Repeat transect surveys were conducted at Jarvis during the height of the bleaching event (November 2015), at six months (May 2016), and again at sixteen months (April 2017) post-bleaching. Three 50 m surveyed at each of three depths (shallow: 5-14 m, mid-depth: 15-19 m, and deep: 20-25 m) on the west (all depths: 0.369 ºS, 160.008 ºW) and east sides (shallow: 0.374 ºS, 159.983 ºW, mid and deep: 0.367 ºS, 159.979 ºW) of the island. Each replicate 50 m transect was laid approximately 5 m apart in the cross-shore direction, and a photograph of a 0.5m x 0.5m quadrat taken every meter.
Percent coral cover which was collected from photographic surveys on the east and west side of Jarvis Island, aboard:
- NOAA ship Hi’ialakai (2–5 April 2017),
- R/V Machias (12–15 November 2015)
- NOAA ship Oscar Elton Sette (17–23 May 2016)
Research activities and sample collection were conducted under U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Reefs National Wildlife Refuge Complex Research and Monitoring Special Use Permits:
- 12521-10001 (effective date: 15 Jan 2010; expiration date: 30 May 2010),
- 12521-12001 (effective date: 7 Feb 2012; expiration date: 31 Dec 2012),
- 12521-12005 (effective date: 29 Aug 2012; expiration date: 30 June 2014),
- 12521-14001 (effective date: 1 Jan 2015; expiration date: 31 Dec 2015), and
- 12513-15001 (effective date: 11 Nov 2015; expiration date: 31 Dec 2015)
and in compliance with Presidential Proclamation 8336.