Meso-scale habitat description in the Gaià River (Tarragona, Spain)

This dataset represents a first attempt of meso-scale habitat modellig in temporary streams. In particular the dataset shows how habitat changes with flow and when water flows cease, defining the so-called "habitat-flow-time rating curve". Data were collected in the Gaià River (Tarragona Province, Iberian Peninsula) during both flow and non-flow phases. Multiple, stage-dependent surveys of geomorphological units provided basic maps for the characterization of mesohabitats in a reach located close to the El Catllar village. Following the MesoHABSIM model protocol (Vezza et al., 2014), these surveys were used to calculate spatio-temporal variation of habitat availability and draw curves that represent the relationship between discharge/zero flow days and (i) wet area, (ii) suitability habitat of key species, and (iii) connectivity . The level of each variable can also be represented in a percentage of its maximum level. As an example, an autochthonous fish species (European eel) was used as an ecological target. Rating curves were developed between habitat and flow, and habitat and time quantified habitat availability for fish species in space (% of channel area) during both flow and non-flow phases.本数据集是针对暂时性河流开展中尺度生境建模的首次尝试。具体而言，本数据集阐明了生境如何随径流动态变化，并在径流完全停止时发生相应改变，由此定义了所谓的“生境-流量-时间分级曲线”。数据采集于伊比利亚半岛塔拉戈纳省的盖亚河（Gaià River），涵盖径流期与断流期两个观测阶段。研究人员通过多次基于水位变化的地貌单元调查，为埃尔卡特拉尔村（El Catllar）附近河段的中尺度生境特征绘制了基础地理图件。遵循MesoHABSIM模型规程（Vezza等，2014），本次调查数据被用于计算生境可利用性的时空动态变化，并绘制表征流量/零流量天数与以下三类指标关系的曲线：(i) 湿润区域面积；(ii) 关键物种的适宜生境面积；(iii) 连通性。各指标的数值也可通过其最大值的百分比形式进行可视化表达。 作为示例，本次研究选取土著鱼类物种欧洲鳗鲡（European eel）作为生态靶标。构建了生境与流量、生境与时间之间的分级曲线，以量化径流期与断流期内鱼类生境在空间维度上的可利用性（以河道总面积百分比计）。