This study developed species distribution models (SDMs) of the 6 dominant Hawaiian coral species (Montipora capitata, Montipora flabellata, Montipora patula, Pocillopora meandrina, Porites compressa, and Porites lobata) around the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI). To construct the SDMs, we used boosted regression tree (BRT) models to investigate relationships between the abundance (i.e. benthic cover) of each species with a set of environmental variables for the time period from 2000 to 2009. Mean significant wave height and maximum significant wave height were the most influential variables explaining coral abundance in the Hawaiian Islands. The BRT models also identified relationships between coral cover and island age, depth, downwelled irradiance, rugosity, slope, and aspect. The rank order of coral abundance (from highest to lowest) for the MHI was Porites lobata, M. patula, Pocillopora meandrina, M. capitata, Porites compressa, and M. flabellata. Mean coral cover predicted for each species was relatively low (≤5%) at each island and for the entire MHI except for Porites lobata around Hawaii (11%). The areas of highest predicted coral cover summed for the 6 species were Kaneohe Bay on Oahu; the wave-sheltered reefs of Molokai, Lanai, Maui, and Kahoolawe; and the Kohala coast of Hawaii. Regional-scale characterizations of coral species from these SDMs provide a framework for spatially explicit population modeling and ecological inputs to marine spatial planning of Hawaiian coral reef ecosystems.
Predicted benthic cover of Montipora capitata in the Hawaiian Islands
The data files are output from a model to predict the benthic cover of Montipora capitata in the Hawaiian Islands. Coral cover was modeled with boosted regression trees (BRT) in R software using data from coral cover surveys and environmental covariates derived from models and/or observations including wave height, benthic geomorphology, and downwelled irradiance. The best performing BRT model was used to predict M. capitata cover for the entire geographic study domain. Data and model output represent conditions for shallow coral reefs in the Hawaiian Islands from 0 m to -30 m depth over the time period 2000-2009.
The "mhi_mcap.zip" file contains two files: an ascii raster grid file of predicted benthic cover of the coral species Montipora capitata as a proportion (0-1.0) (“mhi_mcap.asc”) and a projection file that describes the geographic projection and datum of the ascii file (“mhi_cap.prj”). The ascii file includes a six line header section with data in 10,940 columns (“ncols”) and 6,841 rows (“nrows”) georegistered to 18.88N, 160.27W at the lower left corner of the grid (“xllcorner”, “yllcorner”). Grid cell size is 0.0005 (which approximates a 50 m grid cell in the study area) and no data values are -9999. Further details on methodology and results are contained in Franklin et al. (2013) Predictive modeling of coral distribution and abundance in the Hawaiian Islands. MEPS 481:121-131.
mhi_mcap.zip
Predicted benthic cover of Monitipora flabellata in the Hawaiian Islands
The data files are output from a model to predict the benthic cover of Montipora flabellata in the Hawaiian Islands. Coral cover was modeled with boosted regression trees (BRT) in R software using data from coral cover surveys and environmental covariates derived from models and/or observations including wave height, benthic geomorphology, and downwelled irradiance. The best performing BRT model was used to predict M. flabellata cover for the entire geographic study domain. Data and model output represent conditions for shallow coral reefs in the Hawaiian Islands from 0 m to -30 m depth over the time period 2000-2009.
The "mhi_mfla.zip" file contains two files: an ascii raster grid file of predicted benthic cover of the coral species Montipora flabellata as a proportion (0-1.0) (“mhi_mfla.asc”) and a projection file that describes the geographic projection and datum of the ascii file (“mhi_fla.prj”). The ascii file includes a six line header section with data in 10,940 columns (“ncols”) and 6,841 rows (“nrows”) georegistered to 18.88N, 160.27W at the lower left corner of the grid (“xllcorner”, “yllcorner”). Grid cell size is 0.0005 (which approximates a 50 m grid cell in the study area) and no data values are -9999. Further details on methodology and results are contained in Franklin et al. (2013) Predictive modeling of coral distribution and abundance in the Hawaiian Islands. MEPS 481:121-131.
mhi_mfla.zip
Predicted benthic cover of Montipora patula in the Hawaiian Islands
The data files are output from a model to predict the benthic cover of Montipora patula in the Hawaiian Islands. Coral cover was modeled with boosted regression trees (BRT) in R software using data from coral cover surveys and environmental covariates derived from models and/or observations including wave height, benthic geomorphology, and downwelled irradiance. The best performing BRT model was used to predict M. patula cover for the entire geographic study domain. Data and model output represent conditions for shallow coral reefs in the Hawaiian Islands from 0 m to -30 m depth over the time period 2000-2009.
