More than being a mere indicator of quantity, a coral reef's biotic index further doubles as a benchmark of its overall state of well-being. The research process also includes taking a census of the fish and invertebrate species within five meters on both sides of the transect line.
而珊瑚礁指標生物的多寡，更是衡量珊瑚健康狀況的標準，調查時要記錄橫截線兩側 5 公尺帶狀範圍中，指標魚類和無脊椎動物的數量。