Facilitation cascades across space: monitoring estuarine foundation species from satellites to the microscope

Estuaries are productive ecosystems that are vulnerable to human impacts and environmental disturbances. Estuaries are often inhabited by foundation species that facilitate other organisms by creating and modifying habitats. However, spatiotemporal variability and underpinning drivers of facilitation from estuarine foundation species are poorly studied, especially in the context of monitoring and conservation. Here, we combined analyses of satellite, drone, and camera images, close-up field sampling of quadrats and individuals, and laboratory microscopy, to quantify co-occurrences between the cockle Austrovenus stutchburyi and green macroalga Ulva spp., and their associated invertebrate communities, across spatial resolutions and environmental gradients in a New Zealand estuary. We found a higher abundance of Ulva in winter and a higher abundance of Austrovenus at a site near the ocean. Furthermore, Ulva was, across space and time, often attached to Austrovenus, either live or dead shel..., , , # Facilitation cascades across space: monitoring estuarine foundation species from satellites to the microscope

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.dr7sqvb5t](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.dr7sqvb5t)

## Description of the data and file structure

The data file is named \"fc_from_space_data.xlsx\" - this data file contains 7 spreadsheets: 'metadata', 'satellite', 'drone', 'camera', 'cockledensity', 'attachment', and 'community'.

The 'metadata' spreadsheet describes the column attributes (including abbreviations and units) for the 6 other data spreadsheets. The 6 data spreadsheets represent the multiscale methods presented in our paper and were used to specifically generate the analyses, tables, and figures in our manuscript.

For questions, please contact Ken Joseph Clemente at [[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail])