Crab assemblages in Eelgrass beds in Southeast Alaska

• Main Authors: Rebecca Cates, Wendel Raymond, Lia Domke, Tiffany Stephens, Ginny Eckert, Ashley Bolwerk
• Format: Dataset
• Language: unknown
• Published: Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity 2018
• Subjects: Crab; Seagrass; Eelgrass; Sea otter; Cancer productus; Leptocottus armatus; Metacarcinus gracilis; Metacarcinus magister; Telmessus cheiragonus; Prince of Wales Island; Archipelago; Alaska
• Online Access: https://search.dataone.org/view/urn:uuid:14036c1f-45b7-4cc3-8e43-e22bbe53906e

Crab populations within intertidal eelgrass (Zostera marina) beds were assessed during summertime 2017, 2018 and 2019 (May-August). Data were collected on western Prince of Wales Alaska, at 21 sites in 2017, 6 sites in 2018 and 23 sites in 2019. At each site, the coordinates, dates and times that the pots were set and pulled, crab species, crab sex and crab size were recorded. Crabs were sampled by setting replicate strings of baited crab pots for 24-hrs, each with different pot styles. Fish were sometimes captured, as well, and are reported in this dataset. The purpose of these data was to characterize the crab assemblage within eelgrass communities so that analysis of trophic interactions could be assessed along a gradient of sea otter occupation for an NSF-funded project: Apex Predators, Ecosystems, and Community Sustainability (APECS, http://apecs-ak.org/). Other datasets to support this work are also archived with KNB with the identifier "APECS_alaska".