MCR LTER: Coral Reef: Demersal Zooplankton Composition and Abundance

This data package contains demersal zooplankton abundance and taxonomic composition
measured at 3 stations on the north shore of Moorea, French Polynesia: Forereef, Backreef
and Fringing Reef from 2005 to 2010. Demersal zooplankton emerging from sand or rubble
substrates on the reef during the night were captured in 8 inverted funnel traps placed on
the substrate in the late afternoon and retrieved the following morning. Traps were made of
200 μm mesh netting with the opening to the cod end located 18 cm above the bottom. Four
traps, each covering 0.0615 m2 of substrate, were combined to obtain one sample for
counting. The table reports means of 2 replicates each containing 4 combined traps. Traps
placed over sand were pushed into the substrate. However, traps over rubble had numerous
gaps along their bases allowing some contamination from the water column. Data are expressed
as number of animals emerging per square meter of bottom.