Shallow water benthic community surveys of the coral reefs of Vanuatu

Surveys of benthic composition and reef condition were conducted at 139 sites in 35 locations in Vanuatu in 1988.

Survey sites were located in the vicinity of the following islands and reefs: Aneityum, Tanna, Erromango, Efate and offshore islands, Cook's Reef, Epi, Paama, Lopevi, Malakula and offshore islands, Pentecost, Santo and offshore islands, Gaua, Reef Islands and Ureparapara.

Sites were surveyed on snorkel and surveys were limited to shallow reef areas, covering a range of habitats. Each survey was of 15 to 20 minutes duration and covered an area of around 100 sqm.

At each site lists of corals and and other large sessile benthos were compiled. Each taxa was assigned an importance value based on the relative contribution to total benthic cover.

Data collected to describe reef condition included estimates of percent cover of living and dead standing hard coral, soft coral, seagrass and macroalgae. Where possible the cause of coral death or damage was recorded.

Additional site information included substrate type, slope and maximum and minimum depth as well as details of the aerial photograph which includes each site.