Bolwerk A. 2020. Rocky intertidal bioband elevations, Western Prince of Wales Island, Alaska, U.S., Summer 2018 Download

General

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APECS_alaska

Rocky intertidal ecology has had a long history of attempting to identify ecosystem patterns, associations, and the underlying mechanisms of each. Biotic (competition, predation, and trophic cascades) and abiotic (slope, rugosity, aspect, wave exposure, etc.) factors have been shown to influence rocky intertidal ecosystems, but these characteristics are highly variable on the beaches of Prince of Wales and surrounding islands (POW). The shoreline is highly complex, resulting in drastic shifts in environmental parameters. Sea otters, a species shown to restructure kelp ecosystems through predation pressure, were reintroduced to POW fifty years ago and their subsequent expansion created a gradient of sea otter occupation time among rocky intertidal sites. Due to the complexity of environmental and biological forces occurring at rocky intertidal beaches on POW, this study was conducted to measure the minimum and maximum elevations of major biobands as a metric of rocky intertidal community structure. The elevations of major biobands can be used to assess the interactions and relative importance of biotic and abiotic forces on the rocky intertidal ecosystems of POW.

Site information can be found in the "Rocky intertidal site information, Western Prince of Wales Island, Alaska, U.S., Summer 2018" data package.

None

KeywordType
Rocky Intertidal
Southeast Alaska
biobands
2020-05-21

People and Associated Parties

Ashley Bolwerk
University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Graduate Student
17101 Point Lena Loop Road,
Juneau, AK 99801 United States
(920) 242 - 8115 (voice)
abolwerk@alaska.edu
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7382-2262
Ashley Bolwerk
University of Alaska Fairbanks - College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Graduate Student
17101 Point Lena Loop Road,
Juneau, AK 99801 United States
(920) 242 - 8115 (voice)
abolwerk@alaska.edu
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7382-2262
Ginny Eckert
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Professor
17101 Point Lena Loop Road,
Juneau, AK 99801 United States
(907) 796 - 5450 (voice)
gleckert@alaska.edu
http://www.uaf.edu/cfos/people/faculty/detail/index.xml?id=101
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7538-7081
Ginny Eckert
University of Alaska - College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Professor
17101 Point Lena Loop Road,
Juneau, AK 99801 United States
(907) 796 - 5450 (voice)
gleckert@alaska.edu
http://www.uaf.edu/cfos/people/faculty/detail/index.xml?id=101
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7538-7081
Principal Investigator

Geographic Region

Western Prince of Wales Island and surrounding islands, Alaska, U.S.
56.341193  degrees
55.026778  degrees
-132.599162  degrees
-134.087039  degrees

Temporal Coverage

2018-05-17
2018-08-13

Project Information

Rocky intertidal bioband elevations, Western Prince of Wales Island, Alaska, U.S., Summer 2018
Ashley Bolwerk
University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Graduate Student
Principal Investigator

NSF 1600230

Methods & Sampling

Step 1

Study Plan: In order to control for some of the inherent variability in environmental factors at rocky intertidal sites, for the initial site selection criteria we used NOAA’s ShoreZone dataset to identify semi-protected, immobile, and “Cliff”, “Ramp”, or “Platform” habitat. All shoreline segments within the study area that exhibited all of these traits were further separated into four sea otter inhabitance zones based on the United States Fish and Wildlife Service’s sea otter population surveys from 1975, 1988 (Pitcher 1989), and 2003 (Esslinger and Bodkin 2009), and an aerial survey conducted by Sonia Ibarra and Zac Hoyt in 2014. The area of sea otter population extent from each of these surveys represents different amounts of sea otter occupation time (up to 50, 43, 30, and 15 years, respectively; Figure 1). Sites were sampled on -0.6 to -3.2 foot tides, where the field crew was able to reach the beach two hours prior to low tide.

Step 2

Field Sampling: Three vertical transects, perpendicular to the shore were used for site sampling from the upper extent of sessile organisms to the waterline. When necessary, cracks, tidepools and shore-facing slopes were avoided. Site relative elevation data was recorded using a Bosch rotary laser surveyor (GRL400HCK), receiver, and stadia rod. Elevation measurements were taken at the upper and lower edges of each major bioband and at the waterline at low tide.

