AxIOM: Amphipod crustaceans from insular Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows

Loïc Michel1, Nicolas Sturaro1, André Heughebaert2

1 University of Liège, Allee du 6 Aout 15, 4000, Liège, Belgium; 2 Belgian Biodiversity Platform, Av Louise 231 Louizalaan, Bruxelles, Belgium

Corresponding author(s): Loïc Michel (loicnmichel@gmail.com), Nicolas Sturaro (nicolas.sturaro@ulg.ac.be), André Heughebaert (a.heughebaert@biodiversity.be)

Received {date}; Revised {date}; Accepted {date}; Published {date}

Citation: Combination of authors, year of data paper publication (in parentheses), Title, Journal Name, Volume, Issue number (in parentheses), and doi of the data paper.

Resource Citation

Michel LN, Sturaro N, Heughebaert A & Lepoint G (2016): AxIOM: Amphipod crustaceans from insular Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows. v1. University of Liège. Dataset/Samplingevent. http://ipt.biodiversity.be/resource?r=axiom&amp;v=1.0

Abstract

AxIOM is a sample-based dataset (n = 187 samples) documenting occurrences of amphipod crustaceans associated to Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows from Mediterranean Islands (Corsica, Sardinia). In total, it contains 10720 records of specimens belonging to 72 species spanning 29 families. Samples were collected over different periods 3 consecutive years, both during the day and during the night. A nested hierarchical sampling design was set up, and multiple sampling methods were combined to ensure a holistic view of the taxocenosis. The dataset package is composed of two data files: one describing sampling events, and the other reporting occurrence data of amphipod crustaceans.

Keywords: Samplingevent, Amphipoda, Crustacea, Posidonia oceanica, Seagrass, Mediterranean, Corsica, Sardinia, Islands, Revellata Bay, Tavolara - Punta Coda Cavallo Marine Protected Area, Hierarchical sampling design

Project details

Project title: Multidisciplinary study of trophic diversity and functional role of amphipod crustaceans associated to Posidonia oceanica meadows AND Multiscale variability of amphipod assemblages in Posidonia oceanica meadows: A comparison between different protection levels
Personnel: Loïc Michel, Nicolas Sturaro
Funding: Belgian Fund for Scientific Research (F.R.S.-FNRS) research fellow grant nr. FC74734; Belgian Fund for Research in Industry and Agriculture (FRIA) doctoral grant.

Data published through GBIF: http://ipt.biodiversity.be/resource?r=axiom

Taxonomic coverage

General taxonomic coverage description: This dataset comprises 72 amphipod species (including 2 subspecies of Caprella acanthifera) belonging to 51 genera and 29 families.
Taxonomic ranks
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Subclass: Eumalacostraca
Superorder: Peracarida
Order: Amphipoda
Common names: Animals, Arthropods, Crustaceans, Amphipods

Spatial coverage

General spatial coverage: AxIOM contains samples taken in Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows from Mediterranean Islands. Two regions were investigated: Corsica (Calvi Bay) and Sardinia (Tavolara-Punta Coda Cavallo marine protected area)
Coordinates: 40°51'32.4''N and 42°34'48''N Latitude; 8°43'30''E and 9°46'40.8''E Longitude 

Temporal coverage: November 15, 2006 - August 19, 2008

Natural collections description

Collection name: AxIOM
Collection identifier: ULGOceano001
Specimen preservation method: Alcohol

Methods

Method step description: After collection, all samples were sieved on 400 µm nylon mesh to eliminate sediment and fine particulate organic matter. They were subsequently fixed for >24 hours in a formaldehyde solution (4% in 0.22 µm-filtered seawater). Samples were then sorted to isolate amphipods and transfer them to a preservation solution consisting of 70% ethanol in distilled water to which 1% glycerine was added to prevent evaporation. After identification, specimens were stored in this preservation solution in airtight vials.
Study extent description: The dataset 187 sampling events, spanning 3 consecutive years. Sampling took place in two regions: Corsica (Calvi Bay) and Sardinia (Tavolara-Punta Coda Cavallo Marine Protected Area). To acknowledge temporal variation of communities, samples were taken during different periods of the year (November, March, June, July, August) and during both day and night. Sampling stations encompass various levels of environmental protection and anthropogenic pressure, including integral reserve, partial reserve, general reserve , unprotected pristine zone and heavily impacted zone.
Sampling description: All sampling was performed by SCUBA diving at depths ranging from 10.4 to 15 metres. 4 complementary methods were used: hand-towed net, litter collection, air-lift and 2 slightly different types of light traps. In both investigated regions, a nested hierarchical sampling design was setup to fully capture the spatial variability of amphipod community structure over multiple scales spanning four orders of magnitude (1 to 1000 metres).
Quality control description: Sampling protocols were standardized to avoid biases. After identification, specimens were randomly selected to be re-examined by either first or last author in order to check identification accuracy. Species names were matched against the authoritative, expert-driven World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS).

Datasets

Dataset description
Object name: Darwin Core Archive AxIOM: Amphipod crustaceans from insular Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows
Character encoding: UTF-8
Format name: Darwin Core Archive format
Format version: 1.0
Distribution: http://ipt.biodiversity.be/archive.do?r=axiom
Publication date of data: 2017-02-22
Language: English
Licences of use: Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License

Metadata language: English
Date of metadata creation: 2016-07-12
Hierarchy level: Dataset