Data from: Spatial and temporal patterns in echinoderm species and trait composition in the subtropical-to-temperate transition of eastern Australia
Data files
Mar 26, 2026 version files 10.27 KB
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mean_abundances_site_year.csv
2.83 KB
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README.md
4.33 KB
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thermal_affinities.csv
709 B
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traits.csv
2.40 KB
Abstract
Subtropical biogeographic transition zones are undergoing large-scale marine community re-assembly due to ocean warming. These zones host a dynamic combination of tropical, subtropical and temperate taxa, many of which exist at their range limits. However, only some of these taxa undergo range shifts, making it difficult to predict future ecosystem change. Traits associated with life-history, biology, and ecology may aid in predicting which taxa are likely to redistribute. Considering the importance of echinoderms on reefs globally, we present the first study of echinoderm trait composition and diversity on reefs in a subtropical biogeographic transition zone. Focusing on coral-dominated habitats in eastern Australia (28°S to 31°S) over a decade (2010-2019) of significant warming and marine heatwaves, we show that echinoderm diversity (31 taxa) varied spatially, with tropical taxa more prevalent at lower latitudes and subtropical taxa more abundant offshore. Functional richness and divergence of sea urchins increased poleward, reflecting the high prevalence of subtropical taxa with traits such as barrens-formation, winter-spawning and long-lived planktotrophic larvae. Echinoderm biodiversity patterns, community thermal index and functional composition remained stable during this warming period, highlighting the importance of biogeographic transition zones as sentinels for determining the traits that promote stability or change in warming oceans.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.0k6djhbcx
Description of the data and file structure
File: traits.csv
Description: The traits used for trait analysis and functional diversity metrics.
Variables
- Name of the taxa
- Planktonic larval duration (continuous; in days): Planktonic duration mediates the dispersal capacity of echinoids
- Larval Type (categorical): planktotrophic (feeding), lecithotrophic (non-feeding). Planktotrophic larvae can feed in the water column and disperse long distances. Lecithotrophic larvae do not feed and survive due to maternally provisioned energy. Non-feeding larvae generally do not disperse far.
- Habitat preference (categorical): Open, enclosed. Habitat preference can dictate defensive traits and predation risk.
- type of asexual reproduction
- Spawning period (categorical): Winter, summer, year-round. Time of spawning period
- Defence (categorical): Long-spined, short-spined, thick-spined, toxic pedicellariae. Spine length mediates the defence capacities of sea urchins. Long spines provide more defensive extent than short and thick spines. Toxic pedicellariae can be fired at predators as a deterrent.
- Diel (categorical): Diel, nocturnal. Nocturnal activity is generally linked to evading a visual predator.s
- Minimum Depth (continuous; in meters): The minimum depth at which a taxon has been recorded
- Maximum depth (continuous; in meters): The maximum depth at which a taxon has been recorded
- Barren-forming (categorical): Barren-forming, non-barren-forming. Barren formation by sea urchins facilitates an alternate stable state to macro-algal beds.
- Population fluctuations (categorical): Population fluctuations, no population fluctuations. Population fluctuation of echinoids can mediate ecological dynamics such as macroalgae cover.
- Asexual reproduction (categorical): Asexual reproduction through regeneration of a detached arm to create ‘comets’ that grow into an adult genetically identical to the ‘parent’ sea star.
- Feeding strategy (categorical): Feeding strategy of the species
File: mean_abundances_site_year.csv
Description: The mean abundances of each taxon for each site-year combination were used for taxonomic and trait composition and functional diversity analysis.
Variables
- Site_year: Site and year of sampling.
- Columns are species in the site_year matrix. These are: Centrostephanus_rodgersii Tripneustes_australiae Tripneustes_gratilla Diadema_spp Phyllacanthus_parvispinus Prionocidaris_callista Heliocidaris_erythrogramma Helicidiaris_tuberculata Ophidiaster_confertus Pentagonaster_duebeni Echinaster_colemani Echinaster_luzonicus Linckia_laevigata Plectaster_decanus Fromia_polypora Fromia_indica Linckia_guildingi Echinaster_arcystatus Tamaria_spp. Echinothrix.calamaris Pseudonepanthia_nigrobrunnea Tropiometridea Colobometridea Ptilometridae Crinoid_spp1 Marimetridea Crinoid_spp2 Crinoid_spp3 Holothuridae_spp2 Holothuridae_spp3 Holothuridae_spp1.
File: thermal_affinities.csv
Description: The thermal affinity of echinoderms is used to calculate the community thermal index (CTI) for each site-year combination.
Variables
- Species: This first column is not labelled, and no spaces are present in the species names for use in the package FD. The species are: Centrostephanus rodgersii, Tripneustes australiae, Tripneustes gratilla, Diadema spp., Phyllacanthus parvispinus, Prionocidariscallista, Heliocidaris erythrogramma, Helicidiaristuberculata, Ophidiaster confertus, Pentagonaster duebeni, Echinaster colemanii, Echinaster luzonicus, Linckia laevigata, Plectaster decanus, Fromiapolypora, Fromiaindica, Linckiaguildingi, Echinaster arcystatus, Pseudonepanthianigrobrunnea.
- LTT: Lower thermal tolerance in degrees Celsius
- UTT: Upper thermal tolerance in degrees Celsius
- midpoint: thermal tolerance mid-point in degrees Celsius
Note: NA represents data not available
Code/software
All statistical models were conducted using R v. 4.2.3 implemented in RStudio 2023.03.0+386 using glmmTMB, car, DHARMa, FD package, and vegan.