Predators observed at reefs near Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas from 2009-2012 (Lionfish Invasion project)

<p>Record of predators observed during reef surveys at Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas during July and August 2011. (Part of sub-project titled, \"Lionfish effects on fairy basslet population dynamics\".)</p> <p>To quantify to what extent patterns in prey mortality have changed since the arrival of lionfish, the investigators replicated an in situ field manipulation of prey density that was originally conducted prior to the invasion using the same study sites. A controlled field experiment was conducted at two reefs near Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas, inhabited by 16 local populations of fairy basslet: eight with artificially enhanced recruitment versus eight with natural recruitment. Ledges were paired by habitat structure and one ledge from each pair was randomly assigned to receive artificially increased density of new basslet recruits, with the other in each pair left as a control.</p>本数据集记录了2011年7月至8月，在巴哈马李氏斯托金岛（Lee Stocking Island）开展珊瑚礁调查时观测到的捕食者相关数据。该数据集隶属于题为‘蓑鲉（Lionfish）对仙女鲈（fairy basslet）种群动态的影响’的子研究项目。 为量化蓑鲉入侵后猎物死亡率模式的变化程度，研究团队复刻了入侵前针对猎物密度开展的原位野外操控实验（in situ field manipulation），并沿用了全部原有研究样地。本次受控野外实验在巴哈马李氏斯托金岛附近的两处珊瑚礁区域开展，共设置16个仙女鲈本地种群样点：其中8个样点采用人工强化幼鱼补充（recruitment）的处理方式，剩余8个样点维持自然幼鱼补充模式。研究人员依据生境结构对岩礁架（ledges）进行配对，每对岩礁架中随机选取一处进行新增幼鱼种群密度的人工提升，另一处则作为对照（control）样点保留自然状态。