Influence of coral-macroalgal contact on Acanthaster planci feeding behaviour

Excel (.xls) spreadsheets detailing results of field surveys and manipulative experiments investigating the influence of coral-macroalgal contact on Acanthaster planci feeding behaviour. Sheet 1 includes data from the field survey conducted during July-August 2013 on Votua Reef, Viti Levu, Fiji. Column A indicates individual Acanthaster feeding incidents on the coral Montopira hispida. These include the coral that was attacked (Primary) and 5 nearest-neighboring Montipora colonies (Secondary), which are indicated in column B. The percent of each colony covered in macroalgae or attacked by Acanthaster are included in columns D and E, respectively. Sheet 2 includes data from feeding choice experiments conducted during July-August 2012. Individual starfish were given a choice between Montipora surrounded by Sargassum polycystum or plastic Sargassum mimics of varying frond densities and lengths vs. Montipora that lacked Sargassum or Sargassum mimics. Column F indicates the 1st coral attacked (0 = lacked Sargassum/mimics, 1 = surrounded by Sargassum/mimics). Sheet 3 includes data from feeding choice experiments conducted during June 2013. Individual starfish were offered a choice between either Montipora hispida or Porites cylindrica that both lacked surrounding Sargassum (0, column B), or where the choice was between Montipora surrounded by Sargassum or Porites that lacked surrounding Sargassum (1, column B).