The Line Intercept Transect method (LIT) was used to survey benthic cover on Caribbean and western Atlantic reefs in 7 countries. Surveys were carried out in Belize (Carrie Bow Cay), Jamaica (Discovery Bay), USA (Key Largo - French Reef), Bahamas (Exuma Cays - Lee Stocking Island), Puerto Rico (Cayo Enrique, Media Luna), US Virgin Islands (Saint Croix - Buck Island, Tague Bay, Salt River Canyon) and Barbados (West). Data were generally collected along 20 m long transects, though some transects were extended to 30 m and others truncated due to time constraints or local conditions. At Carrie Bow Cay, surveys were carried out at depths of 10, 15 and 20 m. At all other locations depths of 10 and 20 m were surveyed, where possible. Duplicate or triplicate transects were laid out along the depth profile at each depth surveyed. Line intercept data were recorded using 'lifeform' categories that were developed during the ASEAN-Australia Living Coastal Resources programme from the mid-1980s. Categories allocated to benthos included: ACB - branching Acropora; CB - branching non-Acropora (which included Millepora spp.); CM - coral massive; CE - coral encrusting; CS - coral submassive; CF - coral foliose; SPM - sponge massive; SPC - sponge columnar; SPF - sponge foliose; and SPE - sponge encrusting.
This research was undertaken to describe benthic cover on Caribbean Reefs.
In most cases data were collected in the vicinity of transects used for sponge species distribution and biomass surveys carried out by Dr Wilkinson at the same time.
