Time series data on reef ecosystems in oceanic islands of the South Mid-Atlantic Ridge

The present study investigates temporal patterns in nine shared reef fish species (Abudefduf saxatilis, Aluterus scriptus, Aulostomus strigosus, Azurina multilineata, Bodianus insularis, Holocentrus adscensionis, Kyphosus sectatrix, Myripristis jacobus and Rypticus saponaceus) and four oceanographic variables (SSH, SST, pH, and Chl) across two distant systems (3,204 km apart) in the South Mid-Atlantic Ridge. We applied a combination of time-series analyses and modeling. Temporal patterns of fish species were assessed using annual relative abundance data, by comparing the overlapping period between areas (2014–2019), while oceanographic variables were evaluated using quarterly data spanning 21 years (2002–2022). Relationships between species’ relative abundances and oceanographic variables were examined within the available time windows for each area (Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago: 2009–2019; Saint Helena Island: 2014–2022). The complete datasets, including reef fish abundances and oceanographic variables, will be made publicly available upon acceptance of the paper Karlovic et al., "Responses of reef fish abundances to similar environmental changes across distant oceanic islands”. This project was developed under the EU H2020 Mission Atlantic project (grant agreement no. 862428).