Water quality (T,S,conductivity, dissolved oxygen) were collected at a few of the dive sites using standardized instruments.
DATA ANALYSIS All data generated as a result of laboratory analysis of macroinfauna samples were first coded on data sheets. Enumeration data were entered for each species according to station and replicate. These data were reduced to a data summary report for each station, which included a taxonomic species list and benthic community parameters information. Archive data files of species identification and enumeration were prepared.
Assemblage Structure Several numerical indices were chosen for analysis and interpretation of the macroinfaunal data. Selection was based primarily on the ability of the index to provide a meaningful summary of data, as well as the applicability of the index to the characterization of the benthic community. Infaunal abundance is reported as the total number of individuals per station and the total number of individuals per square meter (= density). Taxa richness is reported as the total number of taxa represented in a given station collection. Taxa diversity, which is often related to the ecological stability and environmental "quality" of the benthos, was estimated by the Shannon-Weaver Index (Pielou, 1966).
Taxa diversity was calculated using ln, however taxa diversity may also be calculated using log2. Both methods for calculating taxa diversity are common in scientific literature. The taxa diversity calculated in this report using ln, can be converted to log2 by multiplying the taxa diversity by 1.44270. Taxa diversity within a given community is dependent upon the number of taxa present (taxa richness) and the distribution of all individuals among those taxa (equitability or evenness). In order to quantify and compare faunal equitability to taxa diversity for a given area, Pielou's Index J' (Pielou, 1966) was calculated as J' = H'/ln S, where ln S = H' max , or the maximum possible diversity, when all taxa are represented by the same number of individuals; thus, J' = H' /H' max .
Pielou, E.C. 1966. The measurement of diversity in different types of biological collections. Journal of Theoretical Biology 13:131-144.
Filename Comment table_01.txt Text. Summary of location, water quality data
Benthis_macrofauna.xls MS Excel. Each sheet saved in CSV Benthis_macrofauna_sheet1.csv Summary of benthic macrofaunal data, Oct. 2000 Parameters: Station, Reps, Taxa count, Indvs, Density, Mean No. Taxa, Taxa (SD), Mean Density, Density (SD), Total No. Taxa, Total No. Individuals, H' Diversity, J' Eveness Benthis_macrofauna_sheet2.csv Station, Taxa1, Taxa2 Benthis_macrofauna_sheet3.csv same as sheet1 Benthis_macrofauna_sheet4.csv Taxa and Indviduals for each station
MajorTaxa_macofauna.xls MS Excel. Each sheet saved in CSV MajorTaxa_macofauna_sheet1.csv Phylum, Class, Taxon Name, Rep. Total MajorTaxa_macofauna_sheet2.csv Taxa, Total No. Taxa, Total No. Individuals MajorTaxa_macofauna_sheet3.csv Phylum, Class, Rep Total MajorTaxa_macofauna_sheet4.csv Summary of overall abundance of major benthic macrofaunal taxonomic groups, Oct 2000 Parameters: Taxa, Total No. Taxa, percent Total, Total No. Individuals, percent Total
Archive_macrofauna.xls MS Excel. Location, Date (says January, but likely is October 2000), method, taxa Archive_macrofauna.csv ASCII copy
NOW-RAMP_benthic_assessment.pdf Project report with summaries and tables, most of which are seen in the given spreadsheets. NOW-RAMP_benthic_assessment.txt ASCII copy