Floating Sargassum communities of the Gulf of Mexico: data collection for the continued assessment of associated faunal assemblages, trophic interactions and habitat function in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (2011)

Metadata:


Identification_Information:
Citation:
Citation_Information:
Originator:
Dauphin Island Sea Lab
Publication_Date:
Unpublished material
Title:
Floating Sargassum communities of the Gulf of Mexico: data collection for the continued assessment of associated faunal assemblages, trophic interactions and habitat function in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (2011)
Description:
Abstract:
The pelagic brown algae complex of Sargassum natans and S. fluitans supports large and diverse assemblages of marine fish early life history stages. Fish larvae and juveniles presumably utilize these pelagic habitats as protection from predators, but Sargassum may also provide enhanced feeding opportunities and serve to concentrate larvae and juveniles with flotsam-seeking behaviors. Sargassum, therefore, serves as pelagic "nursery habitats" for many important fisheries species, including mahi mahi, grey triggerfish, tripletail, billfish and amberjack, as well as ecologically important forage fish species, such as butterfishes and flyingfishes. For these reasons, Sargassum has been designated as Essential Fish Habitat. The Deepwater Horizon spill placed a large pool of oil in the northern Gulf of Mexico surface waters. Because Sargassum clumps, mats and weedlines are found in the neuston, these habitats and associated fauna were at severe risk of exposure to surface oil, sheens, and chemical dispersants introduced as a result of the Deepwater Horizon incident. More than one year removed from the oil spill, the effects of this prolonged exposure to oil/dispersant products on the algal complex and its function as nursery habitat for associated fauna are unknown.
Purpose:
Time-sensitive data were collected during the peak of the Sargassum occurrence in the northern Gulf of Mexico to address the following objectives: 1) determine the areal extent and distribution of Sargassum in the northcentral Gulf of Mexico during the 2011 summer season; 2) determine the relationship between Sargassum patch size and species richness and density for planktonic and pelagic fish and invertebrates at multiple life stages; and 3) quantify via stable isotopes and diet analysis trophic linkages within the Sargassum food web.
Time_Period_of_Content:
Time_Period_Information:
Range_of_Dates/Times:
Beginning_Date:
20110708
Ending_Date:
20110929
Currentness_Reference:
ground condition
Status:
Progress:
Complete
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency:
As needed
Spatial_Domain:
Bounding_Coordinates:
West_Bounding_Coordinate:
-88.98709
East_Bounding_Coordinate:
-87.78804
North_Bounding_Coordinate:
30.23293
South_Bounding_Coordinate:
29.31744
Keywords:
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus:
None
Theme_Keyword:
Sargassum
Theme_Keyword:
community
Theme_Keyword:
fauna
Theme_Keyword:
assemblages
Theme_Keyword:
trophic interactions
Theme_Keyword:
habitat
Theme_Keyword:
Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Theme_Keyword:
distribution
Theme_Keyword:
species richness
Theme_Keyword:
density
Theme_Keyword:
planktonic fish
Theme_Keyword:
pelagic fish
Theme_Keyword:
invertebrates
Theme_Keyword:
stable isotopes
Theme_Keyword:
food web
Theme:
Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus:
ISO 19115 Topic Categories
Theme_Keyword:
biota
Theme_Keyword:
environment
Theme_Keyword:
oceans
Place:
Place_Keyword_Thesaurus:
None
Place_Keyword:
Gulf of Mexico
Place_Keyword:
Alabama shelf
Place_Keyword:
Dauphin Island Sea Lab
Place_Keyword:
DISL
Access_Constraints:
Permission to access these data must be given by Dr. Frank Hernandez of the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Research Laboratory.
Use_Constraints:
Acknowledgment of DISL: the Fisheries Oceanography of Coastal Alabama (FOCAL) Lab and the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative is required in products developed from these data, and such acknowledgment as is standard for citation and legal practices for data source is expected by users of these data. Users should be aware that comparison with other data sets for the same area from other time periods may be inaccurate due to inconsistencies resulting from changes in mapping conventions, data collection, and computer processes over time. The distributor shall not be liable for improper or incorrect use of these data, based on the description of appropriate/inappropriate uses described in the metadata document. These data are not legal documents and are not to be used as such.
