Meta-analysis dataset of fish recruitment enhancement in coastal nursery habitats across North America
Data files
Mar 19, 2026 version files 891.66 KB
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Lee_et_al_2026_data_submit.csv
883.94 KB
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README.md
7.72 KB
Abstract
This dataset compiles 2,002 independent effect sizes from 102 published studies quantifying fish density in structured coastal habitats (submerged aquatic vegetation, salt marsh, and oyster reef) relative to adjacent unstructured bottom across North America and the Caribbean. Each row represents one spatially and temporally independent comparison. For each comparison, the dataset includes mean fish density or catch per unit effort (CPUE), standard deviation, replicate sample size, sampling gear, taxonomic identity (species and family), functional guild classification, habitat type, restoration status, abiotic variables (temperature, salinity, tidal regime), and habitat attributes (e.g., percent cover, structure biomass, reef relief, and adjacent habitat type). Recruitment enhancement (RE) is calculated as the log response ratio of mean fish density in structured habitat relative to adjacent unstructured habitat. Fish abundance values are retained in original study units (e.g., individuals per m², per haul, per tow) as documented in the unit column. Missing values are coded as NA.
The dataset enables comparative analyses of recruitment enhancement among major North American nursery habitats and evaluation of how restoration, habitat attributes, abiotic conditions, and fish traits shape recruitment responses. All data were extracted from published sources and involve no new ethical considerations. The dataset is publicly available for reuse.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.7m0cfxqb3
Description of the data and file structure
Generated on 2025-03-10 by Juhyung Lee
GENERAL INFORMATION
1. Title of Dataset:
Habitat characteristics drive fish recruitment enhancement in threatened coastal nursery habitats
2. Author Information:
A. Principal Investigator Contact Information
Name: Juhyung Lee (Lead author)
Institution: Department of Oceanography and Marine Research Institute, Pusan National University. Busan, Republic of Korea
Email: lee.juhyung@pusan.ac.kr
Name: Philine zu Ermgassen (Corresponding author)
Institution: Changing Oceans Group, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Email: philine.zu.ermgassen@ed.ac.uk
B. Associate or Co-investigator Contact Information
Name: Bryan DeAngelis
Institution: The Nature Conservancy, California Oceans Program, Sacramento, CA, USA
Email: bdeangelis@TNC.ORG
Name: Min-sun Lee
Institution: Marine Environmental Impact Assessment Center, National Institute of Fisheries Science, Busan, Republic of Korea
Email: mansun86@korea.kr
Name: A. Randall Hughes
Institution: Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, Nahant, MA, USA
Email: ann.hughes@northeastern.edu
Name: Jonathan H. Grabowski
Institution: Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, Nahant, MA, USA
Email: j.grabowski@northeastern.edu
3. Date of data compilation:
2020-09-01 to 2022-09-01
4. Geographic location of data collection:
Data were compiled from published studies conducted across North America (Atlantic Coast, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific Coast, Caribbean), as detailed in the associated manuscript.
5. Funding sources:
This work was funded by the Lenfest Ocean Program (Grant Agreement, Contract ID #00032719) and National Research Foundation (NRF) of Korea (Grant no. RS-2023-00275311 & Grant no. RS–2024–00335062 & Grant no. RS–2024–00406740).
DATA & FILE OVERVIEW
1. File List:
Lee et al_2026_data_submit.csv
2. Relationship between files: Single compiled dataset containing all extracted effect sizes and moderator variables.
3. Additional related data collected that was not included in the current data package: NO
4. Are there multiple versions of the dataset?: NO
Files and variables
DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: Lee_et_al_2026_data_submit.csv
1. Description:
This dataset contains effect sizes and associated moderator variables used in a meta-analysis examining fish recruitment enhancement (RE) in structured coastal habitats relative to adjacent unstructured habitats.
Each row represents one independent comparison of fish density between structured and unstructured habitat within a study.
