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Performance of the Line-intercept Transect in the Coral Reef Habitat: Accuracy, Precision, Errors and Their Control William Ritchie Allison Department of Zoology University of Toronto A Thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in the University of Toronto Say what some poets will, Nature is not so much her own ever-sweet interpreter as the mere supplier of that cunning alphabet, whereby selecting and combining as he pleases, each man reads his own peculiar lesson according to his own peculiar mind and mood. Herman Melville, 1 852. Pierre, or the Ambiguities ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my supervisors, Harold Harvey and Donald Jackson for their encouragement and advice. Harold's financial assistance for expendables was much appreciated as was the half tuition fees kindly awarded by the Zoology Department for the fuial semester. Thanks to the examining cornmittee (Jyri Paloheimo, Harold Harvey, Don Jackson, Bnan Shuter) for making the defense a rewarding experience. Jyri Paloheimo and Don Jackson were especially helpfùl witb various statistical nuances encountered in the never-ending analysis stage of the thesis. Malcolm Telford supplied the digitizing equipment which 1 made much use of, and he and Jon Stone provided many stimulating conversations in the early days. before 1 began my earnest pursuit of the completion horizon and dropped out of social sight. The Zoology Department staff were helpful in many ways, for which I thank hem. My fellow students were supportive (and entertaining), espccially those CO- inhabiting the crypts of 406 (Kristy Ciruna, Kasia Bobnynska, Grant Hurlburt. Andrew Elia) whose coopenitive ways rnaintained the peace and tranquility necessary for effective work and power napping. Megume Fuse was a welcome purveyor of nowishment to xlected troglodytes in that revolving-door realm. Of the Botany crew, Heather Peat was of invaluable assistance with art, editorial advice and, when the cruches came, logistical assistance. Estair Leveque deserves special mention for nomenclatural reasons. The field work was assisted by many people in various ways: Thanks to Susan Clark, the nsident manager of the University of Newcastle-on-Tyne's mf rehabilitation project, for permission to use, and fiquent transportation to, the Galifani artificial mf site. The work at that site wodd not have ken possible without this assistance. The late Daniel Willis is to be remembered for his kind diving support in many surveys. Jcsper Magnussen participated in the Villingili tests, for which SEA Exploms Associates provideâ logistical support. The fmdings of this research were applied in a reef monitoring training course delivered in Zanzibar. 1 am grateful to both the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), who funded the course. and LGL Limiteâ, the project managers, for the oppomuiity to include some of the data hm that course herein. Some of the Maldives data was acquired in my spare tirne while 1 was on-site manager for an International Centre for Ocean Development reef monitoring project in Maldives. These data are independent of that project. Mary P. Winsor and Harold Harvey wen important influenccs in rny decision to expose myself to another treatment of higher education. 1 thank them for their enthusiasm and support throughout the enterprise. 1 am also indebted to M. P. Winsor, James Breeze. Richard Pentney and my parents for support and the more than occasional roof over my head and meal in my belly. Special thanks to my wife, Husna Razee. for her support. understanding and tolerance of my extended absences, both abroad and in the field. Performance of the Line-intercept Transect in the Coral Reef Habitat: Accuracy and Precision, Errors and Their Control An abstract of a thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, Graduate Department of Zoology, in the University of Toronto William Ritchie Allison, 1997 ABSTRACT The dominant coral reef survey method, the line-intercept transect (LIT), was imported from terrestrial plant ecology in 197 1 to solve survey problems, especially on the reef slope. Results of the few field tests conducted are mixed and vaguely described methods cannot be replicated. This thesis aims to: define the most commonly used LIT protocols; elucidate problems and possible correctives: explore error sources and their control. Methods: authors of works testing or applying the LIT were surveyed: the dominant LIT protocol and an alternative were field tested. Accuracy was assessed using dgitired and geometric model area estimates of every coral on one site. The thesis argues that: Parallax effects. and attempts to overcome them, constitute the major threats to LIT validity. The problem increases as topographic relief increases and is greatest on the reef slope. Thc dominant protocol produces data of very low precision and uncertain meaning. The alternative allows lowr cost. high precision estimates of vertically projected cover, repeatable for particular colonies. and can therefore provide some insight into mosaic recycling as well as community change. Variation in reef topographic relief remains a major obstacle and must be carefully faaored into all inter-site comparisons. Topographic character as a stratifylag criterion in sampling programs may mitigate the problem for comparisons across similar strata. depending on information needs and budgetary constraints. Two page summary included. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS............................................................................................................... i ... ABSTRACT.................................................................................................................................. ill TABLE OF CONTENTS.............................................................................................................. iv INDEX OF TABLES..................................................................................................................... vi INDEX OF FIGURES.................................................................................................................... x 1. INTRODUCTION. ...................................................................................................................... 1 2. GENERAL METHODS ........................................................................................................... 11 STUDY LOCATIONS AND LINE-INTERCEPT TRANSECT DESCRIPTION .................... 11 EVALUATION CRITERIA ................................................................................................... 15 SOURCES OF VARIATION .................................................................................................. 17 CONTROLLING EXTRANEOUS VARIATION ................................................................. 17 INSTRUCTIONS FOR TRANSECTORS............................................................................... 17 DEmONS....................................................................................................................... 19 3. NATURE AND SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM........................................................................ 29 3 . 1 . INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 29 3 . 2 . APPROACHES ......................................................................................................................29 3 . 2.1. LITERATURE REHEW ................................................................................................ 32 3. 2.2. QUESTIONNAIRE .........................................................................................................32 3 . 2.3. SIMULA l?ONSS.............................................................................................................. 33 3 . 2.3.1. Deployments Simulation.......................................................................................................... 33 3 . 2.3.2. Weinberg Simulation............. .. ...........................................................................................33 3 . 3. DISCUSSION ...............................................................................................................34 . 3. 3.1. PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSIDER4TIONS ................................................................... 36 3. 3.2. TERRESTRL4L LJTERATUREREKlEW ......................................................................... 36 3. 3.3. CORAL REEF SURFZY LITERATURE ...................................................................... 50 3 . 3.3.1. Protocol Descriptions ............................................................................................................ -52 3. 3.3.2. Evaluation Literature............................................................................................................