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Data from: Fishes alleviate the impacts of sediments on host corals

Abstract [Related Publication]:

Mutualisms play a critical role in ecological communities, however the importance and prevalence of mutualistic associations can be modified by external stressors. On coral reefs, elevated sediments are a major stressor, reducing the health of corals and damaging reef resilience. Here, we investigated the influence of sediment stress on the mutualistic relationship between small damselfishes (Dascyllus aruanus and Pomacentrus moluccensis) and their coral host (Pocillopora damicornis). In an aquaria experiment, corals were exposed to sedimentation rates of ~100 mg cm-2 day-1, with and without symbiont fish to test whether: (1) fishes influence the accumulation of sediments on coral hosts, and (2) fishes moderate partial colony mortality and/or condition. Colonies with fishes accumulated much less sediment compared to colonies without fishes, and this effect was strongest for colonies with D. aruanus (five-fold less sediment than controls) as opposed to P. moluccensis (two-fold less sediment than controls). Colonies with symbiont fishes also had up to 10-fold less sediment-induced partial mortality, as well as higher chlorophyll and protein concentrations. These results demonstrate that fish mutualisms vary in the strength of their benefits and indicates that some mutualistic or facilitative interactions might become more important for species health and resilience as stress levels increase.

Methods [Dryad]:

Datasets were collected through a combination of field and aquaria experiments on fish behaviour and coral physiology.

Usage Notes [Dryad]:

Partial colony mortality values for corals in the sediment aquaria experiment: The "colonymortality.csv" data file includes the proportion of the whole colony, P. damicornis, partial mortality at the end of the sediment experiment (28 days treatment exposure). For every coral colony, the sediment and fish treatments are listed, as well as the proportion of colony mortality (propmortality), at the "END" of the experiment. Note that a very small constant (0.001) was added to every colony's proportion mortality, to allow for analysis using a beta regression model (binomial distribution, bounded between 0 and 1).

Tissue values (protein and tissue biomass) sediment aquaria experiment: The "sedaqu.csv" datafile contains the proportion of colony mortality (whole colony) and tissue components of total proteins (protein), and tissue biomass (afdw) of the sample P. damicornis fragments sampled at the beginning ("START" - day 0 after a week of acclimation) and "END" (28 days of treatment exposure) of the sediment experiment in aquaria. For every coral, the phase of the experiment and sediment and fish treatments are listed. All values in the protein and afdw data are expressed per cm2 of surface area.

Chlorophyll tissue components and values for sediment aquaria experiment: The "sedchl.csv" datafile contains the data on the total chlorophyll (A and C2) of the sample P. damicornis fragments sampled at the beginning ("START" - day 0 after a week of acclimation) and "END" (28 days of treatment exposure) of the sediment experiment in aquaria. For every coral, the phase of the experiment and sediment and fish treatments are listed. All values in the chlorophyll data are expressed per cm2 of surface area. Additional information regarding the different chlorophyll components (A and C2) are included in the data sheet.

Supplementary data on Sediment Traps: The "sedtrapsgrain.csv" data file contains supplementary data on the total sediment and sediment grain sizes (small (<125 µm), medium (125-500 µm), and large (500-4000 µm) collected from 6 sites around the Palm Islands, QLD, using sediment traps (simple tube traps).

Supplementary data on Vacuum collected sediments: The "vacuumseds.csv" data file contains supplementary data on the total sediment collected from 4 sites around the Palm Islands, QLD, using a submersable sediment vacuum.

Supplementary data on suspended sediment in the sediment aquaria experiment: The "suspendedsediment_aquaria.csv" data file contains supplementary data on the suspended sediment collected 5 cm above a subset of sample P. damicornis colonies in the sediment aquaria experiment. These samples (~45-50ml) were collected 1 hour after daily sediment addition using a syringe.

Damselfish position around host coral colonies in the sediment aquaria experiment: The "fishpositionaquaria.cvs" data file contains data regarding the diurnal and nocturnal positions of the two damselfish species, Dascyllus aruanus and Pomacentrus moluccensis, during the sediment aquaria experiment. The position of each fish during spot checks are listed in the data file and these positions converted to proportions are also listed on the data file.

