| Contributors | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Brown, Anya L. | University of Georgia (UGA) | Principal Investigator, Contact |
| Osenberg, Craig | University of Georgia (UGA) | Co-Principal Investigator |
| Biddle, Mathew | Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI BCO-DMO) | BCO-DMO Data Manager |
Belongs to set of datasets that evaluate how vermetid (Ceraesignum maximum) modify physical and chemical conditions above coral-algal interactions (i.e., light, flow and oxygen) at Moorea, French Polynesia.
Related Datasets:
Experiments and surveys were conducted in the field to determine how vermtetids affect light, flow and oxygen concentrations at Moorea, French Polynesia. Below are the methods for surveys about on the effects of vermetids on light.
Light sensor data from two light sensors placed on reefs in June and July 2013. Sensors were placed near a vermetid (Net) or far from a vermetid (No Net) and measured light every second. A camera was set up to view the “Net” sensor. Every 30s a photo was taken. Photo times and the time of sensor were matched and sensor values were averaged for every 30s. Net cover of the sensor was determined by looking at the photographs, and for each photo coverage was determined Y (yes) or N (no) for the sensors near vermetid mucus nets. Each day the location of the sensor was different, but remained in the same general area.
Light data were averaged every 30s.
BCO-DMO Processing:
| Parameter | Description | Units |
| ISO_DateTime | Local date and time the data was collected in ISO 8601:2004(E) format | unitless |
| Date | Date of measurements in dd-Mon-yy format. | unitless |
| Photonumber | Photo ID from photo where Net/No Net was determined | unitless |
| NetCover | Whether net was covering the “Net” sensor [N(No) or Y(Yes)] | unitless |
| Time | Time of measurement in HH:MM:SS AM/PM format | unitless |
| Net | Light sensor data on "Net" sensor | micromol per photon second (umol photon-1 sec-1) |
| NoNet | Light sensor data on "Net" sensor | micromol per photon second (umol photon-1 sec-1) |
| Notes | Additional notes provided by the observer | unitless |
| Website | |
| Platform | Osenberg et al Moorea |
| Start Date | 2003-05-19 |
| End Date | 2015-07-12 |
Description from NSF abstract:
Ecological surprises are most likely to be manifest in diverse communities where many interactions remain uninvestigated. Coral reefs harbor much of the world's biodiversity, and recent studies by the investigators suggest that one overlooked, but potentially important, biological interaction involves vermetid gastropods. Vermetid gastropods are nonmobile, tube-building snails that feed via an extensive mucus net. Vermetids reduce coral growth by up to 80%, and coral survival by as much as 60%. Because effects vary among coral taxa, vermetids may substantially alter the structure of coral communities as well as the community of fishes and invertebrates that inhabit the coral reef.
The investigators will conduct a suite of experimental and observational studies that: 1) quantify the effects of four species of vermetids across coral species to assess if species effects and responses are concordant or idiosyncratic; 2) use meta-analysis to compare effects of vermetids relative to other coral stressors and determine the factors that influence variation in coral responses; 3) determine the role of coral commensals that inhabit the branching coral, Pocillopora, and evaluate how the development of the commensal assemblage modifies the deleterious effects of vermetids; 4) determine how vermetid mucus nets affect the local environment of corals and evaluate several hypotheses about proposed mechanisms; and 5) assess the long-term implications of vermetids on coral communities and the fishes and invertebrates that depend on the coral.
Note: The Principal Investigator, Dr. Craig W. Osenberg, was at the University of Florida at the time the NSF award was granted. Dr. Osenberg moved to the University of Georgia during the summer of 2014 (current contact information).
| Funding Source | Award |
|---|---|
| NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) |