ERDDAP > info > bcodmo_dataset_674104

Grid DAP Data	Sub- set	Table DAP Data	Make A Graph	W M S	Source Data Files	Acces- sible	Title	Sum- mary	FGDC, ISO, Metadata	Back- ground Info	RSS	E mail	Institution	Dataset ID
		data	graph		files	public	[Benthic cover] - Benthic cover data from six sites in Viti Levu, Fiji from 2010-2012 (Killer Seaweeds project) (Killer Seaweeds: Allelopathy against Fijian Corals)		I   M	background			BCO-DMO	bcodmo_dataset_674104

The Dataset's Variables and Attributes

Row Type	Variable Name	Attribute Name	Data Type	Value
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	access_formats	String	.htmlTable,.csv,.json,.mat,.nc,.tsv
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	acquisition_description	String	The study was conducted from November 2010 through February 2011 and between November 2011 and January 2012 on shallow (~1 m below the surface at low tide, equal or shallower than 2 m at high tide), intertidal fringing reefs platforms (up to 800-m wide) along the Coral Coast (18\u00ba\u00a013.05\u2019S, 177\u00ba\u00a042.97\u2019E) of Viti Levu, Fiji\u2019s main island. Many of the owners of traditional fishing rights along the Coral Coast have established small, customary no-take MPAs to improve and sustain their adjacent fishing grounds. The MPAs in this region are delimited by surface markings and enforced by local villagers, and they have been closed to all fishing activities since their inception (about 10 years). The only exception to this closure was a small experimental hook and line fishing research project that was conducted in the MPAs of Votua and\u00a0Namada. In the \u00a0non-MPAs, the main fishing targets are species of Acanthuridae (Nasinae), Epinephelidae, Labridae, Mullidae, and Lutjanidae. Permission for the research was granted by the Fijian Ministry of Education, National Heritage, Culture & Arts, Youth & Sports, which is authorized to approve field studies in Fijian waters. No animal collection or experimental procedures involving animals were conducted during the study, and no endangered species were recorded during our assessments.\u00a0 To assess the effects of MPAs on fish assemblages, fish feeding group composition, herbivory rates, benthic cover, and coral recruit density, we compared three spatially paired MPA and adjacent, fished, areas (non-MPAs) associated with the villages of Votua,\u00a0Vatu-o-lalai\u00a0and\u00a0Namada.\u00a0 Comparisons of fish assemblages inside and outside of closures are widely used for determining the effects of reserves, but it should be acknowledged that this approach does not reveal the state of an MPA relative to an undisturbed baseline.\u00a0 The studied MPAs were established in 2002 (Vatu-o-lalai,\u00a0Namada) and 2003 (Votua), and shortly after establishment, coral cover was low (~7%), and\u00a0macroalgal\u00a0cover was high (~35\u201345%) in both the MPAs and \u00a0non-MPAs. All surveys and assays were conducted during the same season (austral summer) to minimize seasonal variation in sampling. The reef extends approx. 1 km from shore within each MPA and\u00a0non-MPA,\u00a0and all data were collected between 30 and 700 m of the shore (i.e., shoreward of the reef crest) parallel to the\u00a0shoreline. Benthic cover:\u00a0The benthic cover of the six study sites was surveyed along 30-m long transects running parallel to the shore in each MPA and non- MPA. Along each transect, photographs were taken from 0.5 m above the bottom every 2 m along each transect (i.e., 16 photos per transect), so that consecutive photographs did not overlap. The area of each photograph was about 25 cm x 30 cm, therefore sampled area per transect was about 1.2m2. Photos were analyzed for percentage cover of corals and macrophytes using CPC with Excel extensions; the program randomly placed 20 points on each photo, and we identified the organism beneath each point. Organisms were further classified into four main categories: scleractinian corals, macroalgae, epilithic algal matrix [the EAM\u00a0sensu\u00a064], and others. A total of 273 transects were conducted: 87 in Votua (48 in the MPA and 39 in the non-MPA), 94 in Vatu-o-lalai\u00a0(44 in the MPA and 50 in the non-MPA), and 87 in\u00a0Namada\u00a0(41 in the MPA and 51 in the non-MPA). Transects were conducted from December 2010 to January 2011 and from December 2011 to January 2012, and there was no spatial overlap between transects even between different sampled year periods. On each sampling day, four to six transects were deployed on the reef parallel to the shoreline. To ensure that transects were independent and non-overlapping, they were separated by a minimum of 15 m, and the ends of each transect were marked with small surface buoys. Additionally, after conducting every 4\u20136 transects, the snorkeler swam approx. 25 m towards the reef crest to start a new set of transects, so sampling was widespread within each area.
