Sponge Surveys - FRDC (2001/060) 'Characterising the fish habitats of the Recherche Archipelago'

Brief description

Sponge data collected from sampling undertaken in 2002 and 2003, showing number of individuals at 68 survey sites.

Lineage

Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlanned

Statement: Sponge sampling dives were undertaken throughout the Recherche archipelago over a 2 year period: in October 2002, at 6 islands, with 2 condition sites (exposed & sheltered) at each island and 3 depths at each condition site and at 2 islands, with 2 sites at each island, 2 condition sites (exposed & sheltered) at each of these sites and 2 profiles (wall & platform) at each condition site and, in October 2003, at 2 islands, with 2 condition sites (exposed & sheltered) at each island and 2 profiles (wall & platform) at each condition site and, at 1 island, with 2 sites, 2 condition sites (exposed & sheltered) at each site and 2 profiles (wall & platform) at each condition site. This resulted in a total of 68 survey sites. These sites were located using differential GPS, and the coordinates were then used to create an ArcView shapefile sponge_survey_sites.shp. At each survey site, number of individuals were measured at the order and family level. The family data was entered into the spreadsheet sponge_data.xls. The family data spreadsheet was then joined to the survey sites shapefile, to create the final shapefile sponge_survey_sites_species.shp, representing 68 survey sites and the corresponding number of individuals for each sponge family present. Note that 16 survey sites in the dataset have no sponge families present.

Notes

Credit
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC)