coral community dynamics, which included the impacts (and current extent) of coral bleaching as well as crown of thorns starfish infestations.

In 2010 the village of Fagamalo, Tutuila, American Samoa, designated a no-take Marine Protected Area that sees the protection of 2.25 square kilometers of ocean. Because little is known regarding the status of living marine communities in the area, and at the request of the American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources, NOAA scientists conducted surveys to assess the status of the benthic communities and establish a baseline against which to compare temporal change. The tabular data described here were collected via belt transect surveys of coral demography (adult and juvenile corals) by the NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program (CREP) according to protocols established by the NOAA National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP). In 2015 data were collected at 18 stratified randomly selected sites. These data include: 1) an assessment of coral colony density and size-class distribution for the selected monitoring sites; 2) an assessment of coral recruitment at the monitoring sites; and 3) an evaluation of coral colony condition, including mortality, disease, and bleaching. These data can be accessed online via the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) Ocean Archive. Additionally, photoquadrat benthic images were also collected (documented and archived separately).

Transects of the coral colonies at 21 sites in American Samoa were surveyed by Dr. Charles Birkeland during an underwater swim in March 2002. Data for each coral species include abundances and size distributions of the colonies. The living coral cover can be estimated from the size distribution data. Data were collected by the US DOI; Geological Survey - Honolulu in support of the Coral Reef Studies.

Six permanent transects in Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary, American Samoa, and 11 other sites around Tutuila Island were established in 1985. This dataset contains coral reef surveys taken in 1995 and 1998 along these established transect lines. Data were taken on 30-m transects along isobaths on the reef platform and at depths of 3, 5, 9, and 12 m. Data on algae, fish, and macroinvertebrates were also collected by other investigators, but are not included with this data set. Data includes coral species, size distribution of colonies, frequency, density per 100m2, relative density, percent cover and relative cover.