Benthic macrofauna abundance and biomass data collected in Baffin Bay and Laguna Madre, Texas from 2014-03-20 to 2017-07-11

Baffin Bay, Texas is a predominantly hypersaline estuarine system with frequent fluctuations in water quality and algal blooms. Macroinfauna samples were collected quarterly via benthic coring to assess the effect of changes in water quality on the benthic community. Three replicate 35.4 cm2 cores for each station were separated into 0-3cm and 3-10cm depth sections. Macrofauna collections were completed over a wide range of salinity conditions (Mean bay-wide salinity 15.8 - 53.9) from March 2014 to July 2017. Stations in the Baffin Bay were assessed for the entire study period, and 2 stations in the more hydrologically stable Laguna Madre were added in 2015 for comparison. These data were collected as part of a larger study to assess trophic functioning of the Baffin Bay, particularly resource availability for the commercially important Black Drum (Pogonias cromis). Stable isotope data for organic matter, macrofauna, and fish were also collected, and those data are available under GRIIDC Unique Dataset Identifier (UDI) HI.x846.000:0002 (DOI: 10.7266/PJ139ZRD). This dataset supports the publications: Breaux, N., Lebreton, B., Palmer, T. A., Guillou, G., & Beseres Pollack, J. (2019). Ecosystem resilience following salinity change in a hypersaline estuary. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 225, 106258. doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2019.106258; and Rubio, K. S., Ajemian, M., Stunz, G. W., Palmer, T. A., Lebreton, B., & Beseres Pollack, J. (2018). Dietary composition of black drum Pogonias cromis in a hypersaline estuary reflects water quality and prey availability. Journal of Fish Biology, 93(2), 250–262. doi:10.1111/jfb.13654. This dataset was funded by the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries program and Texas Sea Grant.得克萨斯州巴芬湾（Baffin Bay）为典型的高盐度河口生态系统，其水质与藻华现象频繁波动。研究团队于2014年3月至2017年7月期间按季度开展底质钻探，采集大型底栖无脊椎动物（macroinfauna）样本，以评估水质变化对底栖生物群落的影响。每个站位设置3个面积为35.4 cm²的重复岩心样，并将其划分为0-3cm与3-10cm两个深度层。本次大型底栖动物样本采集覆盖了广泛的盐度范围（全湾平均盐度15.8~53.9）。 研究全程对巴芬湾内的所有站位进行了监测，并于2015年新增2个水文条件更为稳定的拉古纳马德雷（Laguna Madre）站位作为对照。本次数据采集隶属于一项更大尺度的研究，旨在评估巴芬湾的营养生态功能，尤其是针对具有重要商业价值的黑鼓鱼（Pogonias cromis）的饵料资源可获得性。研究同时采集了有机质、大型底栖动物与鱼类的稳定同位素数据，相关数据可通过GRIIDC唯一数据集标识符（UDI）HI.x846.000:0002获取，其数字对象标识符（DOI）为10.7266/PJ139ZRD。 本数据集支撑以下两篇学术出版物： 1. Breaux, N., Lebreton, B., Palmer, T. A., Guillou, G., & Beseres Pollack, J. (2019). 高盐度河口盐度变化后的生态系统恢复力. 《河口、海岸与陆架科学（Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science）》, 225, 106258. doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2019.106258; 2. Rubio, K. S., Ajemian, M., Stunz, G. W., Palmer, T. A., Lebreton, B., & Beseres Pollack, J. (2018). 高盐度河口黑鼓鱼（Pogonias cromis）的食性组成反映水质与猎物可获得性. 《鱼类生物学杂志（Journal of Fish Biology）》, 93(2), 250–262. doi:10.1111/jfb.13654. 本数据集由科斯特本德湾与河口计划（Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries program）及得克萨斯海洋资助项目（Texas Sea Grant）资助。