Surfgrass Community Structure - Monitoring - BC Central Coast - 2016-2017

The Surfgrass community structure dataset is a component of the Hakai Institute’s Nearshore research and monitoring program, designed to capture change in rocky intertidal habitats. The overarching objective of Hakai Nearshore research is to investigate the role of habitats and their associated communities, in the face of stress and disturbances from global climate change and local coastal perturbations. The structure, health, and coverage of surfgrass beds (Phyllospadix spp.) was surveyed at three sites along the northwestern coast of Calvert Island on the central coast of BC. All three sites were exposed rocky shores with large beds of surfgrass growing in the low intertidal. The beds were surveyed using a point-intercept method along a single transect. The placement and length of the transect was replicated through time. Various parameters (e.g., surfgrass cover, understorey/overstorey cover, bed thickness) of the surfgrass were assessed at each point. The sites were approximately surveyed on a monthly basis from April to September, with a winter survey in February 2017. Three surveys were conducted in 2016 and five in 2017. This data package is freely available to everyone, following the principles of equitable access and benefit sharing. However, we expect all data users to give attribution to the data providers (read our data license) and the use of these data should happen in the light of fair use, i.e.: 1) respect the data providers, and provide helpful feedback on data quality, and 2) communicate and/or collaborate with the providers if you are considering using this dataset for manuscripts or other forms of reporting.鳗草群落结构数据集（Surfgrass community structure dataset）是哈凯研究所（Hakai Institute）近岸研究与监测计划的组成部分，旨在记录岩相潮间带生境的动态变化。哈凯近岸研究的总体目标为：探究在全球气候变化与沿岸局部扰动带来的压力及干扰下，各类生境及其伴生群落所发挥的生态作用。研究团队在不列颠哥伦比亚省（BC）中部海岸卡尔弗特岛西北沿岸的三个监测点位，开展了鳗草床（Phyllospadix spp.，鳗草属）的结构、健康状况与覆盖度调查。三个监测点位均为开阔岩岸，潮间带下部分布有大面积鳗草床。调查采用样点拦截法，沿单条样线开展，样线的布设方式与长度会随监测时间重复设置。在每个采样点处，研究人员对鳗草的多项参数（如鳗草盖度、下层/上层植被盖度、草床厚度等）进行了评估。监测大致按月开展，调查时段为每年4月至9月，另于2017年2月开展了冬季专项调查。2016年共完成3次调查，2017年共完成5次。本数据集遵循公平获取与惠益共享原则，面向所有群体免费开放。但我们期望所有数据使用者对数据提供方予以学术署名（详见数据使用许可），且数据使用需符合合理使用规范，即：1）尊重数据提供方，并就数据质量提供有益反馈；2）若拟将本数据集用于学术论文或其他形式的报告创作，请与数据提供方沟通或开展合作。