http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset/1000908
eng; USA
utf8
dataset
Highest level of data collection, from a common set of sensors or instrumentation, usually within the same research project
Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO)
Unavailable
508-289-2009
WHOI MS#36
Woods Hole
MA
02543
USA
info@bco-dmo.org
http://www.bco-dmo.org
Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm
For questions regarding this resource, please contact BCO-DMO via the email address provided.
pointOfContact
2026-06-11
ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata - Part 2: Extensions for Imagery and Gridded Data
ISO 19115-2:2009(E)
Benthic community composition from a field experiment manipulating consumer pressure and nutrient availability on a coral reef in Moorea, French Polynesia from 2018 to 2022
2026-08-25
publication
2026-08-25
revision
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI BCO-DMO)
2026-09-11
publication
https://doi.org/10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.1000908.1
Deron Burkepile
University of California-Santa Barbara
principalInvestigator
Tom C. Adam
University of California-Santa Barbara
principalInvestigator
Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO)
Unavailable
508-289-2009
WHOI MS#36
Woods Hole
MA
02543
USA
info@bco-dmo.org
http://www.bco-dmo.org
Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm
For questions regarding this resource, please contact BCO-DMO via the email address provided.
publisher
Cite this dataset as: Burkepile, D., Adam, T. C. (2026) Benthic community composition from a field experiment manipulating consumer pressure and nutrient availability on a coral reef in Moorea, French Polynesia from 2018 to 2022. Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO). (Version 1) Version Date 2026-08-25 [if applicable, indicate subset used]. doi:10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.1000908.1 [access date]
Benthic community composition 2018 to 2022 Dataset Description: Methods and Sampling: <p><strong>Experimental Setup</strong></p>
<p>In June 2018, we established a factorial experiment manipulating consumer pressure and nutrient availability in areas that mimicked disturbance from a cyclone. At 12m depth on the north shore forereef of Moorea, French Polynesia (17.47° S, 149.82° W) we established 16 ~30m<sup>2 </sup>plots. Within each plot, we then nested 4 different consumer exclosures (~1.25 m<sup>2</sup> each) with different size openings that allowed different size fishes (herbivores and corallivores, hereafter referred to as ‘consumers’) access to the benthos. The exclosure frames consisted of 0.5cm stainless steel all-thread drilled into the reef matrix and epoxied into place. These frames were then wrapped with plastic-coated, galvanized wire to create the following levels of consumer pressure: 1) Very Low (2.5cm × 2.5cm (1inx1in) openings); 2) Low (5cm × 5cm (2inx2in) openings); 3) Medium (7.5cm × 7.5cm (3inx3in) openings); 4) High (4 sides of 2.5cm × 2.5cm (1inx1in) openings but no top). Others have used a similar design to create a gradient of consumer pressure to mimic the effects of different levels of fishing (Holbrook et al. 2016, Schmitt et al. 2019). We included sides, but not tops, on the High consumer pressure treatment to control for potential artifacts on water flow, although we have shown these are minimal (Zaneveld et al<em>.</em> 2016). Exclosures were scrubbed every 12-16 weeks to remove fouling organisms.</p>
<p>Within the exclosures we effected a second treatment in order to simulate the effects of a cyclone. To do so, we removed all branching corals (mostly <em>Acropora</em> spp. and <em>Pocillopora</em> spp.) and transplanted them to other areas of the reef away from the experiment. The removal of branching corals simulated a pulse disturbance such as the cyclone that reduced coral cover to &lt; 5% on the forereefs of Moorea in 2010. Remaining patches of encrusting corals (mostly <em>Montipora</em> spp.) and mounding corals (mostly <em>Porites</em> spp.) and macroalgae (which were rare) were scrubbed with wire brushes to mimic the scouring from sediments that occurs during a large cyclone. Thus, after coral and macroalgae removal, mean coral cover in the plots was ~7% and macroalgae was ~0.5%. These treatments were called 'Disturbed' as opposed to plots where we did not remove corals that are referred to as 'Intact'.&nbsp;</p>
