NMFS-OSI/noaa-pacific-benthic-cover-t1

Dataset Card for NOAA Pacific Benthic Image Classification Dataset Tier 1(Broad)

Dataset Details

Dataset Description

This dataset contains benthic reef image crops for Tier-1 coral reef classification, built from CoralNet-derived annotations associated with NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) monitoring programs.

Images are 224×224 crops associated with one label per crop and split into train/validation/test. Metadata supports both direct cloud URL access and Hugging Face datasets streaming workflows.

• License: Public Domain (NOAA Open Data)
• Shared by: NOAA Open Data
• Curated by: Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD) | Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC)
• Image Size: 224 x 224 pixels (patch-based)

Dataset Sources

• Cloud Repository: Public Google Cloud Storage source bucket path: gs://nmfs_odp_pifsc/PIFSC/ESD/ARP/pifsc-ai-data-repository/coralnet_mirror/pacific_t1_splits

Dataset Structure

The dataset is split into:

• train: 180,087
• validation: 38,589
• test: 38,589

Total: 257,265 image crops.

Features (Parquet/HF metadata)

• image_url: HTTPS object URL in public GCS
• gcs_uri: canonical gs:// URI
• label: integer class index
• label_name: class short code
• label_desc: class description
• file_name: image file basename
• split: train/val/test marker

Classes

• 0 = CCA (Coralline Alga)
• 1 = CORAL (Coral)
• 2 = I (Sessile Invertebrate)
• 3 = MA (Macroalga)
• 4 = MF (Mobile Fauna)
• 5 = SC (Soft Coral)
• 6 = SED (Sediment)
• 7 = TURF (Turf Alga)

Uses

Direct Use

Suitable uses:

• Training/evaluating broad benthic cover classifiers (Tier-1)
• Transfer learning for coral-reef benthic imagery
• Benchmarking class-imbalance handling methods
• Building marine habitat monitoring model baselines

Out-of-Scope Use

• Species-level ecological inference (dataset is Tier-1 broad classes)
• Regulatory or policy decisions without domain expert review
• Habitat trend inference without survey design/statistical context
• Identification or any application not releated to benthic habitats

Dataset Creation

Curation Rationale

Goal: provide a reusable machine-learning-ready Tier-1 classification dataset aligned with NCRMP/PIFSC benthic image workflows, with cloud-native hosting and reproducible splits for model development.

Source Data(See Below)

Source records and context are drawn from NOAA InPort metadata for:

• Stratified Random Survey (StRS) benthic images and annotated benthic cover products
• Climate-station/fixed site benthic images and annotated benthic cover products

Data Collection and Processing

High-level workflow:

1. Photoquadrat surveys collected by divers under NCRMP methods.
2. Benthic images annotated using CPCe (historically) and CoralNet (more recent periods).
3. Tier mappings applied to convert detailed labels to Tier-1 classes.
4. Crops generated and assembled into class folders for train/val/test.
5. Metadata manifests generated for HF streaming and analysis.

Who are the source data producers?

Primary producers are NOAA PIFSC ESD teams and collaborators conducting NCRMP field missions and annotation operations in U.S. Pacific Islands regions.

Annotations

Annotation process

Annotation points were produced from benthic image analysis pipelines described in NOAA metadata. Human analysts assign benthic category labels at points, then labels are mapped into Tier levels. This dataset uses Tier-1 group labels.

Who are the annotators?

Trained NOAA/PIFSC-associated analysts and partner contributors using program SOPs and calibration/quality-control procedures described in NCRMP metadata.

Bias, Risks, and Limitations

• Geographic Bias: Data is primarily from the Pacific Region; performance may differ in other regions.
• Environmental Bias: Imagery collected under certain lighting and seasonal conditions.
• Temporal variability and differences in camera conditions across years/missions
• Label uncertainty from difficult imagery and functional-group ambiguity
• Not intended for species-level precision
• Some class imbalance and lack of data for rare classes

Recommendations

• Use class-balanced sampling or loss weighting
• Keep train/val/test separation strict to reduce leakage risk
• Validate externally on independent sites/years before deployment
• Consult expert guidance for ecological interpretation

Personal and Sensitive Information

• No personal, sensitive, or identifiable information is present.
• Images are of marine environments only.

---

Glossary

• NCRMP: National Coral Reef Monitoring Program
• PIFSC ESD: Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Ecosystem Sciences Division
• StRS: Stratified Random Survey
• Tier-1: Broad benthic functional classes

Metadata / Citation

Citation:
Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (2025). Ecosystem Sciences Division (ESD);

Related Metadata:

• Benthic cover from StRS annotations
• Benthic cover from climate-station annotations
• Benthic images from StRS Sites
• Benthic images from Fixed climate stations

Dataset Card Contact

For questions or inquiries, contact:
Michael Akridge – Michael.Akridge@noaa.gov

Disclaimer

This repository is a scientific product and is not official communication of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or the United States Department of Commerce. All NOAA project content is provided on an ‘as is’ basis and the user assumes responsibility for its use. Any claims against the Department of Commerce or Department of Commerce bureaus stemming from the use of this project will be governed by all applicable Federal law. Any reference to specific commercial products, processes, or services by service mark, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply their endorsement, recommendation or favoring by the Department of Commerce. The Department of Commerce seal and logo, or the seal and logo of a DOC bureau, shall not be used in any manner to imply endorsement of any commercial product or activity by DOC or the United States Government.