Dataset: Species counts, site-level information and environmental context sampled near Port Fourchon, Louisiana from September 23 - 29, 2022.

ValidatedFinal no updates expectedDOI: 10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.947784.1Version 1 (2025-04-07)Dataset Type:Other Field Results

Principal Investigator, Contact: James Nelson (University of Louisiana at Lafayette)

Student: Herbert Leavitt (University of Louisiana at Lafayette)

Student: Alexander Thomas (University of Louisiana at Lafayette)

BCO-DMO Data Manager: Karen Soenen (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)


Project: CAREER: Integrating Seascapes and Energy Flow: learning and teaching about energy, biodiversity, and ecosystem function on the frontlines of climate change (Louisiana E-scapes)


Abstract

This dataset provides species count data collected during the Fall 2022 drop sampling season at 52 sites near Port Fourchon, Louisiana. The sampling effort aimed to assess the abundance and composition of estuarine nekton species across a landscape experiencing significant climate-driven habitat change, including mangrove encroachment and marsh loss. Species counts were obtained using a drop sampler with a 1.2 m² area, deployed along the marsh edge at each site. Nekton within the sampler were ca...

Show more

Sites were selected using a spatially balanced random design. 20 sites were mixed (25%-75% marsh), marsh (>75% Marsh), and mangrove (>75% mangrove) for a total of sixty sites. Not all sites were able to be sampled during this season due to time constraints. Water depth was taken in the center of the drop sampler and had to be >10cm. Salinity and temperature were measured using a YSI probe. Model#: 30M-10 FT

Sampling was done in the daytime during high tide when water was on the marsh or mangrove platform, dropping a fiberglass ring encompassing 1.2 m2 of the habitat edge at each sampling site (methods from Zimmerman et al., 2000). A suction pump with a 1 mm mesh screen over the outflow was used to remove water within the ring while capturing small organisms. Remaining fauna were collected with dipnets or by hand. Collected samples were immediately pleaced on ice to be frozen until processing.


Related Datasets

IsSourceOf

Dataset: Habitat scale model outputs Port Fourchon, LA during Fall 2022
Relationship Description: The dataset "Drop-sampling species data collected from Port Fourchon, LA during Fall 2022 sampling season" contains the species abundance data used in this analysis. Abundance data is linked to the habitat data in this analysis using the identifier site_date_key. In the code, this data is imported as the object comtab and merged with habitat date to produce a dataset pf.env including species abundance and the habitat variables at a given scale for each site in the analysis.
Leavitt, H., Thomas, A., Nelson, J. (2025) Habitat scale model output of Port Fourchon, LA dervied from drone and satellite imagery taken in fall and spring 2023. Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO). (Version 1) Version Date 2025-01-08 http://lod.bco-dmo.org/id/dataset/948167
IsSourceOf

Dataset: Drone habitat variables, Port Fourchon 2023
Relationship Description: The dataset "Drop-sampling site data collected from Fall 2022 in Port Fourchon, Louisiana from September 23, 2022 to September 29, 2022" contains the latitude and longitude of sampling sites in this dataset, which are imported and used to define the habitat characteristics around each site.
Leavitt, H., Thomas, A., Nelson, J. (2025) Habitat variables (mangrove, marsh, water) of Port Fourchon, LA dervied from drone imagery taken in spring 2023. Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO). (Version 1) Version Date 2025-01-08 doi:10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.948112.1
IsSourceOf

Dataset: Satellite habitat variables, Port Fourchon, 2022
Relationship Description: The dataset "Drop-sampling site data collected from Fall 2022 in Port Fourchon, Louisiana from September 23, 2022 to September 29, 2022" contains the latitude and longitude of sampling sites in this dataset, which are imported and used to define the habitat characteristics around each site.
Leavitt, H., Thomas, A., Nelson, J. (2025) Habitat variables (mangrove, marsh, water) of Port Fourchon, LA dervied from satellite imagery taken in fall 2022. Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO). (Version 1) Version Date 2025-01-06 doi:10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.947975.1

Related Publications

Methods

Zimmerman, R. J., Minello, T. J., & Rozas, L. P. (2020). Salt Marsh Linkages to Productivity of Penaeid Shrimps and Blue Crabs in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Concepts and Controversies in Tidal Marsh Ecology, 293–314. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-47534-0_14