Environmental data was collected for each site including an in-depth site description, site photos, site/day specific parameters such as aspect, cloud cover, and swell height. Site level rugosity was also measured.

Step 3

Data Processing: Data were digitized into google sheets. Digital data were checked against the hard copy by a second individual, when possible. Data were cleaned in Rstudio.

NOAA tidal height predictions from the nearest observation station on the sampling date were used with the low tide height recorded at the site to convert all site relevant height measurements to tidal elevation relative to MLLW. The provided data are thus comparable from site to site.

Data Table, Image, and Other Data Details

2018_BiobandElev_AllSites_CLEAN.csv
Data Object Type: application/vnd.ms-excel Attribute(s) Info:
Variables
Site_Number
Site_Name
Surveyors
Data_Enterer
Lat
Long
Transect_Num
Organism
Edge
Elevation
Location
Notes
Site_Number
PLACEHOLDER
Site Number  
This is a site number that was assigned to the site during the 2018 field sampling season. The site number begins with a four digit year that represents one of four arbitrary categories (1975, 1988, 2003, 2014) that were created to stratify sampling effort across sea otter recolonization zones, followed by a "." and two digits that represent the order in which the sites within that zone were sampled. Therefore, a site with a site number of 2003.02 is the second site that was sampled within the 2003 sea otter recolonization zone. Actual sampling dates and sea otter recolonization times can be found in the "Site_Info" file.
 
nominal
Definitionfour digit year, ".", two digit number
 
 
 
 
 
Site_Name
PLACEHOLDER
Site Name  
Site names were assigned using local geography.
 
nominal
DefinitionAny text
Pattern*
 
 
 
 
 
Surveyors
PLACEHOLDER
 
This is a list of all individuals (first name only) that were involved in the data collection for that site/date.
 
nominal
DefinitionAny text
Pattern*
 
 
 
 
 
Data_Enterer
PLACEHOLDER
Data Enterer/Checker  
The first name that appears is the individual, who originally entered that data into our google drive data repository. The second name is the individual, who checked the digital data against the hard copy and fixed any errors.
 
nominal
DefinitionAny text
Pattern*
 
 
 
 
 
Lat
PLACEHOLDER
Latitude  
This is the latitude of the site, which was recorded with a handheld GPS unit on the beach, once biological data collection was completed. Typically, it was recorded at the top or just above the site proper, but not at any specific point within the site. Coordinates were recorded in decimal degrees.
 
ratio
Unitdimensionless
Typereal
 
 
 
 
 
Long
PLACEHOLDER
Longitude  
This is the latitude of the site, which was recorded with a handheld GPS unit on the beach, once biological data collection was completed. Typically, it was recorded at the top or just above the site proper, but not at any specific point within the site. Coordinates were recorded in decimal degrees.
 
ratio
Unitdimensionless
Typereal
 
 
 
 
 
Transect_Num
PLACEHOLDER
Transect Number  
This is an arbitrary number (1-3) that is assigned to different transects within a site. All sites had three vertical transects, but the location and order (relative to one another) changed from site to site. See the "Site Info" file for the placement location (and distance between) of each transect.
 
nominal
Definition1-3
 
 
 
 
 
Organism
PLACEHOLDER
Species/Guild  
Name of the species/guild that was being measured.
 
nominal

Enumerated Domain

CodeDefinitionSource
FucusFucus distichus
AcBarnacleBalanus glandula
MusselMytilus californianus OR Mytilus trossulus
ThBarnacleSemibalanus cariosus
EncCoralineall encrusting forms of Corallina spp.
BraCoralineall branching/vertical forms of Corallina spp.
HairyRedAll filamentous red algae species (e.g. Ceramium pacificum, Euthora cristata, Odonthalia floccose, Neorhodomela larix)
BladedRedAll fleshy red algae species (e.g. Chondracanthus exasperatus, Palmaria mollis, Mazzaella splendens)
HairyGreenAll Filamentous green algae species (e.g. Cladophora sericea, Acrosiphonia arcta, Ulva prolifera)
BladedGreenAll fleshy green algae species (e.g. Ulva lactuca, Monostroma grevillea)
SurfGrassPhylospadix scouleri, Phylospadix serrulatus
HalosaccionHalosaccion glandiforme
KelpAll fleshy brown algae species, except fucus (e.g. Macrocystis pyrifera, Alaria marginata, Laminaria yezoensis)
BubbleAlgLeathesia marina
Bryozoanall bryzoan species AND Ralfsia fungiformis (brown algae crust)
Kelp1same species as "Kelp", but Kelp1 and Kelp2 were used when there were distinct differences in the upper elevation at which two species occurred
Kelp2same species as "Kelp", but Kelp1 and Kelp2 were used when there were distinct differences in the upper elevation at which two species occurred
DeadManFingersCodium fragile
 