Sediment on coral in the sediment aquaria experiment: The "coralsed.csv" data file contains data on the total sediment and sediment grain sizes (small (<125 µm), medium (125-500 µm), and large (500-4000 µm) collected from the coral colonies in the sediment aquaria experiment, after 28 days of treatment exposure. The sediment and fish treatments are listed for every coral colony.

Tissue values (protein and tissue biomass) sediment aquaria experiment: The "sedaqu.csv" datafile contains the proportion of colony mortality (whole colony) and tissue components of total proteins (protein), and tissue biomass (afdw) of the sample P. damicornis fragments sampled at the beginning ("START" - day 0 after a week of acclimation) and "END" (28 days of treatment exposure) of the sediment experiment in aquaria. For every coral, the phase of the experiment and sediment and fish treatments are listed. All values in the protein and afdw data are expressed per cm2 of surface area.

 
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    Data Record Details
    Data record related to this publication Data from: Fishes alleviate the impacts of sediments on host corals
    Data Publication title Data from: Fishes alleviate the impacts of sediments on host corals
  • Description

    Abstract [Related Publication]:

    Mutualisms play a critical role in ecological communities, however the importance and prevalence of mutualistic associations can be modified by external stressors. On coral reefs, elevated sediments are a major stressor, reducing the health of corals and damaging reef resilience. Here, we investigated the influence of sediment stress on the mutualistic relationship between small damselfishes (Dascyllus aruanus and Pomacentrus moluccensis) and their coral host (Pocillopora damicornis). In an aquaria experiment, corals were exposed to sedimentation rates of ~100 mg cm-2 day-1, with and without symbiont fish to test whether: (1) fishes influence the accumulation of sediments on coral hosts, and (2) fishes moderate partial colony mortality and/or condition. Colonies with fishes accumulated much less sediment compared to colonies without fishes, and this effect was strongest for colonies with D. aruanus (five-fold less sediment than controls) as opposed to P. moluccensis (two-fold less sediment than controls). Colonies with symbiont fishes also had up to 10-fold less sediment-induced partial mortality, as well as higher chlorophyll and protein concentrations. These results demonstrate that fish mutualisms vary in the strength of their benefits and indicates that some mutualistic or facilitative interactions might become more important for species health and resilience as stress levels increase.

    Methods [Dryad]:

    Datasets were collected through a combination of field and aquaria experiments on fish behaviour and coral physiology.

    Usage Notes [Dryad]:

    Partial colony mortality values for corals in the sediment aquaria experiment: The "colonymortality.csv" data file includes the proportion of the whole colony, P. damicornis, partial mortality at the end of the sediment experiment (28 days treatment exposure). For every coral colony, the sediment and fish treatments are listed, as well as the proportion of colony mortality (propmortality), at the "END" of the experiment. Note that a very small constant (0.001) was added to every colony's proportion mortality, to allow for analysis using a beta regression model (binomial distribution, bounded between 0 and 1).

    Tissue values (protein and tissue biomass) sediment aquaria experiment: The "sedaqu.csv" datafile contains the proportion of colony mortality (whole colony) and tissue components of total proteins (protein), and tissue biomass (afdw) of the sample P. damicornis fragments sampled at the beginning ("START" - day 0 after a week of acclimation) and "END" (28 days of treatment exposure) of the sediment experiment in aquaria. For every coral, the phase of the experiment and sediment and fish treatments are listed. All values in the protein and afdw data are expressed per cm2 of surface area.

    Chlorophyll tissue components and values for sediment aquaria experiment: The "sedchl.csv" datafile contains the data on the total chlorophyll (A and C2) of the sample P. damicornis fragments sampled at the beginning ("START" - day 0 after a week of acclimation) and "END" (28 days of treatment exposure) of the sediment experiment in aquaria. For every coral, the phase of the experiment and sediment and fish treatments are listed. All values in the chlorophyll data are expressed per cm2 of surface area. Additional information regarding the different chlorophyll components (A and C2) are included in the data sheet.