Point_of_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person:
Dr. Frank Hernandez
Contact_Organization:
University of Southern Mississippi: Gulf Coast Research Laboratory
Contact_Position:
Principal Investigator
Contact_Address:
Address_Type:
mailing and physical
Address:
703 East Beach Drive
City:
Ocean Springs
State_or_Province:
MS
Postal_Code:
39564
Country:
USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone:
(228) 818-8800
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address:
frank.hernandez@usm.edu
Contact_Instructions:
Please email Frank Hernandez for further information.
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Data_Quality_Information:
Logical_Consistency_Report:
Data were collected weekly from 20110708 until 20110929 with no major lapses in collection times.
Completeness_Report:
Satellite imagery not included in the bounding coordinates was also used in locating sampling sites. This imagery includes the Northern Gulf of Mexico area following within the bounding coordinates:30.00, -90.00; 30.00, -86.50; 28.25, -90.00; 28.25, -86.50. Satellite images were provided by: Roffer's Ocean Fishing Forecasting Service, Inc. 1-800-677-7633 FISH7@ROFFS.com
Lineage:
Process_Step:
Process_Description:
Data were collected at roughly weekly intervals from 20110708 to 20110929 using field sampling techniques: aerial surveys, neuston net, plankton purse seine, hook and line sampling, pelagic longline, ROV transects, dipnets, CTD casts.
Process_Date:
Unknown
Process_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person:
Dr. Frank Hernandez
Contact_Organization:
University of Southern Mississippi: Gulf Coast Research Laboratory
Contact_Position:
Principal Investigator
Contact_Address:
Address_Type:
mailing and physical
Address:
703 East Beach Drive
City:
Ocean Springs
State_or_Province:
MS
Postal_Code:
39564
Country:
USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone:
(228) 818-8800
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address:
frank.hernandez@usm.edu
Contact_Instructions:
Please email Frank Hernandez for further information.
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Entity_and_Attribute_Information:
Overview_Description:
Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:
Data are available in the following formats: DOC: aerial and ship reports, protocols, XLS: data logs, other spreadsheets, GBD, JPEG; TXT, MXD: aerial mapping, CNV, HEX: CTD casts, MTS: video files
Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:
The following phenomenon were sampled: 1)Areal extent and distribution of Sargassum off Alabama; 2)Community composition and abundance of fishes and invertebrates associated with Sargassum; and 3)Trophic linkages within the Sargassum food web
Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation:
The dataset is varied and includes the following components: 1) Physical Samples - includes plankton samples in jars; freeze-dried fish, invertebrate, and Sargassum tissue samples; frozen fish heads with otoliths; fish fin clips in ethanol; fish guts in ethanol; field data sheets; lab data sheets 2) Digital - Includes digital images of sampling ops, fish specimens, and Sargassum; Field reports from cruises and aerial surveys; satellite imagery of SST for the sampling region; Excel sample logs; GIS maps; CTD profiles 3) Video Samples - Digital video from ROV surveys under Sargassum patches
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Distribution_Information:
Distributor:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Person_Primary:
Contact_Person:
Dr. Frank Hernandez
Contact_Organization:
University of Southern Mississippi: Gulf Coast Research Laboratory
Contact_Position:
Principal Investigator
Contact_Address:
Address_Type:
mailing and physical
Address:
703 East Beach Drive
City:
Ocean Springs
State_or_Province:
MS
Postal_Code:
39564
Country:
USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone:
(228) 818-8800
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address:
frank.hernandez@usm.edu
Contact_Instructions:
Please email Frank Hernandez for further information.
Distribution_Liability:
The Dauphin Island Sea Lab's FOCAL Lab makes no warranty regarding these data, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. The DISL: FOCAL Lab cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data, nor as a result of the failure of these data to function on a particular system.
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Metadata_Reference_Information:
Metadata_Date:
20110106
Metadata_Contact:
Contact_Information:
Contact_Organization_Primary:
Contact_Organization:
Dauphin Island Sea Lab
Contact_Position:
Data Management Specialist
Contact_Address:
Address_Type:
mailing and physical
Address:
101 Bienville Blvd.
City:
Dauphin Island
State_or_Province:
Al
Postal_Code:
36528
Country:
USA
Contact_Voice_Telephone:
251-861-2141
Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address:
metadata@disl.org
Contact_Instructions:
Please email the metadata specialist for further information.
Metadata_Standard_Name:
FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
Metadata_Standard_Version:
FGDC-STD-001-1998
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