Data from: Trait-dependent time lags amid global change in marine observed and dark diversity on the Dogger Bank (North Sea)
Data files
Apr 06, 2026 version files 633.72 KB
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comm_data.csv
368.52 KB
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coordinates.csv
524 B
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MinMaxTempCopernicus25-40m.RDS
14.91 KB
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phylum_spp.RDS
2.06 KB
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README.md
3.78 KB
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script_GCB_MarineDD.qmd
57.40 KB
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tempMap.RDS
183.19 KB
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trait_df.csv
3.35 KB
Abstract
Understanding delayed biodiversity responses to global changes is crucial for anticipating future ecosystem dynamics and informing conservation. Here, we analysed a 32-year time series of benthic megafauna from the North Sea (Dogger Bank) to assess extinction debt and immigration credit using a probabilistic species pool framework. Within this framework, we generated suitability estimates for both observed diversity (i.e., species locally present) and dark diversity –the set of suitable but locally absent species. We defined extinction debt as species persisting locally under declining suitability and immigration credit as suitable species remaining in dark diversity over time. We evaluated these dynamics across 101 epibenthic species (from demersal fishes to macroinvertebrates) and tested their association with sea warming and species traits such as body size and motility. Despite no net change in species number, the suitability of observed diversity decreased over time, indicating extinction debt. At the species level, 72% of species exhibited time-lagged responses, with large-bodied and motile species being more often in extinction debt, whereas smaller and less motile species were more often in immigration credit. Consequently, in relation to temperature change, the North Sea’s species pool is slowly shifting toward smaller-bodied and less motile taxa, with several cold-adapted and commercially important species in extinction debt. These delayed responses and potential compositional shifts may weaken trophic interactions and affect ecosystem resilience. As marine systems experience increased warming, integrating trait-based approaches and time-lag responses within the species pool framework can offer early warnings of biodiversity reorganization and, therefore, windows of opportunity for conservation.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.bg79cnpqj
Description of the data and file structure
This dataset contains spatial, ecological, trait-based, and environmental data used to assess time-lagged biodiversity responses of benthic megafauna to long-term sea warming in the Dogger Bank region (North Sea), from 1991 to 2023.
Files and variables
1. coordinates.csv
Description: Latitude and longitude of each marine sampling station.
Rows: 40 stations
Columns:
- sampling: Station ID (numeric, 1–40)
- latitude: Decimal degrees (WGS84)
- longitude: Decimal degrees (WGS84)
2. comm_data.csv
Description: Presence–absence matrix of benthic megafaunal species sampled annually across 37 stations.
Rows: 808 station-year combinations
Columns:
- year: Sampling year (1991–2023)
- sampling: Station ID
- 120+ species columns: Each column is a species name, with 0 (absent) or 1 (present)
3. trait_df.csv
Description: Trait data for 120 benthic species, including body size and motility type.
Rows: 120 species
Columns:
- sp: Species name
- mobility: Ordinal scale (0 = sessile, 1 = limited mobility, 2 = highly mobile)
- body_size: Mean adult body size in centimeters (cm)
RDSs files used in the analyses containing GBIF and temperature data
4. phylum_spp.RDS
Description: RDS file used to assign the phylum of the 101 species used in the analysis
Rows: 101 rows containing species names, phylum, and order
Columns:
- sp: Species names
- phylum: Phylum names
-order: Order names
5. MinMaxTempCopernicus25-40m.RDS
Description: RDS file used to retrieve the mean, maximum, and minimum sea bottom temperature measurements (between 25 and 40 meters of depth) for each station and year. This information was downloaded from Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS, https://marine.copernicus.eu/). The dataset used provides modelled parameters for the North-West Shelf region (product used: NWSHELF_MULTIYEAR_PHY_004_009)
Rows: 1085 rows containing the Year, stations, mean, maximum, minimum,um and minimum temperatures (calculated
Columns:
- Year: Sampling year (1993–2023)
- sampling: Station ID
-meanTemp: Average temperature for each station in a given year
-minTemp: Minimum temperature registered for each station in a given year
-maxTemp: Maximum temperature registered for each station in a given year
6. tempMap.RDS
Description: RDS file used to retrieve average sea bottom temperature measurements (between 25 and 40 meters of depth) for the whole Dogger Bank area. This information was downloaded from Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS, https://marine.copernicus.eu/). The dataset used provides modelled parameters for the North-West Shelf region (product used: NWSHELF_MULTIYEAR_PHY_004_009)
Rows: 24273 rows containing the Longitude, Latitude, Year, and average temperature for each location and year
Columns:
- x: Latitude coordinates
- y: Longitude coordinates
-Year: Sampling year (1993–2023)
-Temperature: Average temperature for each location in a given year
7. script_GCB_MarineDD.qmd
Description: Quarto script, written in R, used to process the data and reproduce key results and visualizations. Includes data cleaning, trait integration, and model fitting.
Please note that a fully reproducible option for this code and all data used is available at: