Datasets required for the production of the study entitled: "Beta diversity and rarity assessment of sessile cryptobenthic communities across depth and islands can inform coral reef conservation."
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Datasets required for the production of the study entitled: “Beta diversity and rarity assessment of sessile cryptobenthic communities across depth and islands can inform coral reef conservation.” Code for data analysis is available at: https://github.com/BaptisteFrattini/MESO_ARMS_2024.git DOI for this GitHub repository : https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19848289 Aim: This study investigates a poorly known component of coral reefs, the cryptobiome, species that live hidden within the reef matrix, essential for reef functioning and productivity. It focuses on patterns of diversity and rarity of sessile cryptobenthic communities across Mascarene islands, and across shallow and mesophotic habitats (in deep low-light conditions). It aims to: (i) assess community uniqueness and local extinction risks for conservation, (ii) evaluate taxonomic overlap between mesophotic and shallow communities to explore mesophotic habitats as refugia for degrading shallow reefs. Location: Reunion and Rodrigues islands, Mascarene Archipelago, south-west Indian Ocean Method: 44 Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) were deployed on outer reef slopes in Reunion (~11 m and ~51 m depths) and in Rodrigues (~11 m depth). 704 ARMS plate photographs were analyzed using a point counting method, and 141 morphospecies (MSPs) were distinguished. Analyses included alpha, beta and gamma diversity, rarity, and taxonomic overlap. Results: Sessile cryptobenthic communities from Rodrigues and mesophotic habitats were characterized by unique MSP composition, higher spatial heterogeneity, and elevated rarity indices. A strong species turnover was observed between shallow and mesophotic habitats, and taxonomic overlap assessment revealed that two-thirds of the MSPs were habitat-exclusive, while only one-quarter were common and shared across habitats. Main conclusions: We highlight the uniqueness and rarity of sessile cryptobenthic communities in mesophotic habitats and in shallow habitats on the southwest coast of Reunion and in Rodrigues, and the need to consider broad geographical coverage in conservation strategies to account for their spatial heterogeneity and uniqueness. The low proportion of shallow-water MSPs found in deeper habitats argues against the deep reef refugia hypothesis for sessile cryptobenthic communities in Reunion. Each habitat holds a distinct conservation value that should be recognized independently. Keywords ARMS, Coral Reefs, Mesophotic Coral Ecosystem, Deep Reef Refugia, Distribution, Uniqueness, Ascidiacea, Bryozoa, Porifera
本研究所需数据集来自题为《固着隐底栖群落跨深度与岛屿的β多样性与稀有性评估可为珊瑚礁保护提供参考》的学术研究。 本研究的数据分析代码已公开，仓库地址为：https://github.com/BaptisteFrattini/MESO_ARMS_2024.git。该GitHub仓库的数字对象唯一标识符（DOI）为：https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19848289。 研究目标：本研究聚焦珊瑚礁中鲜为人知的组成部分——隐生生物群系（cryptobiome），即隐匿于礁体基质内的物种，这类物种对珊瑚礁的功能运转与生产力维持至关重要。研究旨在探究马斯克林群岛范围内，以及浅海与中光层（弱光深水环境）栖息地中固着隐底栖群落的多样性与稀有性分布模式。具体研究目标包括：(i) 评估群落独特性与局域灭绝风险，为保护决策提供支撑；(ii) 对比中光层与浅海群落的分类学重叠情况，探讨中光层栖息地作为退化浅礁避难所的可行性。 研究区域：印度洋西南部马斯克林群岛的留尼汪岛与罗德里格斯岛。 研究方法：在留尼汪岛（约11米与51米水深）及罗德里格斯岛（约11米水深）的外礁坡部署了44套自主珊瑚礁监测结构（Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures, ARMS）。采用点计数法分析了704张ARMS平板照片，共区分出141个形态种（morphospecies, MSPs）。数据分析涵盖α多样性、β多样性、γ多样性、稀有性评估以及分类学重叠分析。 研究结果：罗德里格斯岛的固着隐底栖群落以及中光层栖息地的固着隐底栖群落，其形态种组成具有独特性，空间异质性更高，稀有性指数也更为突出。浅海与中光层栖息地间存在显著的物种周转现象；分类学重叠评估显示，三分之二的形态种为栖息地专属种，仅四分之一的形态种为跨栖息地共有种。 主要结论：本研究凸显了留尼汪岛西南海岸浅海、罗德里格斯岛浅海以及中光层栖息地内固着隐底栖群落的独特性与稀有性，指出保护策略需覆盖更广的地理范围，以兼顾其空间异质性与独特性。在留尼汪岛的固着隐底栖群落中，深水栖息地发现的浅海形态种比例较低，这一结果不支持深礁避难所假说。不同栖息地具有各自独立的保护价值，应予以分别重视与保护。 关键词：自主珊瑚礁监测结构（ARMS）、珊瑚礁、中光珊瑚生态系统（Mesophotic Coral Ecosystem）、深礁避难所、分布格局、独特性、被囊动物门（Ascidiacea）、苔藓动物门（Bryozoa）、多孔动物门（Porifera）