<p>We also included a third treatment of Ambient or Enriched nutrient conditions with each plot (which included four nested consumer exclosures) was then assigned to either Ambient or Enriched nutrient conditions. Thus, each combination of consumer pressure (Very Low, Low, Medium, High) and nutrients (Ambient or Enriched) had n=4 for replication. For the enrichment we placed 175 g of Osmocote<sup>®</sup> (19-6-12, N-P-K) slow-release garden fertilizer into 5 cm diameter PVC tubes with 10, 1 cm holes drilled into them. These tubes were wrapped in fine plastic mesh to retain the fertilizer. This method is similar to our previous work (e.g., Zaneveld et al. 2016). PVC enrichment tubes were attached to the corners of each exclosure and onto a piece of stainless steel all-thread in the center of each plot (5 enrichment tubes per exclosure). We replaced enrichment tubes every 12-16 weeks except for two periods during the COVID-19 pandemic when travel to Moorea was not possible and enrichment tubes were deployed for longer than usual before replacement (deployed from 01-30-2020 to 08-31-2020, and from 08-31-2020 to 02-08-2021). We analyzed water samples from the experimental plots to evaluate the effect of nutrient enrichment.</p>
<p>The treatments were arranged as in this example:</p>
<ul>
<li>Plot A1 was Intact (coral remained) with Ambient nutrients and contained one replicate of each of the exclosure treatments (Very Low, Low, Medium, and High consumer pressure).</li>
<li>Plot A2 was Intact (coral remained) with Enriched nutrients and contained one replicate of each of the exclosure treatments (Very Low, Low, Medium, and High consumer pressure).</li>
<li>Plot A3 was Disturbed (coral removed) with Enriched nutrients and contained one replicate of each of the exclosure treatments (Very Low, Low, Medium, and High consumer pressure).</li>
<li>Plot A4 was Disturbed (coral removed) with Ambient nutrients and contained one replicate of each of the exclosure treatments (Very Low, Low, Medium, and High consumer pressure).</li>
</ul>
<p>n=4 for each disturbance-nutrient-consumer pressure combination e.g., - Intact/Enriched/High consumer pressure; Disturbed/Ambient/Very Low consumer pressure etc.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Data Collection</strong></p>
<p>At three time points each year (April, July/August, November - except for two time points missed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, April 2020 and November 2020), we quantified benthic cover in each exclosure via point contacts on orthorectified photomosaics. Using Olympus TG cameras, we took ~64 individual photographs of each exclosure and then generated photomosaics by stitching photographs together using Agisoft Metashape software (Agisoft Metashape Professional Version 17.0). These photomosaics generate high-resolution imagery that allows identification of benthic space holders. Percent cover of benthic space holders was estimated via 225 random points per m<sup>2</sup> exclosure using CoralNet software (Beijbom et al. 2015) with the space holder underlying each of the 225 points identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible (usually genus for most macroalgae, corals, and other invertebrates). It was not possible to reliably distinguish among filamentous turf algae, bare space, and very small encrusting algae (including small CCAs and other encrusting algae) from photographs, therefore these taxa were categorized as one group. We used these data to generate percent cover estimates for each exclosure at each timepoint.&nbsp;</p>
Funding provided by NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) Award Number: OCE-2023701 Award URL: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/show-award?AWD_ID=2023701
Funding provided by NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) Award Number: OCE-2023424 Award URL: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/show-award?AWD_ID=2023424
completed
Deron Burkepile
University of California-Santa Barbara
805-893-3067
Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology
Santa Barbara
CA
93106
USA
dburkepile@ucsb.edu
pointOfContact
Tom C. Adam
University of California-Santa Barbara
805-893-7625
UCSB Marine Science Institute Bldg 520 Rm 4002 FI 4L
Santa Barbara
CA
93106
United States
thomascadam@gmail.com
pointOfContact
asNeeded
Dataset Version: 1
Unknown
Time_point
Timepoint
unitless
Block_Plot
Block
Plot
Block_Plot_Herb_TRT
Herb_TRT
Disturbance_Trt
Nutrient_Trt
Acanthastrea_spp
