Octocoral recruitment surveys on transects at 5 sites on the south shore of St. John, US Virgin Islands, 2014-2019 (NCEI Accession 0291776)

This dataset contains biological and survey - biological data collected in the Caribbean Sea from 2014-08-06 to 2019-10-03. These data include genus, species, and taxon. The instruments used to collect these data include Measuring Tape. These data were collected by Howard Lasker of State University of New York at Buffalo as part of the "Collaborative Research: Pattern and process in the abundance and recruitment of Caribbean octocorals (Octocoral Community Dynamics)" and "Collaborative research: Ecology and functional biology of octocoral communities (VI Octocorals)" projects. The Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO) submitted these data to NCEI on 2021-10-22.

The following is the text of the dataset description provided by BCO-DMO:

Octocoral Recruitment 2014-2019

Dataset Description:
Acquisition Description:
Censuses of octocoral recruits were conducted at 5 sites on the south shore of St. John, US Virgin Islands from 2014-2019. Recruits (1 polyp – 5 centimeter tall colonies) were enumerated, and when possible were identified to genus in separate 0.25 square meter quadrats (n = 8) randomly placed along 6 transects at each of 3 sites (48 quadrats per site). Transects were positioned in a marked 50 meter x 10 meter area, with stainless steel eye bolts marking each of the 6 transects. Transects were 10m long.

Two sites were added in November 2017. At these sites 0.25 square meter quadrats (n = 16) were randomly placed along 3 fixed transects at each site (48 quadrats per site).

NOTES:
- 8 quadrats were surveyed by transect but be aware that a few transects present differences in the number of quadrats surveyed. That cases were noted below.
- 0.1 cm recruits are those with 1, 2 or 3 polyps, therefore, not measurables

2014 - Four transects surveyed at E Cabritte.
2014 - 7 quadrats surveyed at Europa on transect 10.
2014 - All quadrats at E Cabritte positioned on the left (L) side of line.
2014 - All quadrats at Europa were positioned alternating left (L) or right (R) side of the transect line but on the quadrats L8 and L6 on transect 10.

2015 - Quadrats surveyed from Feb -15 to Mar-15 were positioned alternating left (L) or right (R) side of the transect line.
2015 - March at Europa -7 quadrats were surveyed (instead of 8) on transect 40.
2015 - August at E Cabritte - 10 quadrats (instead of 8) were surveyed on transect 10.
2015 - August at Europa - 6 quadrats (instead of 8) were surveyed on transect 40.
2015 - August at Tektite - 7 quadrats (instead of 8) were surveyed on transect 10.

2016 - Quadrats surveyed were randomly positioned on the right or left side of the transect line.
2016 - March at Tektite - 7 quadrats (instead of 8) were surveyed on transect 30.
2016 - 29th July at Europa - 2 quadrats (instead of 8) were surveyed on transect 10.
2016 - August at E Cabritte - The quadrat 6R on the transect 40 was surveyed twice (indicated in the Comments column as "Repeated Quadrat")
2016 - August at E Cabritte - 7 quadrats (instead of 8) were surveyed on transect 40.

2017 - March at Tektite - The transect 40 was not surveyed.
2017- July at E Cabritte- 9 quadrats were surveyed on transect 50.
2017 - July at E Cabritte- 9 quadrats were surveyed on transect 20.
2017 - November at E Cabritte - Seven quadrats (instead of 8) surveyed on transect 0.
2017 - November at E Cabritte - Transect 10 was not surveyed.
2017 - November at Europa - Nine quadrats (instead of 8) surveyed at transect 10.
2017 - November Deep Tektite was included in the study but just 8 quadrats (instead of 16) on transect 1 were surveyed. Surveys are performed on the left side of the transect line.
2017 - November Yawzi was included in the study, but just 8 quadrats on transect 1, and 3 quadrats (instead of 16) were surveyed. Surveys are performed on the left side of the transect line.

2018 - July and August we included scleractinian recruits surveys (genus level) at E Cabritte, Europa and Tektite (But NOT on Deep Tektite and Yawzi)
2018 - July and August at Deep Tektite we surveyed 16 quadrats at each of the 3 transects.
2018 - July and August at Yawzi we surveyed 17 quadrats on transect 2 (instead of 16).