Data for: Seagrass increases seasonal variability in nekton but not predation intensity in mid-latitude estuaries

We sampled nekton, eelgrass, and predation intensity (loss of baits over 24 h) in summer 2016 and spring 2017 to test hypotheses about the seasonality of nekton and food web interactions in structured and unstructured low intertidal soft sediment habitats. The data sets provide the GPS locations, eelgrass size and density, nekton size and density, and predation intensity. We found that nekton differed more seasonally in eelgrass than bare habitat, consistent with seasonally-variable structure. Predation intensity was higher in summer than spring but did not differ by habitat. Some eelgrass-associated species increased with eelgrass abundance seasonally, but grass shrimp declined, likely due to intraguild predation. The morphotype of eelgrass and geographic proximity did not explain differences among the five sites in terms of nekton assemblages and seasonality.

本研究于2016年夏季与2017年春季，对自游生物（nekton）、鳗草（eelgrass）以及捕食强度（24小时内饵料损失量）开展野外采样，旨在检验结构化与非结构化低潮间带软沉积生境中，自游生物季节动态与食物网交互作用的相关假说。本数据集包含GPS定位坐标、鳗草的植株尺寸与种群密度、自游生物的个体尺寸与种群密度，以及捕食强度四类核心数据。研究结果显示，相较于裸生境，鳗草生境中的自游生物群落季节差异更为显著，这与生境结构随季节动态变化的特征相一致。夏季的捕食强度显著高于春季，但不同生境类型间的捕食强度并无显著差异。部分与鳗草共生的物种随鳗草种群丰度的季节变化而种群数量上升，但草虾（grass shrimp）的种群丰度出现下降，该现象可能由集团内捕食（intraguild predation）所导致。鳗草的形态型与采样点间的地理邻近性，无法解释五个采样点之间自游生物群落组成与季节动态的差异。