Acropora_spp
Amphiroa_spp
Anemone
Asparagopsis
Caulerpa_spp
CCA
Chlorodesmis
Colpomenia
Cyanobacteria
Dictyota_spp
Foliose_Lobophora
Fungiid
Galaxaura_spp
Gibsmithia
Grateloupia
Halimeda_spp
Hydroclathrus
Hypnea
Jania_spp
Leptastrea
Leptoseris
Lobophyla
Long_turf
Millepora
Montipora_spp
Padina
Pavona
Phymastraea
Pocillopora_spp
Porites_spp
Psammocora
Rubble
Sand
Sargassum
Soft_coral
Spatoglossum
Sponge
Tridacna
Turbinaria
Turf_Bare_Encrusting_Algae
Unknown_encrusting_coral
Unknown_macroalgae
Valonia_spp
Macroalgae
Coral
Olympus TG camera
consumer exclosures
theme
None, User defined
time_point
date
site
replicate
treatment
percent coverage
featureType
BCO-DMO Standard Parameters
Camera
Manual Biota Sampler
instrument
BCO-DMO Standard Instruments
otherRestrictions
otherRestrictions
Access Constraints: none. Use Constraints: Please follow guidelines at: http://www.bco-dmo.org/terms-use Distribution liability: Under no circumstances shall BCO-DMO be liable for any direct, incidental, special, consequential, indirect, or punitive damages that result from the use of, or the inability to use, the materials in this data submission. If you are dissatisfied with any materials in this data submission your sole and exclusive remedy is to discontinue use.
Collaborative Research: Tipping points in coral reefs and their associated microbiomes: interactive effects of herbivory, nutrient enrichment, and temperature
https://osprey.bco-dmo.org/project/850105
Collaborative Research: Tipping points in coral reefs and their associated microbiomes: interactive effects of herbivory, nutrient enrichment, and temperature
<p><em>NSF Award Abstract:</em><br />
Coral reefs are some of the most diverse, yet most imperiled, ecosystems on the planet. Global change has driven the decline of corals worldwide with many reefs now lacking corals and being overrun by macroalgae. This research examines the impacts of several factors of thermal stress, overfishing of important herbivorous fishes, and nutrient pollution on the health of corals and their ability to recover after large coral-killing disturbances. Importantly, the investigators address the impacts of global change on the coral microbiome, the microbes that associate with corals and impact coral health. The overarching hypothesis is that factors such as overfishing and nutrient pollution impact coral health via impacts to their microbes. This 6-year experiment on the coral reefs of Mo’orea, French Polynesia examines what levels of herbivory, mostly by parrotfishes and surgeonfishes, are needed to provide resistance and resilience of corals and their microbiomes when reefs are exposed to elevated nutrients and ocean temperatures. Notably, the team tests how local stressors (overfishing, nutrient pollution) potentially interact with global stressors (climate change and rising ocean temperatures) to impact coral reef health. This research may yield insight into how to manage local factors (reducing fishing, mitigating nutrient pollution) to help corals survive the global stress of climate change. The field experiment provides a realistic platform to test questions about how local management of fisheries can alter reef health and provides data about the recoverability of reefs should new water quality management be put into place. This interdisciplinary work trains a new generation of both marine ecologists and microbiologists, including one postdoctoral researcher, two graduate students, as well as numerous undergraduates. The main international outreach effort is to map the microbiome of the island of Mo’orea. Mo’orea is approximately 130 square-kilometers in area and has five major watersheds that transport sediment and nutrients to the nearshore coral reef ecosystems. Thus poor stewardship of these watersheds likely contributes to the local phase shifts currently occurring in several areas of the lagoon. Therefore the team has engaged the local community to help collect microbiome samples from 50 terrestrial, 50 stream, 25 coastal sites, and 25 offshore sites around the island. The sampling effort is generating an island-wide map of the microbial communities associated with the soils, streams, and coastal waters that can be linked to adjacent coral reef health - The Moorea Microbiome! As part of this outreach effort, the team also collaborates with filmmakers to make a trilingual (English, French, and Tahitian) film about the project to serve as local engagement and teaching tool to help educate school groups and different stakeholders about both the seen and unseen connections between land and sea on their island.</p>
