Dataset: Edmunds and Lasker MEPS 2019 Fig S5a: Density

Name: Octocoral colony density by taxon, year, site, and life stage from surveys conducted in St. John, US Virgin Islands from 2014 to 2017
Published: 2020-02-04
Keywords: Octocorals, soft corals, gorgonians, oceans

Cite This Dataset

DOI:10.1575/1912/bco-dmo.789210.1

Spatial Extent: N:18.32 E:-64.723 S:18.32 W:-64.723

Temporal Extent: 2014-01-01 - 2017-01-01

Project:

Collaborative Research: Pattern and process in the abundance and recruitment of Caribbean octocorals (Octocoral Community Dynamics)

Principal Investigator:

Peter J. Edmunds (California State University Northridge, CSUN)

Co-Principal Investigator:

Howard Lasker (State University of New York at Buffalo, SUNY Buffalo)

BCO-DMO Data Manager:

Amber D. York (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, WHOI BCO-DMO)

Version:

Version Date:

2020-02-04

Restricted:

Validated:

Yes

Current State:

Final no updates expected

Octocoral colony density by taxon, year, site, and life stage from surveys conducted in St. John, US Virgin Islands from 2014 to 2017

Abstract:

Octocoral colony density by taxon, year, site, and life stage from surveys conducted in St. John, US Virgin Islands from 2014 to 2017. These data were used in Edmunds and Lasker (2019) Figure S5.

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Archival Copy

Version Date	Archive	Persistent Identifier	Date Assigned
2020-02-04	Marine Biological Laboratory/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Library (MBLWHOI DLA)	10.1575/1912/bco-dmo.789210.1	2020-02-14

Description

Octocoral colony density by taxon, year, site, and life stage from surveys conducted in St. John, US Virgin Islands from 2014 to 2017. These data were used in Edmunds and Lasker (2019) Figure S5.

Related Datasets: all were used in Edmunds and Lasker (2019):

* Edmunds and Lasker MEPS 2019 Fig 1a: Density pooled taxa and one year https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/789128
* Edmunds and Lasker MEPS 2019 Fig 1b: Height pooled taxa and one year https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/789140
* Edmunds and Lasker MEPS 2019 Fig 2a: Density by taxon and year https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/789145
* Edmunds and Lasker MEPS 2019 Fig 2b: Height by taxon and year https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/789149
* Edmunds and Lasker MEPS 2019 Fig 3: Community NMDS https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/789181
* Edmunds and Lasker MEPS 2019 Fig S1: Sampling effort https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/789188
* Edmunds and Lasker MEPS 2019 Fig S3: Sampling effort, juveniles https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/789195
* Edmunds and Lasker MEPS 2019 Fig S4: Colony sizes https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/789202
* Edmunds and Lasker MEPS 2019 Fig S5a: Density https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/789210
* Edmunds and Lasker MEPS 2019 Fig S5b: Height https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/789217

Methods & Sampling

The following methodology applies to this dataset in addition to other datasets published in Edmunds and Lasker (2019).

Sampling and analytical procedures:

Surveys were completed at six sites on shallow (7–9-m depth) fringing reefs on the south shore of St. John, between Cabritte Horn and White Point. In 1992, these sites were randomly selected on hard substrata along 4.5 km of shore between these headlands, and they have been censused annually to present. Each site consists of a permanently marked transect that has been 40-m long since 2000. The present project began in 2014 with the objective of augmenting a long-standing analysis of benthic community structure (which emphasized scleractinians with new analyses focused on octocorals. As part of this effort, arborescent octocorals were surveyed in situ with genus resolution, using 40 quadrats (0.5 × 0.5 m) placed at random, non-overlapping positions along the same transect (and re-randomized annually) located at each of the six sites. Surveys were completed over four weeks beginning on ~ 20th July of each of 2014–2017, and were conducted by counting and measuring the height of octocorals attached by holdfasts within each quadrat.

Height was determined (± 1 cm) using a flexible tape measure stretched from the holdfast to the colony apex. Abundances were analyzed separately for adults (> 5-cm tall), and recruits (≤ 5-cm tall), with this size cut-off based on the maximal height to which the recruits of most octocoral species are likely to grow in one year. While the benthos was inspected for all small octocorals, sampling efficiency probably was low for recruits consisting of only a few polyps (i.e., < 1-cm tall). Analyses testing for the effects of density dependence (DD) and self-thinning (ST) were first, completed for octocorals pooled among taxa, and second, for the three most common genera of octocorals. Evidence of DD recruitment also was sought from analyses of per capita recruitment by site, with these values obtained by dividing the density of recruits by mean density of adults.

For more information about statistical analyses performed using these data see Edmunds and Lasker (2019).

Data Processing Description

The following methodology applies to this dataset in addition to other datasets published in Edmunds and Lasker (2019).

Sampling and analytical procedures:

Height was determined (± 1 cm) using a flexible tape measure stretched from the holdfast to the colony apex. Abundances were analyzed separately for adults (> 5-cm tall), and recruits (≤ 5-cm tall), with this size cut-off based on the maximal height to which the recruits of most octocoral species are likely to grow in one year. While the benthos was inspected for all small octocorals, sampling efficiency probably was low for recruits consisting of only a few polyps (i.e., < 1-cm tall). Analyses testing for the effects of DD and ST were first, completed for octocorals pooled among taxa, and second, for the three most common genera of octocorals. Evidence of DD recruitment also was sought from analyses of per capita recruitment by site, with these values obtained by dividing the density of recruits by mean density of adults.

For more information about statistical analyses performed using these data see Edmunds and Lasker (2019).

Data Files

File
meps2019_fig-s5a.csv (Comma Separated Values (.csv), 150.33 KB) MD5:c235d1d1e2e28d8df7622a0c29fb0a37 Primary data file for dataset ID 789210

More Information about this dataset

Funding Sources

Funding Source	Award Number
NSF Division of Ocean Sciences	OCE-1756678

Deployments

None available yet

Instruments

Measuring Tape

Supplied Name:

Supplied Description:

Instrument Type

Generic Name: Measuring Tape

Generic Description:

A tape measure or measuring tape is a flexible ruler. It consists of a ribbon of cloth, plastic, fibre glass, or metal strip with linear-measurement markings. It is a common tool for measuring distance or length.

Parameters

Date and time formats are described in python strftime() syntax.

Supplied Name	Supplied description	Supplied Units	Standard Name
Density	Density (colonies per 0.5 x 0.5 m quadrat)	number per quadrat	density
Life_stage	Life stage - Adult or Juvenile	unitless	stage
Site	Site (Cabritte Horn, Europa Bay, West Tektite, East Tektite, White Point, West Little Lameshur)	unitless	site
Taxon	Taxon (All Taxa, Eunicea, Gorgonia, Antillogorgia)	unitless	taxon
Year	Year (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)	unitless	year