[Coral-List] History of sampling methods for marine benthos

[Alexis Bonfire]

Dear Coral-List,
 
I am writing a paper on the evolution of methods for sampling the freshwater and marine benthos. The first recorded use of transects that I have encountered for marine ecosystems is that of Fishelson's 1966 survey of the coral reef of the northern Red Sea (reported in Fishelson, L. (1973) Ecology of coral reefs in the Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea) influenced by pollution. Oecologia 12: 55–67). Is anybody aware of an earlier use of transects in coral reefs or other marine ecosystems?
 
Thank you.
Al Jones