 
 
 
 
Edge
PLACEHOLDER
Upper/Lower Edge  
This category indicates whether this is a measurement of the upper or lower edge of a bioband.
 
nominal

Enumerated Domain

CodeDefinitionSource
UpperUpper edge of a bioband
LowerLower edge of a bioband
 
 
 
 
 
Elevation
PLACEHOLDER
 
This is the corrected elevation (relative to MLLW) of that edge of the bioband. In the field, heights of major biobands and the waterline at low tide were recorded using a Bosch rotary laser surveyor (GRL400HCK), receiver, and stadia rod. These heights were then converted to elevation using NOAA tidal predictions from that day and using the nearest tide station to the site. Elevations are reported in meters relative to MLLW. NA = not recorded NB = the species/guild was present on that transect, but did not form a bioband NP = the species/guild was not present on that transect ST = the edge of that bioband was below the low tide line (subtidal) on the day of sampling
 
ratio
Unitmeter
Typereal
 
 
 
 
 
Location
PLACEHOLDER
Transect Location  
This is the location along the transect, at which the elevation was recorded. The location is reported in meters from the top of the transect (the upper edge of sessile organisms).
 
ratio
Unitmeter
Typereal
 
 
 
 
 
Notes
PLACEHOLDER
Field Notes  
These are descriptions that were recorded in the field about a given bioband.
 
nominal
DefinitionAny text
Pattern*
 
 
 
 
 
Bioband_Cleaning.Rmd
Data Object Type: application/octet-stream
This is the R Markdown script file that is used to create the cleaned dataset. This script contains the elevation conversion.
Attribute(s) Info:
Variables
R Markdown Script
R Markdown Script
PLACEHOLDER
 
This is the R Markdown data cleaning script used to convert RAW data into a usable format (CLEAN).
 
nominal
DefinitionAny text
Pattern*
 
 
 
 
 
2018_BiobandElev_AllSites_RAW.csv
Data Object Type: application/vnd.ms-excel
DO NOT USE THIS DATASET! This is the original data, as it was first digitized from field datasheets. It has not undergone QA/QC and none of the bioband heights have been converted to MLLW. See the "20181_Bioband_Elev_AllSites_CLEAN.csv" for usable data.
Attribute(s) Info:
Variables
Date
Date
PLACEHOLDER
 
This is the date on which the site was sampled.
 
dateTime
FormatMM/DD/YYYY
Precision
 
 
 
 
 
2018_BiobandElev_AllSites_CLEAN.csv
Data Object Type: application/vnd.ms-excel
Cleaned dataset that represents a usable format of the data (in elevation relative to MLLW). This file was created from the RAW data file using he Cleaning script listed in this data package.
Attribute(s) Info:
Variables
Date
Site_Name
Site_Number
Surveyors
Data_Enterer
Lat
Long
Transect_Num
Organism
Edge
Elevation
Location
Notes
Date
PLACEHOLDER
 
This is the date on which the data was collected at the site.
 
dateTime
FormatMM/DD/YYYY
Precision
 
 
 
 
 
Site_Name
PLACEHOLDER
Site Name  
This is rough geographic description of the location of the site, which were used as site names.
 
nominal
DefinitionAny text
Pattern*
 
 
 
 
 
Site_Number
PLACEHOLDER
Site Number  
This is a site number that was assigned to the site during the 2018 field sampling season. The site number begins with a four digit year that represents one of four arbitrary categories (1975, 1988, 2003, 2014) that were created to stratify sampling effort across sea otter recolonization zones, followed by a "." and two digits that represent the order in which the sites within that zone were sampled. Therefore, a site with a site number of 2003.02 is the second site that was sampled within the 2003 sea otter recolonization zone. Actual sampling dates and sea otter recolonization times can be found in the "Rocky intertidal site information, Western Prince of Wales Island, Alaska, U.S., Summer 2018" dataset.
 
