Settlement events and survivorship of six bar wrasse cohorts in the lagoons surrounding the island of Moorea, French Polynesia from 1996-1997 (CDD_in_Reef_Fish project) (NCEI Accession 0278149)

Acquisition Description:
Fieldwork was conducted in the lagoons surrounding the island of Moorea, French Polynesia and focused on the six bar wrasse ( Thalassoma hardwicke ). Researchers made 480 observations of settlement events (i.e., pulses of settlement to individual sites) and monitored survivorship of six bar wrasse cohorts formed by these events. These were made during and after three periods of heavy settlement in May 1996, May 1997, and June 1997, using 192 patch reefs. Patch reefs were originally selected in two categories: (1) those with damselfish ( Stegastes nigricans ) territories composed primarily of algal turf ( n 96 reefs, surveyed during all three settlement periods), or (2) those lacking damselfish territories and composed primarily of living coral ( Porites lobata ; n 96 reefs, surveyed during May and June of 1997 only). Other than this difference, all reefs were selected to be relatively similar in size, rugosity, and distance from nearest neighbors (described in Shima 2001).

Researchers censused reefs daily during periods of heavy settlement, and every third day during other times for densities of (1) settlers (and these cohorts were then followed through time), (2) older conspecifics, (3) heterospecific labrids and scarids, and (4) resident piscivores. Censuses were continued for 90 d following each settlement event. At the end of the study in each year, we recorded the densities and sizes (aerial coverage) of fine-branching corals ( Pocillopora spp.) on each reef.