<p>On the island of Mo’orea, French Polynesia, coral communities have exhibited strikingly different trajectories, with some reefs recovering from disturbances and others undergoing protracted coral decline, accompanied by an increase in macroalgae. This diversity in coral community dynamics makes Mo’orea an excellent model system for testing why some reefs are resilient and return to abundant coral while others are not and undergo persistent phase shifts to macroalgal dominance. This 6-year experiment will measure the dynamics of benthic communities, coral demography, and the coral microbiome across seasonal change in ocean temperature, allowing the team to (1) link changes in coral microbiomes (e.g., a rise in pathogenic bacteria) to the trajectories of coral decline or recovery and (2) link nutrients, herbivory, and temperature to phase shifts in both benthic communities and coral microbiomes. Importantly, the team is testing the resistance of phase shifts of benthic communities and coral microbiomes by measuring their changes after removing the nutrient enrichment treatment at the end of year 3 and tracking recovery of the system for 3 more years. Thus, this project begins to answer whether reef and microbial community phase shifts can be easily reversed once they occur. Many studies have focused on the factors that disassemble coral reef communities, but this is the first to examine how reef communities can be reassembled from the microbiome upwards.</p>
<p>This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.</p>
RECHARGE
largerWorkCitation
project
eng; USA
biota
oceans
149.82
149.82
17.47
17.47
2018-08-01
2022-08-01
Mo’orea, French Polynesia
0
BCO-DMO catalogue of parameters from Benthic community composition from a field experiment manipulating consumer pressure and nutrient availability on a coral reef in Moorea, French Polynesia from 2018 to 2022
Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO)
Unavailable
508-289-2009
WHOI MS#36
Woods Hole
MA
02543
USA
info@bco-dmo.org
http://www.bco-dmo.org
Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm
For questions regarding this resource, please contact BCO-DMO via the email address provided.
pointOfContact
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006166.rdf
Name: Time_point
Units: unitless
Description: <p>Period of sampling; sequential number with 0 = Time point 0, 1 - Time point 1, etc</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006167.rdf
Name: Timepoint
Units: unitless
Description: <p>Period of sampling; T0 = Time point 0, T1 = Time point 1, etc.</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006168.rdf
Name: unitless
Units: Date
Description: <p>Date of sampling</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006169.rdf
Name: Block_Plot
Units: unitless
Description: <p>Experiment was arranged in 4 blocks - A, B, C, D with four plots 1, 2, 3, or 4 within each block; Combination of block and plot - e.g. Block A plot 1 would be 'A1'</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006170.rdf
Name: Block
Units: unitless
Description: <p>Experiment was arranged in 4 blocks - A, B, C, D</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006171.rdf
Name: Plot
Units: unitless
Description: <p>Each block had 4 plots within denoted as 1, 2, 3, or 4 - each plot had one replicate of each of the herbivore treatments (Herb_TRT) nested within</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006172.rdf
Name: Block_Plot_Herb_TRT
Units: unitless
Description: <p>Represents an individual replicate in the corresponding block, plot, and what herbivore treatment that replicate was; Combination of Block, plot, and herbivore treatment for an invididual replicate - so a 1x1 exclosure in Block a and plot 1 would be A1_1x1</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006173.rdf
Name: Herb_TRT
Units: unitless
Description: <p>Herbivore exclusion treatments representing 4 different levels of herbivory intensity: 1x1 = Very Low, 2x2 = Low, 3x3 Medium, and Open = High, denoted with the size of the holes in the exclosures, e.g. 1x1 = 1 in x 1 in holes in the exclosure, while Open denotes 4 sides of 1in× 1in openings but no top.</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006174.rdf
Name: Disturbance_Trt
Units: unitless