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	awards_0_award_nid	String	480718
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	awards_0_award_number	String	OCE-0929119
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	awards_0_data_url	String	http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0929119
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	awards_0_funder_name	String	NSF Division of Ocean Sciences
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	awards_0_funding_acronym	String	NSF OCE
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	awards_0_funding_source_nid	String	355
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	awards_0_program_manager	String	David L. Garrison
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	awards_0_program_manager_nid	String	50534
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	awards_1_award_nid	String	674109
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	awards_1_award_number	String	U01-TW007401
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	awards_1_data_url	String	https://projectreporter.nih.gov/project_info_description.cfm?icde=0&aid=7741942
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	awards_1_funder_name	String	National Institutes of Health
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	awards_1_funding_acronym	String	NIH
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	awards_1_funding_source_nid	String	636502
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	awards_1_program_manager	String	Flora Katz
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	awards_1_program_manager_nid	String	674108
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	cdm_data_type	String	Other
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	comment	String	M. Hay Benthic Cover Version 6 January 2017
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	Conventions	String	COARDS, CF-1.6, ACDD-1.3
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	creator_email	String	info at bco-dmo.org
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	creator_name	String	BCO-DMO
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	creator_type	String	institution
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	creator_url	String	https://www.bco-dmo.org/
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	data_source	String	extract_data_as_tsv version 2.3 19 Dec 2019
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	date_created	String	2017-01-07T00:05:04Z
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	date_modified	String	2019-04-05T15:55:24Z
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	defaultDataQuery	String	&time<now
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	doi	String	10.1575/1912/bco-dmo.674104.1
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	infoUrl	String	https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/674104
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	institution	String	BCO-DMO
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	keywords	String	bco, bco-dmo, biological, chemical, coral, data, dataset, dmo, eam, erddap, management, oceanography, office, preliminary, site, status, transect, year
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	license	String	https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/674104/license
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	metadata_source	String	https://www.bco-dmo.org/api/dataset/674104
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	param_mapping	String	{'674104': {}}
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	parameter_source	String	https://www.bco-dmo.org/mapserver/dataset/674104/parameters
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	people_0_affiliation	String	Georgia Institute of Technology
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	people_0_affiliation_acronym	String	Georgia Tech
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	people_0_person_name	String	Mark Hay
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	people_0_person_nid	String	480720
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	people_0_role	String	Principal Investigator
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	people_0_role_type	String	originator
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	people_1_affiliation	String	Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	people_1_affiliation_acronym	String	WHOI BCO-DMO
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	people_1_person_name	String	Hannah Ake
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	people_1_person_nid	String	650173
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	people_1_role	String	BCO-DMO Data Manager
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	people_1_role_type	String	related
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	project	String	Killer Seaweeds
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	projects_0_acronym	String	Killer Seaweeds
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	projects_0_description	String	Extracted from the NSF award abstract: Coral reefs are in dramatic global decline, with reefs commonly converting from species-rich and topographically-complex communities dominated by corals to species- poor and topographically-simplified communities dominated by seaweeds. These phase-shifts result in fundamental loss of ecosystem function. Despite debate about whether coral-to-algal transitions are commonly a primary cause, or simply a consequence, of coral mortality, rigorous field investigation of seaweed-coral competition has received limited attention. There is limited information on how the outcome of seaweed-coral competition varies among species or the relative importance of different competitive mechanisms in facilitating seaweed dominance. In an effort to address this topic, the PI will conduct field experiments in the tropical South Pacific (Fiji) to determine the effects of seaweeds on corals when in direct contact, which seaweeds are most damaging to corals, the role allelopathic lipids that are transferred via contact in producing these effects, the identity and surface concentrations of these metabolites, and the dynamic nature of seaweed metabolite production and coral response following contact. The herbivorous fishes most responsible for controlling allelopathic seaweeds will be identified, the roles of seaweed metabolites in allelopathy vs herbivore deterrence will be studied, and the potential for better managing and conserving critical reef herbivores so as to slow or reverse conversion of coral reef to seaweed meadows will be examined. Preliminary results indicate that seaweeds may commonly damage corals via lipid- soluble allelochemicals. Such chemically-mediated interactions could kill or damage adult corals and produce the suppression of coral fecundity and recruitment noted by previous investigators and could precipitate positive feedback mechanisms making reef recovery increasingly unlikely as seaweed abundance increases. Chemically-mediated seaweed-coral competition may play a critical role in the degradation of present-day coral reefs. Increasing information on which seaweeds are most aggressive to corals and which herbivores best limit these seaweeds may prove useful in better managing reefs to facilitate resilience and possible recovery despite threats of global-scale stresses. Fiji is well positioned to rapidly use findings from this project for better management of reef resources because it has already erected >260 MPAs, Fijian villagers have already bought-in to the value of MPAs, and the Fiji Locally-Managed Marine Area (FLMMA) Network is well organized to get information to villagers in a culturally sensitive and useful manner. The broader impacts of this project are far reaching. The project provides training opportunities for 2-2.5 Ph.D students and 1 undergraduate student each year in the interdisciplinary areas of marine ecology, marine conservation, and marine chemical ecology. Findings from this project will be immediately integrated into classes at Ga Tech and made available throughout Fiji via a foundation and web site that have already set-up to support marine conservation efforts in Fiji and marine education efforts both within Fiji and internationally. Business and community leaders from Atlanta (via Rotary International Service efforts) have been recruited to help organize and fund community service and outreach projects in Fiji -- several of which are likely to involve marine conservation and education based in part on these efforts there. Media outlets (National Geographic, NPR, Animal Planet, Audubon Magazine, etc.) and local Rotary clubs will be used to better disseminate these discoveries to the public. PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH Rasher DB, Stout EP, Engel S, Kubanek J, and ME Hay. "Macroalgal terpenes function as allelopathic agents against reef corals", Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, v. 108, 2011, p. 17726. Beattie AJ, ME Hay, B Magnusson, R de Nys, J Smeathers, JFV Vincent. "Ecology and bioprospecting," Austral Ecology, v.36, 2011, p. 341. Rasher DB and ME Hay. "Seaweed allelopathy degrades the resilience and function of coral reefs," Communicative and Integrative Biology, v.3, 2010. Hay ME, Rasher DB. "Corals in crisis," The Scientist, v.24, 2010, p. 42. Hay ME and DB Rasher. "Coral reefs in crisis: reversing the biotic death spiral," Faculty 1000 Biology Reports 2010, v.2, 2010. Rasher DB and ME Hay. "Chemically rich seaweeds poison corals when not controlled by herbivores", Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, v.107, 2010, p. 9683.