The "mhi_mpat.zip" file contains two files: an ascii raster grid file of predicted benthic cover of the coral species Montipora patula as a proportion (0-1.0) (“mhi_mpat.asc”) and a projection file that describes the geographic projection and datum of the ascii file (“mhi_mpat.prj”). The ascii file includes a six line header section with data in 10,940 columns (“ncols”) and 6,841 rows (“nrows”) georegistered to 18.88N, 160.27W at the lower left corner of the grid (“xllcorner”, “yllcorner”). Grid cell size is 0.0005 (which approximates a 50 m grid cell in the study area) and no data values are -9999. Further details on methodology and results are contained in Franklin et al. (2013) Predictive modeling of coral distribution and abundance in the Hawaiian Islands. MEPS 481:121-131.
mhi_mpat.zip
Predicted benthic cover of Porites compressa in the Hawaiian Islands
The data files are output from a model to predict the benthic cover of Porites compressa in the Hawaiian Islands. Coral cover was modeled with boosted regression trees (BRT) in R software using data from coral cover surveys and environmental covariates derived from models and/or observations including wave height, benthic geomorphology, and downwelled irradiance. The best performing BRT model was used to predict P. compressa cover for the entire geographic study domain. Data and model output represent conditions for shallow coral reefs in the Hawaiian Islands from 0 m to -30 m depth over the time period 2000-2009.
The "mhi_pcom.zip" file contains two files: an ascii raster grid file of predicted benthic cover of the coral species Porites compressa as a proportion (0-1.0) (“mhi_ pcom.asc”) and a projection file that describes the geographic projection and datum of the ascii file (“mhi_ pcom.prj”). The ascii file includes a six line header section with data in 10,940 columns (“ncols”) and 6,841 rows (“nrows”) georegistered to 18.88N, 160.27W at the lower left corner of the grid (“xllcorner”, “yllcorner”). Grid cell size is 0.0005 (which approximates a 50 m grid cell in the study area) and no data values are -9999. Further details on methodology and results are contained in Franklin et al. (2013) Predictive modeling of coral distribution and abundance in the Hawaiian Islands. MEPS 481:121-131.
mhi_pcom.zip
Predicted benthic cover of Porites lobata in the Hawaiian Islands
The data files are output from a model to predict the benthic cover of Porites lobata in the Hawaiian Islands. Coral cover was modeled with boosted regression trees (BRT) in R software using data from coral cover surveys and environmental covariates derived from models and/or observations including wave height, benthic geomorphology, and downwelled irradiance. The best performing BRT model was used to predict P. lobata cover for the entire geographic study domain. Data and model output represent conditions for shallow coral reefs in the Hawaiian Islands from 0 m to -30 m depth over the time period 2000-2009.
The "mhi_plob.zip" file contains two files: an ascii raster grid file of predicted benthic cover of the coral species Porites lobata as a proportion (0-1.0) (“mhi_ plob.asc”) and a projection file that describes the geographic projection and datum of the ascii file (“mhi_ plob.prj”). The ascii file includes a six line header section with data in 10,940 columns (“ncols”) and 6,841 rows (“nrows”) georegistered to 18.88N, 160.27W at the lower left corner of the grid (“xllcorner”, “yllcorner”). Grid cell size is 0.0005 (which approximates a 50 m grid cell in the study area) and no data values are -9999. Further details on methodology and results are contained in Franklin et al. (2013) Predictive modeling of coral distribution and abundance in the Hawaiian Islands. MEPS 481:121-131.
mhi_plob.zip
Predicted benthic cover of Pocillopora meandrina in the Hawaiian Islands
The data files are output from a model to predict the benthic cover of Pocillopora meandrina in the Hawaiian Islands. Coral cover was modeled with boosted regression trees (BRT) in R software using data from coral cover surveys and environmental covariates derived from models and/or observations including wave height, benthic geomorphology, and downwelled irradiance. The best performing BRT model was used to predict P. meandrina cover for the entire geographic study domain. Data and model output represent conditions for shallow coral reefs in the Hawaiian Islands from 0 m to -30 m depth over the time period 2000-2009.
The "mhi_pmea.zip" file contains two files: an ascii raster grid file of predicted benthic cover of the coral species Pocillopora meandrina as a proportion (0-1.0) (“mhi_ pmea.asc”) and a projection file that describes the geographic projection and datum of the ascii file (“mhi_ pmea.prj”). The ascii file includes a six line header section with data in 10,940 columns (“ncols”) and 6,841 rows (“nrows”) georegistered to 18.88N, 160.27W at the lower left corner of the grid (“xllcorner”, “yllcorner”). Grid cell size is 0.0005 (which approximates a 50 m grid cell in the study area) and no data values are -9999. Further details on methodology and results are contained in Franklin et al. (2013) Predictive modeling of coral distribution and abundance in the Hawaiian Islands. MEPS 481:121-131.
mhi_pmea.zip
