A parasite-inclusive food web for the California rocky intertidal zone
Data files
Oct 18, 2024 version files 2.96 MB
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column_descriptors.csv
10.79 KB
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links.csv
2.24 MB
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nodes.csv
554.92 KB
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README.md
4.43 KB
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references.csv
145.61 KB
Apr 09, 2026 version files 3.32 MB
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column_descriptors.csv
10.79 KB
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links.csv
2.56 MB
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nodes.csv
597.04 KB
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README.md
4.43 KB
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references.csv
146.20 KB
Abstract
We present a highly resolved, species-rich food web, including parasitic interactions, for the California rocky intertidal zone. The food web, which is a meta-web inclusive of all rocky intertidal taxa in California, is comprised of 1994 nodes, representing 1901 taxa, and 15,601 links that illustrate trophic interactions between nodes. While only 670 links represent parasitic interactions, we have assembled possibly the most speciose parasite-inclusive food web ever published. The inclusion of all nodes and links are justified using multiple lines of evidence which are built into the dataset. In addition, metadata, including trophic strategy, taxonomic information, habitat, and other ecological attributes allow the data user to filter the food web to their specifications. The food web is a powerful and flexible tool for researchers with questions about large network properties, ecological dynamics of rocky shores, and the role of parasites in ecosystems. Our food web can be used to predict how complex ecosystems like the California rocky intertidal will respond to anthropogenic change and management strategies.
This README.txt file was generated on 2024-06-16 by Z. Zilz
GENERAL INFORMATION
1. Title of the Project: A parasite-inclusive food web for the California rocky intertidal zone
2. This repository includes all of the data files and R script necessary to construct and visualize a food web representing all known and logically inferred trophic interactions in the California rocky intertidal zone.
3. Author Information
A. Corresponding Author Contact Information
Name: Zoe L. Zilz
Institution: University of California Santa Barbara, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology
Email: zoelzilz@gmail.com
B. Co-author(s) Contact Information
Name: Emily Hascall
Institution: Sonoma State University
Email: hascalle@sonoma.edu
Name: Athena DiBartolo
Institution: University of California Santa Barbara, Bren School of Environmental Science
Email: athenamdibartolo@gmail.com
Name: Delen Flores
Institution: University of California Santa Barbara, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology
Email: delen.flores6@gmail.com
Name: Sophie Cameron
Institution: University of California Santa Barbara, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology
Email: smcameron.photography@gmail.com
Name: Jaden E. Orli
Institution: University of California Santa Barbara, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology
Email: jorli@ucsb.edu
C. Alternate Contact Information
Name: Armand Kuris
Institution: University of California Santa Barbara, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology
Email: kuris@lifesci.ucsb.edu
4. Date of data collection or obtaining:
All data obtained/collected between 2019-09-01 and 2024-10-15.
4. Geographic location of data collection: California, USA
5. Data collection was funded by the University of California Santa Barbara Coastal Fund, Grant #CF-202110-00396
SHARING/ACCESS INFORMATION
1. Licenses/restrictions placed on the data: none
2. Links to publications that cite or use the data: [doi will go here when paper is accepted for publication]
3. Links to other publicly accessible locations of the data: https://github.com/zoelzilz/zilz_etal_2024_FoodWebForCARIZ
5. See references.csv for full list of original data sources.
6. Recommended citation for the project:
Zilz, et al. (2024). A parasite-inclusive food web for the California rocky intertidal zone. [Dataset].
DATA & FILE OVERVIEW
1. File List:
Note: all files in the data repository must be present in your working directory in order for the food web visualization and summary code to run.
DATA FILES
nodes.csv - a node list with metadata representing all known California rocky intertidal taxa and their life stages, where appropriate
links.csv - a link list with metadata representing all trophic interactions known or inferred between nodes in the California rocky intertidal, including parasitism
references.csv - a list of references used for assembling, justifying, and generating confidence rankings for nodes and links within the web
column_descriptors.csv - a file containing column header and metadata code definitions
R MARKDOWN FILES
cariz_foodweb_visualization.rmd - Code for the visualization of the California rocky intertidal food web as a network graph and as a matrix. Includes code to generate commonly used metrics for a large network, including connectance, link density, mean degree, etc.
morton_zilz_node_merge.rmd - Code to merge two very similar California food web datasets, this rocky intertidal food web and the Santa Barbara kelp forest food web described by Morton et al., 2021.
example_web_subset_code.rmd - Code designed to demonstrate how the nodes and links lists might be subsetted to reflect a sub-web of the larger metaweb. This example explains how to divide the metaweb into sub-webs reflecting the Oregonian Province rocky intertidal zone community and the Californian province rocky intertidal community.
METHODOLOGICAL INFORMATION
1. For full methodology please see the associated data descriptor publication.
2. Data were cleaned and visualized using R version 4.4.1 -- "Race for Your Life"
Changes after Oct 18, 2024:
Per suggested revisions during peer-review, we have incorporated 185 new nodes and their corresponding links into the web, based largely on a list of rocky intertidal taxa found during biodiversity surveys conducted at sites in California by the Multi-Agency Rocky Intertidal Network (MARINe). We hope these revisions will result in a publication in the journal Nature Scientific Data in the near future. The code has been updated for usability and clarity per peer reviewers suggestions.
