Time series dataset of fish assemblages near thermal discharges at nuclear power plants in northern Taiwan

Long-term time series datasets with consistent sampling methods are rather rare, especially the ones of non-target coastal fishes. Here we described a long-term time series dataset of fish collected by trammel net fish sampling and observed by an underwater diving visual census near the thermal discharges at two nuclear power plants on the northern coast of Taiwan. Both experimental and control stations of these two investigations were monitored four times per year in the surrounding seas at both plants from 2000 to 2017. The underwater visual census mainly monitored reef fish assemblages and trammel net samples monitored pelagic or demersal fishes above the muddy/sandy bottom. In total, 508 samples containing 203,863 individuals from 347 taxa were recorded in both investigations at both plants. These data can be used by ecologists and fishery biologists interested in the elucidation of the temporal patterns of species abundance and composition.

采用统一采样方法的长期时间序列数据集较为稀缺，针对非目标沿岸鱼类的此类数据集尤甚。本研究描述了一套长期鱼类时间序列数据集，该数据集采集自中国台湾北部沿岸两座核电站热排水口（thermal discharges）附近海域，通过三层刺网（trammel net）采样与水下潜水目视调查（underwater diving visual census）两种方式获取观测数据。两项调查均设置了实验组与对照组站位，于2000年至2017年间，每年在两座核电站周边海域开展四次监测工作。水下目视调查主要针对礁栖鱼类群落开展监测，而三层刺网采样则用于监测泥沙质底质上方的中上层鱼类与底栖鱼类。两座核电站的两项调查累计记录了508份样本，涵盖347个分类单元（taxa）、共计203863尾个体。本数据集可供致力于阐明物种丰度与群落组成时间动态模式的生态学家与渔业生物学家使用。