Effects of predator and habitat diversity on coastal food webs, a mesocosm study from June-September, 2017

These datasets were generated from mesocosm experiments conducted from June to September 2017 to examine the effects of predator and habitat diversity on trophic interactions of common coastal fish and crustacean species of the Gulf of Mexico. Prey assemblages composed of diamond killifish (Fundulus xenicus), juvenile Atlantic blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus), and grass shrimp (Palaemonetes spp.) were exposed to combinations of 4 predator species (red drum [Sciaenops ocellatus], Gulf killifish [Fundulus grandis], Gulf toadfish [Opsanus beta], and adult blue crabs [C. sapidus]) and artificial habitats representing 3 habitat forming species (smooth cordgrass [Spartina alterniflora] represented by wooden dowel rods, eastern oyster [Crassostrea virginica] represented by 3D printed PLA oyster clumps, shoal grass [Halodule wrightii] represented by artificial seagrass units (ASU) composed of green ribbon tied to vexar mesh). Prey assemblages were exposed to predator monocultures (4 individuals of 1 species) and polycultures (1 individual from each of 4 species) in habitat monocultures (full bottom coverage of 1 habitat) and polycultures (1/3 bottom coverage of each of 3 habitats). Prey survival was recorded at the end of each 48-hour experiment.

本数据集源于2017年6月至9月开展的中宇宙（mesocosm）实验，旨在探究捕食者与生境多样性对墨西哥湾常见沿海鱼类及甲壳类物种营养级互作的影响。实验所用猎物群落由钻石底鳉（Fundulus xenicus）、幼年大西洋蓝蟹（Callinectes sapidus）以及草虾（Palaemonetes spp.）组成，将其暴露于4种捕食者物种（红鼓鱼[Sciaenops ocellatus]、墨西哥湾底鳉[Fundulus grandis]、墨西哥湾蟾鱼[Opsanus beta]以及成年蓝蟹[C. sapidus]）与3种造境物种对应的人工生境的组合处理中：互花米草（Spartina alterniflora）以木圆棒模拟，东部牡蛎（Crassostrea virginica）以3D打印聚乳酸（PLA）牡蛎团块模拟，丛状海草（Halodule wrightii）以绑于维克斯网的绿色丝带组成的人工海草单元（ASU）模拟。猎物群落分别在生境单优覆盖（单一生境完全覆盖实验底床）与生境混合覆盖（3种生境各占1/3底床面积）的环境中，接受捕食者单优种群（单物种4个个体）与捕食者混合种群（4个物种各1个个体）的处理。每轮48小时实验结束后，记录猎物存活率。