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	projects_0_end_date	String	2014-08
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	projects_0_geolocation	String	Viti Levu, Fiji (18º13.049’S, 177º42.968’E)
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	projects_0_name	String	Killer Seaweeds: Allelopathy against Fijian Corals
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	projects_0_project_nid	String	480717
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	projects_0_start_date	String	2009-09
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	publisher_name	String	Biological and Chemical Oceanographic Data Management Office (BCO-DMO)
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	publisher_type	String	institution
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	sourceUrl	String	(local files)
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	standard_name_vocabulary	String	CF Standard Name Table v55
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	summary	String	Benthic cover data from six sites in Viti Levu, Fiji from 2010-2012 (Killer Seaweeds project)
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	title	String	[Benthic cover] - Benthic cover data from six sites in Viti Levu, Fiji from 2010-2012 (Killer Seaweeds project) (Killer Seaweeds: Allelopathy against Fijian Corals)
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	version	String	1
attribute	NC_GLOBAL	xml_source	String	osprey2erddap.update_xml() v1.3
variable	site		String
attribute	site	bcodmo_name	String	site
attribute	site	description	String	Site name
attribute	site	long_name	String	Site
attribute	site	units	String	unitless
variable	status		String
attribute	status	bcodmo_name	String	site_descrip
attribute	status	description	String	Status of area where sampling was done; Marine Protected Area (MPA) or non-MPA (NON)
attribute	status	long_name	String	Status
attribute	status	units	String	unitless
variable	transect		byte
attribute	transect	_FillValue	byte	127
attribute	transect	actual_range	byte	1, 51
attribute	transect	bcodmo_name	String	transect
attribute	transect	description	String	Transect number
attribute	transect	long_name	String	Transect
attribute	transect	units	String	unitless
variable	year		byte
attribute	year	_FillValue	byte	127
attribute	year	actual_range	byte	1, 2
attribute	year	bcodmo_name	String	date_range
attribute	year	description	String	(A) Sampling took place between December 2010 and January 2011; (B) Sampling took place between December 2011 and January 2012
attribute	year	long_name	String	Year
attribute	year	units	String	unitless
variable	coral		double
attribute	coral	_FillValue	double	NaN
attribute	coral	actual_range	double	0.0, 42.5
attribute	coral	bcodmo_name	String	cover_pcent
attribute	coral	description	String	Percent cover of coral
attribute	coral	long_name	String	Coral
attribute	coral	units	String	centimeters
variable	ma		double
attribute	ma	_FillValue	double	NaN
attribute	ma	actual_range	double	0.0, 73.125
attribute	ma	bcodmo_name	String	cover_pcent
attribute	ma	description	String	Percent cover of macroalgae
attribute	ma	long_name	String	Ma
attribute	ma	units	String	centimeters
variable	eam		double
attribute	eam	_FillValue	double	NaN
attribute	eam	actual_range	double	0.0, 94.375
attribute	eam	bcodmo_name	String	cover_pcent
attribute	eam	description	String	Percent cover of epilithic algal matrix
attribute	eam	long_name	String	Eam
attribute	eam	units	String	centimeters
variable	other		double
attribute	other	_FillValue	double	NaN
attribute	other	actual_range	double	0.0, 100.0
attribute	other	bcodmo_name	String	cover_pcent
attribute	other	description	String	Percent cover of other categories
attribute	other	long_name	String	Other
attribute	other	units	String	centimeters

The information in the table above is also available in other file formats (.csv, .htmlTable, .itx, .json, .jsonlCSV1, .jsonlCSV, .jsonlKVP, .mat, .nc, .nccsv, .tsv, .xhtml) via a RESTful web service.