Description: <p>Plots with either corals present (Intact) or corals removed (Disturbed)</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006175.rdf
Name: Nutrient_Trt
Units: unitless
Description: <p>Plots with either ambient or enriched nutrients</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006176.rdf
Name: Acanthastrea_spp
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006177.rdf
Name: Acropora_spp
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006178.rdf
Name: Amphiroa_spp
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006179.rdf
Name: Anemone
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006180.rdf
Name: Asparagopsis
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006181.rdf
Name: Caulerpa_spp
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006182.rdf
Name: CCA
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006183.rdf
Name: Chlorodesmis
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006184.rdf
Name: Colpomenia
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006185.rdf
Name: Cyanobacteria
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006186.rdf
Name: Dictyota_spp
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006187.rdf
Name: Foliose_Lobophora
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006188.rdf
Name: Fungiid
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006189.rdf
Name: Galaxaura_spp
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006190.rdf
Name: Gibsmithia
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006191.rdf
Name: Grateloupia
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006192.rdf
Name: Halimeda_spp
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006193.rdf
Name: Hydroclathrus
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006194.rdf
Name: Hypnea
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006195.rdf
Name: Jania_spp
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006196.rdf
Name: Leptastrea
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006197.rdf
Name: Leptoseris
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006198.rdf
Name: Lobophyla
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006199.rdf
Name: Long_turf
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006200.rdf
Name: Millepora
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006201.rdf
Name: Montipora_spp
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006202.rdf
Name: Padina
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006203.rdf
Name: Pavona
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006204.rdf
Name: Phymastraea
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006205.rdf
Name: Pocillopora_spp
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006206.rdf
Name: Porites_spp
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006207.rdf
Name: Psammocora
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006208.rdf
Name: Rubble
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006209.rdf
Name: Sand
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006210.rdf
Name: Sargassum
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006211.rdf
Name: Soft_coral
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006212.rdf
Name: Spatoglossum
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006213.rdf
Name: Sponge
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006214.rdf
Name: Tridacna
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006215.rdf
Name: Turbinaria
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006216.rdf
Name: Turf_Bare_Encrusting_Algae
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006217.rdf
Name: Unknown_encrusting_coral
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006218.rdf
Name: Unknown_macroalgae
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006219.rdf
Name: Valonia_spp
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006220.rdf
Name: Macroalgae
Units: percent
Description: <p>Percent cover of the benthos</p>
http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset-parameter/1006221.rdf
Name: Coral
Units: percent
Description: <p>total percent cover of coral</p>
GB/NERC/BODC > British Oceanographic Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, United Kingdom
Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO)
Unavailable
508-289-2009
WHOI MS#36
Woods Hole
MA
02543
USA
info@bco-dmo.org
http://www.bco-dmo.org
Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm
For questions regarding this resource, please contact BCO-DMO via the email address provided.
