Location of collections, the month of collections, the sex, shell opening diameter, length of snail, and blotted wet weight of snail in Moorea, French Polynesia from April to September 2008 (Vermetids_Corals project)

Website: https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/724601
Data Type: Other Field Results
Version: 2017-10-05

Project
» Spatial patterns of coral-vermetid interactions: short-term effects and long-term consequences (Vermetids_Corals)
ContributorsAffiliationRole
Phillips, NicoleVictoria University of WellingtonPrincipal Investigator, Contact
Shima, JeffreyVictoria University of WellingtonCo-Principal Investigator
Biddle, MathewWoods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI BCO-DMO)BCO-DMO Data Manager


Coverage

Spatial Extent: N:-17.47279 E:-149.78277 S:-17.48365 W:-149.84698
Temporal Extent: 2008-04-01 - 2008-09-30

Dataset Description

These data include information on the reproductive biology and ecology of Ceraesignum (formerly Dendropoma) maximum.

Related Datasets:


Methods & Sampling

Individual Dendropoma (now Ceraesignum) maximum were collected haphazardly from seven sites in April and September 2008. Snails were removed with their shells intact using a chisel and hammer. In the lab the diameter of the opening of the shell was measured in samples from April.  Snails were removed from the shell, and sex, length and wet mass were determined. Mass was determined using blotted wet weight. Sex was determined by the presence of a mantle slit and appearance of gonads in females.


Data Processing Description

BCO-DMO Processing:

  • added conventional header with dataset name, PI name, version date
  • modified parameter names to conform with BCO-DMO naming conventions
  • empty values were replaced with 'nd' (no data).

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Data Files

File
PhillipsShima_2010_SizeAndSex.csv
(Comma Separated Values (.csv), 8.46 KB)
MD5:c642c7a87f27270c3a04597a0db50fcc
Primary data file for dataset ID 724601

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Related Publications

Phillips, N. E., & Shima, J. S. (2009). Reproduction of the vermetid gastropod Dendropoma maximum (Sowerby, 1825) in Moorea, French Polynesia. Journal of Molluscan Studies, 76(2), 133–137. doi:10.1093/mollus/eyp049
General
Shima, J. S. 1999a. An evaluation of the processes that influence variability in abundance of a coral reef fish. Dissertation. University of California-Santa Barbara, California, USA. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jeffrey_Shima/publication/235678400_An_evaluation_of_processes_that_influence_variability_in_abundance_of_a_coral_reef_fish/links/5701922708ae650a64f8c427/An-evaluation-of-processes-that-influence-variability-in-abunda
General

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Parameters

ParameterDescriptionUnits
SITE

sites where collections were made

unitless
MONTH

month when snails were collected (Apr = April; Oct = October)

unitless
SEX

Male or Female

unitless
SHELL_OPENING_DIA

measurement of the diameter of the shell

milimeters (mm)
LENGTH

length of the snail after removal from tube

milimeters (mm)
WEIGHT

blotted wet mass of snail after removal from shell

grams (g)


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Instruments

Dataset-specific Instrument Name
length was determined
Generic Instrument Name
Measuring Tape
Dataset-specific Description
In the lab the diameter of the opening of the shell was measured in samples from April.
Generic Instrument Description
A tape measure or measuring tape is a flexible ruler. It consists of a ribbon of cloth, plastic, fibre glass, or metal strip with linear-measurement markings. It is a common tool for measuring distance or length.

Dataset-specific Instrument Name
balance
Generic Instrument Name
scale
Dataset-specific Description
Snails were removed from the shell, and sex, length and wet mass were determined.
Generic Instrument Description
An instrument used to measure weight or mass.


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Deployments

Osenberg_et_al_Moorea

Website
Platform
Osenberg et al Moorea
Start Date
2003-05-19
End Date
2015-07-12


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Project Information

Spatial patterns of coral-vermetid interactions: short-term effects and long-term consequences (Vermetids_Corals)

Coverage: Moorea, French Polynesia (-17.48 degrees S, -149.82 degrees W)


Description from NSF abstract:
Ecological surprises are most likely to be manifest in diverse communities where many interactions remain uninvestigated. Coral reefs harbor much of the world's biodiversity, and recent studies by the investigators suggest that one overlooked, but potentially important, biological interaction involves vermetid gastropods. Vermetid gastropods are nonmobile, tube-building snails that feed via an extensive mucus net. Vermetids reduce coral growth by up to 80%, and coral survival by as much as 60%. Because effects vary among coral taxa, vermetids may substantially alter the structure of coral communities as well as the community of fishes and invertebrates that inhabit the coral reef.

The investigators will conduct a suite of experimental and observational studies that: 1) quantify the effects of four species of vermetids across coral species to assess if species effects and responses are concordant or idiosyncratic; 2) use meta-analysis to compare effects of vermetids relative to other coral stressors and determine the factors that influence variation in coral responses; 3) determine the role of coral commensals that inhabit the branching coral, Pocillopora, and evaluate how the development of the commensal assemblage modifies the deleterious effects of vermetids; 4) determine how vermetid mucus nets affect the local environment of corals and evaluate several hypotheses about proposed mechanisms; and 5) assess the long-term implications of vermetids on coral communities and the fishes and invertebrates that depend on the coral.

Note: The Principal Investigator, Dr. Craig W. Osenberg, was at the University of Florida at the time the NSF award was granted. Dr. Osenberg moved to the University of Georgia during the summer of 2014 (current contact information).



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Funding

Funding SourceAward
NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE)

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