    Supplementary data on Sediment Traps: The "sedtrapsgrain.csv" data file contains supplementary data on the total sediment and sediment grain sizes (small (<125 µm), medium (125-500 µm), and large (500-4000 µm) collected from 6 sites around the Palm Islands, QLD, using sediment traps (simple tube traps).

    Supplementary data on Vacuum collected sediments: The "vacuumseds.csv" data file contains supplementary data on the total sediment collected from 4 sites around the Palm Islands, QLD, using a submersable sediment vacuum.

    Supplementary data on suspended sediment in the sediment aquaria experiment: The "suspendedsediment_aquaria.csv" data file contains supplementary data on the suspended sediment collected 5 cm above a subset of sample P. damicornis colonies in the sediment aquaria experiment. These samples (~45-50ml) were collected 1 hour after daily sediment addition using a syringe.

    Damselfish position around host coral colonies in the sediment aquaria experiment: The "fishpositionaquaria.cvs" data file contains data regarding the diurnal and nocturnal positions of the two damselfish species, Dascyllus aruanus and Pomacentrus moluccensis, during the sediment aquaria experiment. The position of each fish during spot checks are listed in the data file and these positions converted to proportions are also listed on the data file.

    Sediment on coral in the sediment aquaria experiment: The "coralsed.csv" data file contains data on the total sediment and sediment grain sizes (small (<125 µm), medium (125-500 µm), and large (500-4000 µm) collected from the coral colonies in the sediment aquaria experiment, after 28 days of treatment exposure. The sediment and fish treatments are listed for every coral colony.

    Tissue values (protein and tissue biomass) sediment aquaria experiment: The "sedaqu.csv" datafile contains the proportion of colony mortality (whole colony) and tissue components of total proteins (protein), and tissue biomass (afdw) of the sample P. damicornis fragments sampled at the beginning ("START" - day 0 after a week of acclimation) and "END" (28 days of treatment exposure) of the sediment experiment in aquaria. For every coral, the phase of the experiment and sediment and fish treatments are listed. All values in the protein and afdw data are expressed per cm2 of surface area.

     
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  • Other Descriptors
    • Descriptor
      This dataset was originally published on Dryad and should be cited as: Chase, Tory J. et al. (2020), Data from: Fishes alleviate the impacts of sediments on host corals, Dryad, Dataset, https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.7nq2jb0
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      Descriptor type Note
    • Data type dataset
  • Keywords
    • biological interactions
    • coral reefs
    • damselfish
    • Dascyllus aruanus
    • fish-coral interactions
    • mutualisms
    • Pocillopora damicornis
    • Pomacentrus moluccensis
    • sediment
    • ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
  • Funding source
  • Research grant(s)/Scheme name(s)
    • -
    • Research themes
    Tropical Ecosystems, Conservation and Climate Change
    FoR Codes (*)
    SEO Codes
- Specify coverage
    Specify spatial or temporal setting of the data
    Temporal (time) coverage
  • Start Date 2017/04/01
  • End Date 2017/06/30
    • Time Period
    Spatial (location) coverage
  • Locations
    • Field sampling and the aquarium experiment were conducted on Orpheus Island (northern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia)
- Data
    Data Locations

    Type Location Notes
    URL https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.7nq2jb0
    The Data Manager is: Tory Chase
    College or Centre ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
    Access conditions Open: free access under license
  • Alternative access conditions
    • Data record size 8 files: 78.3 KB
- Related resources
  • Related publications
      Name Chase, T. J., Pratchett, M. S., McWilliam, M. J., Hein, M. Y., Tebbett, S. B., and Hoogenboom, M. O. (2020) Damselfishes alleviate the impacts of sediments on host corals. Royal Society Open Science, 7. 192074.
    • URL https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.192074
    • Notes Open Access
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- Citation
    Citation Chase, Tory; Pratchett, Morgan; McWilliam, Michael; Hein, Margaux; Tebbett, Sterling; Hoogenboom, Mia (2021): Data from: Fishes alleviate the impacts of sediments on host corals. James Cook University. https://research.jcu.edu.au/data/published/10e2fca5f09e1d6240b52f692d8ca157