nominal
DefinitionAny text
Pattern*
 
 
 
 
 
Surveyors
PLACEHOLDER
 
First names of folks, who helped with the sampling efforts at that site.
 
nominal
DefinitionAny text
Pattern*
 
 
 
 
 
Data_Enterer
PLACEHOLDER
 
The first name of the person, who originally entered the hard data into digital format on our google drive.
 
nominal
DefinitionAny text
Pattern*
 
 
 
 
 
Lat
PLACEHOLDER
Latitude  
The latitude of the site, recorded in decimal degrees. Usually taken at the top of the site, and not on any given transect.
 
ratio
Unitdimensionless
Typereal
 
 
 
 
 
Long
PLACEHOLDER
Longitude  
The longitude of the site, recorded in decimal degrees. Usually taken at the top of the site, and not on any given transect.
 
ratio
Unitdimensionless
Typereal
 
 
 
 
 
Transect_Num
PLACEHOLDER
Transect Number  
This is an arbitrary number (1-3) assigned to each of the three transects at a site to differentiate the data.
 
nominal
Definition1-3
 
 
 
 
 
Organism
PLACEHOLDER
 
This is the organism or guild.
 
nominal

Enumerated Domain

CodeDefinitionSource
FucusFucus distichus
AcBarnacleBalanus glandula
ThBarnacleSemibalanus cariosus
MusselMytilus californianus, Mytilus trossulus
EncCoralineAll encrusting forms of Corallina spp.
HairyRedAll filamentous red algae species (e.g. Ceramium pacificum, Euthora cristata, Odonthalia floccose)
BladedGreenAll fleshy green algae species (e.g. Ulva lactuca, Monostroma grevillea)
BladedRedAll fleshy red algae species (e.g. Chondracanthus exasperatus, Palmaria mollis, Mazzaella splendens)
HairyGreenAll Filamentous green algae species (e.g. Cladophora sericea, Acrosiphonia arcta, Ulva prolifera)
SurfGrassPhylospadix scouleri, Phylospadix serrulatus
BraCoralineAll branching forms of Corallina spp.
KelpAll fleshy brown algae species, except fucus (e.g. Macrocystis pyrifera, Alaria marginata, Laminaria yezoensis); Macrocystis was only considered present if the holdfast was present
HalosaccionHalosaccion glandiforme
DeadManFingersCodium fragile
BubbleAlgLeathesia marina
Kelp1These are the same species as "Kelp", but if there were two distinct bands of different kelp species, they were recorded separately
Kelp2These are the same species as "Kelp", but if there were two distinct bands of different kelp species, they were recorded separately
Bryozoanall bryozoan spp and Ralfsia fungiformis (brown algae crust)
 
 
 
 
 
Edge
PLACEHOLDER
Bioband edge  
This attribute indicates whether this is a measurement for the upper or lower edge of the bioband.
 
nominal

Enumerated Domain

CodeDefinitionSource
Upperupper edge
Lowerlower edge
 
 
 
 
 
Elevation
PLACEHOLDER
 
This is the corrected (relative to MLLW) elevation of the bioband. Local height measurements were corrected using the relationship between the height of low tide during sampling and the nearest NOAA tide prediction for that day. When the bioband could not be measured, the following codes were used to indicate the reason: NA = Not Recorded NB = No Band (but present) NP = Not Present on that transect ST = present, but Subtidal
 
ratio
Unitmeter
Typereal
 
 
 
 
 
Location
PLACEHOLDER
Transect Location  
This is the location along the transect of the upper or lower edge of the bioband. The transect was run from the top of sessile organisms (0m) to the waterline at low tide. When the bioband could not be measured, the following codes were used to indicate the reason: NA = Not Recorded NB = No Band (but present) NP = Not Present on that transect ST = present, but Subtidal
 
ratio
Unitmeter
Typereal
 
 
 
 
 
Notes
PLACEHOLDER
 
These are notes from field sampling.
 
nominal
DefinitionAny text
Pattern*
 
 
 
 
 

Data Set Usage Rights

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.