Optimization Of Coral Video Transect Technique For Coral Reef Survey: Comparison With Intercept Transect Technique

Abstract

Variety in video sampling protocol for coral reef survey in many countries has prompted this study to create an optimised protocol for Coral Video Transect (CVT) technique. In this study, CVT technique was evaluated at Bidong and Redang Island, Terengganu. The aims of study was to optimise CVT technique for reef surveys and the results of optimized CVT was compared to those conventional Line Intercept Transect (LIT) technique. The effect of different vertical distance of camera above the substrate during video recording (1.0m, 0.5m and 0.2m), number of frames (20%, 30%, 50%, 80% and 100% frames extracted from 20m transect) and points analyzed (5, 10, 20, 30, 50, 75, 100, 150, and 300 points per frame) during Coral Point Count with Excel Extension (CPCe) analysis as well as time spent for fieldwork and analysis were examined to decide the best approach to conduct CVT technique at different coral reef conditions (good, moderate and poor reef condition).