Dataset title: Minnowtrap Data from Rookery Branch and the North, Watson, and Roberts Rivers National Park (FCE) from November 2004 to April 2008 Dataset ID: LT_TDCS_Rehage_002 Research type: Long-Term Dataset Creator Name: Dr. Jennifer Rehage Position: Lead Principal Investigator Organization: Florida Coastal Everglades LTER Program Address: Florida International University University Park Miami, FL 33199 USA Phone: 305-348-3804 Email: rehagej@fiu.edu Metadata Provider Organization: Florida Coastal Everglades LTER Address: Florida International University 11200 SW 8th Street, OE 148 Miami, FL 33199 USA Phone: 305-348-6054 Email: fcelter@fiu.edu URL: https://fcelter.fiu.edu Dataset Abstract This study examines temporal and spatial dynamics in the fish community of the oligohaline to mesohaline reaches of ecotonal creeks along the southwest region of Everglades National Park. Sampling is conducted at 15 mangrove creeks in two drainages: Rookery Branch and the North, Roberts, and Watson rivers. The sampling in Rookery Branch expands over a 12-km stretch of ecotonal mangrove creeks upstream of Tarpon Bay. Minnow traps are used to target small-bodied forage fish. Sampling started in the wet season of 2004, and has been conducted three times per year at these approximate times: November (wet season); February (transition); and April (dry season). In the Rookery Branch region, fish abundance varies markedly yearly and seasonally. Catches peak in the drier months, reflecting a pulse of movement by freshwater taxa into creeks as marshes upstream dry. The timing of this pulse is closely tied to the pattern of water recession in upstream marshes, and has important ramifications for wading bird prey availability. Geographic Coverage Study Extent Description The Study Extent of this dataset includes areas near FCE Shark River Slough research sites (downstream of SRS 3 and upstream of SRS 4) from Rookery Branch within Everglades National Park, South Florida Bounding Coordinates Geographic description: Rookery Branch 7 West bounding coordinate: -80.897 East bounding coordinate: -80.897 North bounding coordinate: 25.429 South bounding coordinate: 25.429 Geographic description: Rookery Branch 8 West bounding coordinate: -80.872 East bounding coordinate: -80.872 North bounding coordinate: 25.455 South bounding coordinate: 25.455 Geographic description: Rookery Branch 9 West bounding coordinate: -80.862 East bounding coordinate: -80.862 North bounding coordinate: 25.460 South bounding coordinate: 25.460 Geographic description: Rookery Branch 10 West bounding coordinate: -80.865 East bounding coordinate: -80.865 North bounding coordinate: 25.464 South bounding coordinate: 25.464 Geographic description: Rookery Branch 11 West bounding coordinate: -80.876 East bounding coordinate: -80.876 North bounding coordinate: 25.464 South bounding coordinate: 25.464 Geographic description: Rookery Branch 12 West bounding coordinate: -80.916 East bounding coordinate: -80.916 North bounding coordinate: 25.459 South bounding coordinate: 25.459 Geographic description: Rookery Branch 13 West bounding coordinate: -80.89 East bounding coordinate: -80.89 North bounding coordinate: 25.45 South bounding coordinate: 25.45 Geographic description: Rookery Branch 14 West bounding coordinate: -80.92 East bounding coordinate: -80.92 North bounding coordinate: 25.43 South bounding coordinate: 25.43 Geographic description: Rookery Branch 15 West bounding coordinate: -80.95 East bounding coordinate: -80.95 North bounding coordinate: 25.42 South bounding coordinate: 25.42 Geographic description: Rookery Branch 16 West bounding coordinate: -80.94 East bounding coordinate: -80.94 North bounding coordinate: 25.45 South bounding coordinate: 25.45 Geographic description: North River 1 West bounding coordinate: -80.90 East bounding coordinate: -80.90 North bounding coordinate: 25.36 South bounding coordinate: 25.36 Geographic description: North River 2 West bounding coordinate: -80.89 East bounding coordinate: -80.89 North bounding coordinate: 25.36 South bounding coordinate: 25.36 Geographic description: North River 3 West bounding coordinate: -80.90 East bounding coordinate: -80.90 North bounding coordinate: 25.34 South bounding coordinate: 25.34 Geographic description: Roberts River 4 West bounding coordinate: -80.90 East bounding coordinate: -80.90 North bounding coordinate: 25.34 South bounding coordinate: 25.34 Geographic description: Roberts River 5 West bounding coordinate: -80.90 East bounding coordinate: -80.90 North bounding coordinate: 25.39 South bounding coordinate: 25.39 Geographic description: Watson River 4 West bounding coordinate: -80.94 East bounding coordinate: -80.94 North bounding coordinate: 25.37 South bounding coordinate: 25.37 Geographic description: Watson River 5 West bounding coordinate: -80.94 East bounding coordinate: -80.94 North bounding coordinate: 25.38 South bounding coordinate: 25.38 Geographic description: Watson River 6 West bounding coordinate: -80.95 East bounding coordinate: -80.95 North bounding coordinate: 25.38 South bounding coordinate: 25.38 FCE LTER Sites: SRS 3 and SRS 4 Temporal Coverage Start Date: 2004-11-02 End Date: 2008-04-30 Data Table Entity Name: LT_TDCS_Rehage_002 Entity Description: Minnowtrap Data from Rookery Branch and the North, Watson, and