MCR LTER: Coral Reef Resilience: Juvenile Parrotfish Habitat Associations at North Shore Fringe and Backreef in March 2011

These data describe habitat associations of juvenile parrotfish (Scaridae)
encountered during systematic searches at LTER 1 and LTER 2 fringing reef and back
reef sites during March 2011. At each site SCUBA divers or snorkelers identified,
counted, and estimated the sizes of juvenile parrotfish and recorded the
microhabitat that each individual or group of individuals was associated with on two
100 m x 10 m wide transects (n = 8 transects total). Upon encountering a juvenile
or group of juveniles, the surveyor recorded the microhabitat type that fishes were
first seen to be closest to. They also closely observed the behavior of fishes to
see if they were utilizing a particular microhabitat as shelter, and if so this was
also recorded. Several groups of fishes first observed to be grazing on hard
substrate or on macroalgae quickly retreated into the nearby coral Porites rus when
approached. Hence for these individuals we considered the initial habitat they were
associated with (e.g., hard substrate or macroalgae) to be their primary
microhabitat, but also noted that they were associated with Porites rus for
shelter.

本数据集记录了2011年3月于长期生态研究（Long-Term Ecological Research, LTER）1号与2号岸礁（fringing reef）及礁后区（back reef）站点开展系统调查时，观测到的幼体鹦嘴鱼（Scaridae）的生境关联特征。各站点均通过水肺潜水或浮潜的方式，由调查人员完成幼体鹦嘴鱼的识别、计数与体长估算，并在2条100m×10m的样带（transects）上（总计8条样带）记录每条个体或群体所关联的微生境（microhabitat）。当观测到幼体鹦嘴鱼或其群体时，调查员会记录鱼类首次被观察到时最邻近的微生境类型。同时，调查人员还会密切观察鱼类行为，判断其是否将特定微生境作为庇护场所，若存在该情况则一并记录。部分最初被观测到正在硬质底质（hard substrate）或大型藻类（macroalgae）上啃食的鱼群，在被接近时会迅速退至附近的珊瑚Porites rus丛中。因此，对于此类个体，我们将其最初关联的生境（如硬质底质或大型藻类）视为其主要微生境，但同时记录其会借助Porites rus作为庇护场所。