2. Effect Size Definition:
Recruitment enhancement (RE) was calculated as the log response ratio:
LnRR = ln(Mean density in structured habitat / Mean density in unstructured habitat)
3. Number of variables: 36
4. Number of cases/rows: 2002
5. Variables
- authors: Authors of publication
- year: Year of publication
- source: Journal name or dissertation source
- title: Title of publication
- lat: Latitude of representative sampling location (decimal degrees)
- long: Longitude of representative sampling location (decimal degrees)
- region: Geographic region of study location (Pacific coast, Atlantic coast, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean)
- country: Country of study location (USA, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala)
- state/province/island: State, province, or island of study location
- location: Specific name of study location
- sal_regime: Salinity regime for each study site (saline, brackish, tidal_fresh) determined based on the mean and range of salinity measurements provided by the author and prior knowledge of the system
- woa_temp: Decades-averaged (1955-2017) mean annual temperature (°C) from World Ocean Data (WOD), extracted from the Regional Ocean Climatologies in the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
- tidal_range_marsh: Mean tidal range (m) obtained from the nearest NOAA tide gauge for each study location (applied to salt marsh data only)
- tidal_zone: Tidal position of structured habitat (subtidal, intertidal)
- habitat: Type of structured habitat (sav, salt marsh, oyster)
- habitat_forming_species: Dominant habitat-forming species in sampled structured habitat
- habitat_restoration: Restoration status of structured habitat (restored, natural)
- restoration_age: Years since habitat restoration
- patch_area: Patch area (m²) of sampled structured habitat
- adjacent_habitat: Different structured habitat type located within 10 m of the sampled structured habitat (SAV, salt marsh, oyster reef, kelp, mangrove, none)
- habitat_cover: Percent cover of structured habitat
- structure_height_oys: Categorical measure of oyster reef vertical relief (low, moderate, high)
- structure_biomass: Biomass of biogenic structure (g/m²)
- fish_guild: Functional guild category of sampled fish (benthic invertebrate, benthic fish, benthopelagic fish, pelagic fish)
- fish_family: Taxonomic family of sampled fish
- fish_species: Species of sampled fish
- sampling_gear: Gear type used to sample fish (beam trawl, drop sampler, epibenthic sled, excavation, fish trap, fyke net, gill net, lampara net, lift net, mixed, otter trawl, pop up net, sampling tray, seine, suction sampling, throw net, visual count
- unit: Measurement unit of fish abundance
- mean_struct: Mean fish density or catch per unit effort in structured habitat
- sd_struct: Standard deviation of fish density or catch per unit effort in structured habitat
- n_struct: Number of replicate samples in structured habitat
- mean_unstruct: Mean fish density or catch per unit effort in unstructured habitat
- sd_unstruct: Standard deviation of fish density or catch per unit effort in unstructured habitat
- n_unstruct: Number of replicate samples in unstructured habitat
- lnrr: Log response ratio calculated as ln(mean_struct/mean_unstruct)
- note: Additional study information
6. Missing data codes:
Missing values are coded as "NA".
Code/software
The dataset is provided as a comma-separated values (.csv) file and can be opened using any standard spreadsheet software (e.g., Microsoft Excel) or statistical software (e.g., R).
Access information
1. License: No restrictions. Data are publicly available for reuse. We appreciate proper citation if reused.
2. Associated publication: "Lee J., zu Ermgassen P., DeAngelis B., Lee M.S., Hughes A.R., Grabowski J.H. (2026). Habitat characteristics drive fish recruitment enhancement in threatened coastal nursery habitats. Journal of Applied Ecology."
3. Links to other publicly accessible locations of the data: NA
4. Links/relationships to ancillary data sets: NA
5. Was data derived from another source?: Yes – Data were extracted from previously published peer-reviewed studies. Full references are provided in the manuscript and supplementary materials.
6. Recommended citation:
Lee J., zu Ermgassen P., DeAngelis B., Lee M.S., Hughes A.R., Grabowski J.H. (2026). Data from: Habitat characteristics drive fish recruitment enhancement in threatened coastal nursery habitats. Dryad Digital Repository.