Roberts Rivers National Park Object Name: LT_TDCS_Rehage_002.csv Data Format Number of Header Lines: 1 Attribute Orientation: column Field Delimiter: , Number of Records: Attributes Attribute Name: DATE Attribute Label: DATE Attribute Definition: Collection Date Storage Type: dateTime Measurement Scale: Missing Value Code: Attribute Name: SEASON Attribute Label: season Attribute Definition: Everglades Season Storage Type: text Measurement Scale: WET= wet season DRY= dry season TRANS= Transitional season Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: SITENAME Attribute Label: sitename Attribute Definition: Name of Site Storage Type: text Measurement Scale: text Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: PAIR Attribute Label: minnow trap pair Attribute Definition: minnow trap pair number Storage Type: code Measurement Scale: text Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: LOC Attribute Label: location Attribute Definition: trap location in the water column Storage Type: code Measurement Scale: T= Top trap B= Bottom trap Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S1_count Attribute Label: species count Attribute Definition: number of Eastern mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S2_count Attribute Label: species 2 Attribute Definition: number of Sailfin molly, Poecilia latipinna Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S3_count Attribute Label: species 3 Attribute Definition: number of Sheepshead minnow, Cyprinodon variegatus Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S4_count Attribute Label: species 4 Attribute Definition: number of Marsh killifish, Fundulus confluentus Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S5_count Attribute Label: species 5 Attribute Definition: number of Flagfish, Jordanella floridae Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S6_count Attribute Label: species 6 Attribute Definition: number of Least killifish, Heterandria formosa Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S7_count Attribute Label: species 7 Attribute Definition: number of Bluefin killifish, Lucania goodei Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S8_count Attribute Label: species 8 Attribute Definition: number of Golden topminnow, Fundulus chrysotus Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S10_count Attribute Label: species 10 Attribute Definition: number of Brook silverside, Labidesthes sicculus Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S12_count Attribute Label: species 12 Attribute Definition: number of Inland silverside, Menidia beryllina Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S30_count Attribute Label: species 30 Attribute Definition: number of Coastal shiner, Notropis petersoni Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S34_count Attribute Label: species 34 Attribute Definition: number of Seminole killifish, Fundulus seminolis Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S36_count Attribute Label: species 36 Attribute Definition: number of Hogchoker, Trinectes maculatus Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S37_count Attribute Label: species 37 Attribute Definition: number of Tadpole madtom, Noturus gyrinus Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S38_count Attribute Label: species 38 Attribute Definition: number of Warmouth, Lepomis gulosus Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S41_count Attribute Label: species 41 Attribute Definition: number of Spotted sunfish, Lepomis punctatus Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S42_count Attribute Label: species 42 Attribute Definition: number of Dollar sunfish, Lepomis marginatus Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S46_count Attribute Label: species 46 Attribute Definition: number of Everglades pygmy sunfish, Elassoma evergladei Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S47_count Attribute Label: species 47 Attribute Definition: number of Bluespotted sunfish, Enneacanthus gloriosus Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S54_count Attribute Label: species 52 Attribute Definition: number of Black acara, Cichlasoma bimaculatum Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S58_count Attribute Label: species 58 Attribute Definition: number of Rainwater killifish, Lucania parva Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S67_count Attribute Label: species 67 Attribute Definition: number of Clown goby, Microgobius gulosus Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S71_count Attribute Label: species 71 Attribute Definition: number of Crested goby, Lophogobius cyprinoides Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S72_count Attribute Label: species 72 Attribute Definition: number of Naked goby, Gobiosoma bosc Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S75_count Attribute Label: species 75 Attribute Definition: number of Gulf killifish, Fundulus grandis Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: 77_count Attribute Label: species 77 Attribute Definition: number of Spotted tilapia, Tilapia mariae Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S82_count Attribute Label: species 82 Attribute Definition: number of Gulf toadfish, Opsanus beta Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S84_count Attribute Label: