Data from: Examining marine assemblages across an inverse salinity gradient
Data files
Apr 27, 2026 version files 72.41 MB
-
RAW_16S_Bacteria.xlsx
53.20 MB
-
RAW_16S_Chordata.csv
121.89 KB
-
RAW_18S.xlsx
19.05 MB
-
RAW_metadata.csv
40.58 KB
-
README.md
1.74 KB
Abstract
Salinity gradients and fluctuations can create a natural ecological filter, with few species tolerating salinity above 50 practical salinity units (PSU). We investigated how an inverse salinity gradient affected marine community diversity and composition in Shark Bay, a remote hypersaline coastal embayment in Western Australia. We used 16S(fish), 18S, and 16S(Bacteria) eDNA metabarcoding assays to analyse genetic sequences collected from 220 surface water samples and 216 benthic roller samples. The 44 survey sites transcended a salinity gradient of 40.1 PSU in the Eastern Gulf to 76.0 PSU in Hamelin Pool. 24,011,345 eDNA sequencing reads were detected from 5,575 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). The number of Families and OTUs, and OTUs within key Phyla, all decreased with increasing salinity, the most dramatic changes occurring over a narrow salinity range (50 - 60 PSU). However, the relative proportion of Families from each Phyla contributing to the total assemblage within each salinity range remained relatively stable. Key processes may therefore be maintained across the salinity gradient, although redundancy and resilience are compromised as diversity declines and the taxonomic composition of the communities change. Although primary producers such as cyanobacteria, seagrass and the bivalve mollusc Fragum spp. were under-represented within our data set, this may be due to a limitation of the eDNA methods used rather than their lack of presence within the ecosystem. Even with these limitations, eDNA has proven a useful tool for examining the whole marine assemblage across an inverse salinity gradient in a remote area at a broad taxonomic level.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.xpnvx0kt4
Description of the data and file structure
The three eDNA files and the metadata file stored here were collected from Shark Bay, Western Australia
eDNA data was collected from 220 surface water samples and 216 benthic roller samples taken from 44 sites across Eastern Shark Bay, Western Australia. Five replicate water and roller samples were collected at each of the 44 sites, with the exception of four roller sites, where four, rather than five, replicates were taken. Sites were spread across four habitats (sand, seagrass, low relief stromatolites, and high relief stromatolites).
Files and variables
Files and variables
Files: RAW_16S_Chordata.csv, RAW_18S.xlsx, RAW_16S_Bacteria.xlsx
Description:
Variables
- Taxonomy allocated to that OTU (domain, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species)
- OTU: Operational Taxonomic Unit
- numberOfUnq_BlastHits
- Sample ID (E.g., E_442_001): these coincide with 'Op Codes' within the metadata sheet
File: RAW_metadata.csv
Description:
Variables
- eDNA Frontiers ID: The same as sample IDs from the RAW data
- Op Codes: for each of the sites, along with method and replicate number, e.g., BP3-R1 - 'BP3 - site', 'R - Roller', '1' - replicate number 1
- Method: of sample collections - surface water or benthic roller sampling
- Collection time
- Collection Location (Site/Area): E.g., "BP3"- Site's Op Code, 'Hamelin Pool'- Area
- Depth (m): Depth of each site
- Latitude
- Longitude
- Habitat: Sand, Seagrass Low relief stromatolites (LRS) or high relief stromatolites (HRS)
- Comments
Code/software
Excel