pointOfContact
https://doi.org/10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.1000908.1
download
onLine
dataset
<p><strong>Experimental Setup</strong></p>
<p>In June 2018, we established a factorial experiment manipulating consumer pressure and nutrient availability in areas that mimicked disturbance from a cyclone. At 12m depth on the north shore forereef of Moorea, French Polynesia (17.47° S, 149.82° W) we established 16 ~30m<sup>2 </sup>plots. Within each plot, we then nested 4 different consumer exclosures (~1.25 m<sup>2</sup> each) with different size openings that allowed different size fishes (herbivores and corallivores, hereafter referred to as ‘consumers’) access to the benthos. The exclosure frames consisted of 0.5cm stainless steel all-thread drilled into the reef matrix and epoxied into place. These frames were then wrapped with plastic-coated, galvanized wire to create the following levels of consumer pressure: 1) Very Low (2.5cm × 2.5cm (1inx1in) openings); 2) Low (5cm × 5cm (2inx2in) openings); 3) Medium (7.5cm × 7.5cm (3inx3in) openings); 4) High (4 sides of 2.5cm × 2.5cm (1inx1in) openings but no top). Others have used a similar design to create a gradient of consumer pressure to mimic the effects of different levels of fishing (Holbrook et al. 2016, Schmitt et al. 2019). We included sides, but not tops, on the High consumer pressure treatment to control for potential artifacts on water flow, although we have shown these are minimal (Zaneveld et al<em>.</em> 2016). Exclosures were scrubbed every 12-16 weeks to remove fouling organisms.</p>
<p>Within the exclosures we effected a second treatment in order to simulate the effects of a cyclone. To do so, we removed all branching corals (mostly <em>Acropora</em> spp. and <em>Pocillopora</em> spp.) and transplanted them to other areas of the reef away from the experiment. The removal of branching corals simulated a pulse disturbance such as the cyclone that reduced coral cover to &lt; 5% on the forereefs of Moorea in 2010. Remaining patches of encrusting corals (mostly <em>Montipora</em> spp.) and mounding corals (mostly <em>Porites</em> spp.) and macroalgae (which were rare) were scrubbed with wire brushes to mimic the scouring from sediments that occurs during a large cyclone. Thus, after coral and macroalgae removal, mean coral cover in the plots was ~7% and macroalgae was ~0.5%. These treatments were called 'Disturbed' as opposed to plots where we did not remove corals that are referred to as 'Intact'.&nbsp;</p>
<p>We also included a third treatment of Ambient or Enriched nutrient conditions with each plot (which included four nested consumer exclosures) was then assigned to either Ambient or Enriched nutrient conditions. Thus, each combination of consumer pressure (Very Low, Low, Medium, High) and nutrients (Ambient or Enriched) had n=4 for replication. For the enrichment we placed 175 g of Osmocote<sup>®</sup> (19-6-12, N-P-K) slow-release garden fertilizer into 5 cm diameter PVC tubes with 10, 1 cm holes drilled into them. These tubes were wrapped in fine plastic mesh to retain the fertilizer. This method is similar to our previous work (e.g., Zaneveld et al. 2016). PVC enrichment tubes were attached to the corners of each exclosure and onto a piece of stainless steel all-thread in the center of each plot (5 enrichment tubes per exclosure). We replaced enrichment tubes every 12-16 weeks except for two periods during the COVID-19 pandemic when travel to Moorea was not possible and enrichment tubes were deployed for longer than usual before replacement (deployed from 01-30-2020 to 08-31-2020, and from 08-31-2020 to 02-08-2021). We analyzed water samples from the experimental plots to evaluate the effect of nutrient enrichment.</p>
<p>The treatments were arranged as in this example:</p>
<ul>
<li>Plot A1 was Intact (coral remained) with Ambient nutrients and contained one replicate of each of the exclosure treatments (Very Low, Low, Medium, and High consumer pressure).</li>
<li>Plot A2 was Intact (coral remained) with Enriched nutrients and contained one replicate of each of the exclosure treatments (Very Low, Low, Medium, and High consumer pressure).</li>
<li>Plot A3 was Disturbed (coral removed) with Enriched nutrients and contained one replicate of each of the exclosure treatments (Very Low, Low, Medium, and High consumer pressure).</li>
<li>Plot A4 was Disturbed (coral removed) with Ambient nutrients and contained one replicate of each of the exclosure treatments (Very Low, Low, Medium, and High consumer pressure).</li>
</ul>
<p>n=4 for each disturbance-nutrient-consumer pressure combination e.g., - Intact/Enriched/High consumer pressure; Disturbed/Ambient/Very Low consumer pressure etc.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Data Collection</strong></p>
<p>At three time points each year (April, July/August, November - except for two time points missed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, April 2020 and November 2020), we quantified benthic cover in each exclosure via point contacts on orthorectified photomosaics. Using Olympus TG cameras, we took ~64 individual photographs of each exclosure and then generated photomosaics by stitching photographs together using Agisoft Metashape software (Agisoft Metashape Professional Version 17.0). These photomosaics generate high-resolution imagery that allows identification of benthic space holders. Percent cover of benthic space holders was estimated via 225 random points per m<sup>2</sup> exclosure using CoralNet software (Beijbom et al. 2015) with the space holder underlying each of the 225 points identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible (usually genus for most macroalgae, corals, and other invertebrates). It was not possible to reliably distinguish among filamentous turf algae, bare space, and very small encrusting algae (including small CCAs and other encrusting algae) from photographs, therefore these taxa were categorized as one group. We used these data to generate percent cover estimates for each exclosure at each timepoint.&nbsp;</p>
Specified by the Principal Investigator(s)
<p>Using Olympus TG cameras, we took ~64 individual photographs of each exclosure and then generated photomosaics by stitching photographs together using Agisoft Metashape software (Agisoft Metashape Professional Version 17.0). These photomosaics generate high-resolution imagery that allows identification of benthic space holders to the lowest taxonomic level possible (genus for most corals and macroalgae). Percent cover of benthic space holders was estimated via 225 random points per m<sup>2</sup> exclosure using CoralNet software.</p>
Specified by the Principal Investigator(s)
This section documents curation actions performed prior to publication review with the submitter, and additional information relevant to understanding and reusing this dataset. It distinguishes changes made to the submitted (meta)data from unresolved issues and/or enhancements that improve future reuse and interoperability.
CURATION ACTIONS PERFORMED ON DATA
- Loaded benthic_composition_summary_final.csv from source submission files, with header on row 1; set missing value markers to empty string and "nd"
- Renamed four columns to strip trailing periods for naming compliance: Caulerpa_spp., Dictyota_spp., Galaxaura_spp., Valonia_spp. became Caulerpa_spp, Dictyota_spp, Galaxaura_spp, Valonia_spp
- Converted Date column from M/D/YYYY format to ISO 8601 date format (YYYY-MM-DD), overwriting the original column
- Output as 1000908_v1_benthic_composition_summary.csv
CURATION ACTIONS PERFORMED ON METADATA
- BCO-DMO's standard metadata entry and text formatting steps were performed. See: https://www.bco-dmo.org/how-to/standard-curation-edits
ISSUES POTENTIALLY IMPACTING REUSE
- N/A
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Olympus TG camera
Olympus TG camera
PI Supplied Instrument Name: Olympus TG camera PI Supplied Instrument Description:Using Olympus TG cameras, we took ~64 individual photographs of each exclosure and then generated photomosaics by stitching photographs together using Agisoft Metashape software Instrument Name: Camera Instrument Short Name:camera Instrument Description: All types of photographic equipment including stills, video, film and digital systems. Community Standard Description: http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L05/current/311/
consumer exclosures
consumer exclosures
PI Supplied Instrument Name: consumer exclosures PI Supplied Instrument Description:Within each plot, we then nested 4 different consumer exclosures (~1.25 m2 each) with different size openings that allowed different size fishes (herbivores and corallivores, hereafter referred to as ‘consumers’) access to the benthos. Instrument Name: Manual Biota Sampler Instrument Short Name:Manual Biota Sampler Instrument Description: "Manual Biota Sampler" indicates that a sample was collected in situ by a person, possibly using a hand-held collection device such as a jar, a net, or their hands. This term could also refer to a simple tool like a hammer, saw, or other hand-held tool. Community Standard Description: http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L05/current/90/