species 84 Attribute Definition: number of Mayan cichlid, Cichlasoma urophthalmus Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S88_count Attribute Label: species 88 Attribute Definition: number of Jewel cichlid, Hemichromis letourneuxi Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S103_count Attribute Label: species 103 Attribute Definition: number of Tidewater mojarra, Eucinostomus harengulus Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S104_count Attribute Label: species 104 Attribute Definition: number of Spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S106_count Attribute Label: species 106 Attribute Definition: number of Code goby, Gobiosoma robustrum Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: S115_count Attribute Label: species 115 Attribute Definition: number of Unidentified mojarra species, Eucinostomus sp Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: number Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: CPUE Attribute Label: catch per unit effort Attribute Definition: Catch Per Unit Effort Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: catchPerUnitEffort Precision: 1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: DEPTH_Creek Attribute Label: depth Attribute Definition: Depth to Creek bottom Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: meter Precision: 0.01 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999.00 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: TEMP Attribute Label: temperature Attribute Definition: Temperature Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: celsius Precision: 0.1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999.0 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: DO Attribute Label: dissolved oxygen Attribute Definition: Dissolved oxygen Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: milligramsPerLiter Precision: 0.01 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999.00 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: DO_perSat Attribute Label: dissolved oxygen percent saturation Attribute Definition: dissolved oxygen percent saturation Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: percent Precision: 0.1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999.0 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: Specific_Conductance Attribute Label: specific conductance Attribute Definition: Specific conductance Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: microsiemensPerCentimeter Precision: 0.01 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999.00 (Value was not recorded) Attribute Name: Salinity Attribute Label: salinity Attribute Definition: Salinity Storage Type: data Measurement Scale: Units: PSU Precision: 0.1 Number Type: real Missing Value Code: -9999.0 (Value was not recorded) Methods Sampling Description Sampling is conducted at 15 mangrove creeks in two drainages: Rookery Branch and the North, Roberts, and Watson rivers. Minnow traps are used to target small-bodied forage fish. We sample the upper 100-m reaches of each creek with 3-mm mesh metal minnow traps. The minnow trap is an entrapment gear that typically targets small fishes and invertebrates, as well as juveniles of larger species. Minnow traps have two conical-shapled funnel openings (2.54 cm diameter) that inhibit animals from escaping once they enter the trap. Minnow traps are most efficient in capturing bottom-dwelling fishes and invertebrates, although it has been our experience that top-dwelling fish such as eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) are caught commonly in traps set at the surface of the water column. Thus, we use paired traps, one set on the bottom and the other suspended at the top of the water column, attached to mangrove prop roots. We deploy five pairs of traps per creek randomly along the uppermost 100-m stretch in each creek. The traps are deployed unbaited overnight along the fringing mangroves for an approximately 24-h catch effort. Fishes and decapods captured from minnow traps are preserved in 10 percent buffered formalin and returned to the laboratory for processing. According to the standardized animal care guidelines, we euthanize all collected fish with an overdose of MS-222 prior to fixation. Specimens are retained in formalin for approximately one week to allow proper fixation, and then are preserved in 70 percent ethanol before processing. During each sampling event, we use a YS 85 unit to record physico-chemical parameters (water temperature, specific conductance/salinity, and dissolved oxygen) when retrieving minnow traps. Method Step Description Sampling is conducted at 15 mangrove creeks in two drainages: Rookery Branch and the North, Roberts, and Watson rivers. Minnow traps are used to target small-bodied forage fish. We sample the upper 100-m reaches of each creek with 3-mm mesh metal minnow traps. The minnow trap is an entrapment gear that typically targets small fishes and invertebrates, as well as juveniles of larger species. Minnow traps have two conical-shapled funnel openings (2.54 cm diameter) that inhibit animals from escaping once they enter the trap. Minnow traps are most efficient in capturing bottom-dwelling fishes and invertebrates, although it has been our experience that top-dwelling fish such as eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) are caught commonly in traps set at the surface of the water column. Thus, we use paired traps, one set on the bottom and the other suspended at the top of the water column, attached to mangrove prop roots. We deploy five pairs of traps per creek randomly along the uppermost 100-m stretch in each creek. The traps are deployed unbaited overnight along the fringing mangroves for an approximately 24-h catch effort. Fishes and decapods captured from minnow traps are preserved in 10 percent buffered formalin and returned to the laboratory for processing. According to the standardized animal care guidelines, we euthanize all collected fish with an overdose of MS-222 prior to fixation. Specimens are retained in formalin for approximately one week to allow proper fixation, and then are preserved in 70 percent ethanol before processing. During each sampling event, we use a YS 85 unit to record physico-chemical parameters (water temperature, specific conductance/salinity, and dissolved oxygen) when retrieving minnow traps. References: Everhart, W H , W D Youngs. 1981. Principles of fisheries science. . 2nd, Comstock, Ithaca, NY, Kelsch, S W , B Shields. 1996. Care and handling of sample organisms. p. 121-155 in Murphy, B R , D W Willis. , (eds). Fisheries Techniques. 2nd, American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, MD, Instrumentation Fifty 3-mm mesh metal minnow traps are used, A YSI 85 unit is used to record physico-chemical parameters, GPS, meter stick, satellite phone, 10% formalin, sample storage buckets, sample storage bags, data notebooks, datasheets, pencils, sharpies Quality Control All data from sampling, catch, and processing datasheets are entered in spreadsheet format using Microsoft Excel. Separate files are created and managed for two sampling methods (electrofishing and minnow trapping). Since analyses are multiyear, all years of data are combined into a single file, and as new data is gathered, it is added to a master datafile containing all previous years of data. Post data entry, data are verified and validated by a different technician from the technician that entered the data. Then, the data files are cleaned and formatted for statistical analyses. Distribution Online distribution: https://pasta.lternet.edu/package/data/eml/knb-lter-fce/1165/3/fdb47cf189d2895bce2ddf15747aca00 Intellectual Rights This information is released under the Creative Commons license - Attribution - CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The consumer of these data ("Data User" herein) is required to cite it appropriately in any publication that results from its use. The Data User should realize that these data may be actively used by others for ongoing research and that coordination may be necessary to prevent duplicate publication. The Data User is urged to contact the authors of these data if any questions about methodology or results occur. Where appropriate, the Data User is encouraged to consider collaboration or co-authorship with the authors. The Data User should realize that misinterpretation of data may occur if used out of context of the original study. While substantial efforts are made to ensure the accuracy of data and associated documentation, complete accuracy of data sets cannot be guaranteed. All data are made available "as is." The Data User should be aware, however, that data are updated periodically and it is the responsibility of the Data User to check for new versions of the data. The data authors and the repository where these data were obtained shall not be liable for damages resulting from any use or misinterpretation of the data. Thank you. Dataset Keywords populations FCE Florida Coastal Everglades LTER ecological research long-term monitoring consumer dynamics fishes Rookery Branch Minnow traps Everglades National Park catches consumers freshwater estuarine biology species Salinity temperature depth counts specific conductance dissolved oxygen percent dissolved oxygen Data Submission Date: 2009-01-30 Maintenance knb-lter-fce.1165.3: Updated metadata to EML 2.2.0, added creator ORCID and organization ROR ids, updated project information with award elements, corrected order of columns in metadata; added .csv extension to data file name (no changes to data) Dataset Contact Name: Jennifer Rehage Position: Lead Principal Investigator Organization: Southeast Environmental Research Center Address: Florida International University University Park Miami, FL 33199 USA Phone: 305-348-3804 Email: rehagej@fiu.edu URL: http://www.fiu.edu/~envstud/index_environment.html Position: Information Manager Organization: Florida Coastal Everglades LTER Address: Florida International University 11200 SW 8th Street, OE 148 Miami, FL 33199 USA Email: fcelter@fiu.edu URL: https://fcelter.fiu.edu Project permits EVER-2008-SCI-0016 Dataset Submission Date 2009-01-30 Dataset Anomalies Some physiochemical readings are missing throughout the various years. The Watson River site is not sampled after 2005. Information Management Notes This is a long-term trophic dynamics and community structure dataset and subsequent data will be appended. This dataset replaces all previous versions of LT_TDCS_Rehage_002 original. The FCE program is discontinuing its practice of versioning data as of March 2013.