Description
The dataset focuses on monitoring and analyzing the ecological restoration potential of the coral reef ecosystem within the Dongsha Atoll lagoon, Taiwan's only fully developed atoll. Over the course of a year, two to four surveys were conducted to assess the species composition and distribution of fish eggs and larvae using morphological and DNA barcoding methods. The survey aims to understand the population dynamics, connectivity, and ecological role of fish in the Dongsha Atoll lagoon and its surrounding waters.
Data Records
The data in this sampling event resource has been published as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A), which is a standardized format for sharing biodiversity data as a set of one or more data tables. The core data table contains 51 records.
1 extension data tables also exist. An extension record supplies extra information about a core record. The number of records in each extension data table is illustrated below.
This IPT archives the data and thus serves as the data repository. The data and resource metadata are available for download in the downloads section. The versions table lists other versions of the resource that have been made publicly available and allows tracking changes made to the resource over time.
Versions
The table below shows only published versions of the resource that are publicly accessible.
How to cite
Researchers should cite this work as follows:
Shao K, Jeng M (2025). Survey of fish egg, larval, and adult species composition and their distribution in Dongsha Atoll Lagoon. Version 1.5. Taiwan Biodiversity Information Facility (TaiBIF). Samplingevent dataset. https://ipt-test.taibif.tw/resource?r=dongsha_atoll_lagoon_chihwei&v=1.5
Rights
Researchers should respect the following rights statement:
The publisher and rights holder of this work is Taiwan Biodiversity Information Facility (TaiBIF). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC-BY-NC 4.0) License.
GBIF Registration
This resource has been registered with GBIF, and assigned the following GBIF UUID: 4ef40e28-2f67-4506-a698-15a381837328. Taiwan Biodiversity Information Facility (TaiBIF) publishes this resource, and is itself registered in GBIF as a data publisher endorsed by Taiwan Biodiversity Information Facility.
Keywords
Samplingevent
Contacts
- Originator ●
- Point Of Contact ●
- Principal Investigator
- Originator ●
- Point Of Contact ●
- Principal Investigator
Geographic Coverage
The Dongsha Atoll is located in the South China Sea, within Taiwan’s jurisdiction, approximately 240 nautical miles northeast of Kaohsiung. It spans 20°47'–22°35' N and 116°42'–116°55' E, covering an area of approximately 500 square kilometers. The atoll features a shallow lagoon with coral reefs, sand flats, and seagrass habitats, and lies at the northern boundary of the Coral Triangle, a globally significant marine biodiversity hotspot.
| Bounding Coordinates | South West [20.585, 116.694], North East [20.781, 116.924] |
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Taxonomic Coverage
No Description available
| Kingdom | Animalia |
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| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Chondrichthyes, Actinopterygii, Actinopteri, Elasmobranchii |
| Order | Gasterosteiformes, Tetraodontiformes, Ophidiiformes, Beryciformes, Stomiiformes, Lophiiformes, Mugiliformes, Atheriniformes, Aulopiformes, Gonorynchiformes, Myliobatiformes, Elopiformes, Beloniformes, Scorpaeniformes, Perciformes, Anguilliformes, Pleuronectiformes, Clupeiformes, Myctophiformes |
| Family | Siganidae, Haemulidae, Synodontidae, Eleotridae, Mugilidae, Fistulariidae, Sphyraenidae, Pempheridae, Coryphaenidae, Percophidae, Carangidae, Myctophidae, Istiophoridae, Tripterygiidae, Apogonidae, Gerreidae, Hemiramphidae, Scorpaenidae, Pomacentridae, Atherinidae, Monacanthidae, Latidae, Monodactylidae, Ambassidae, Mullidae, Kyphosidae, Aulostomidae, Serranidae, Exocoetidae, Blenniidae, Lethrinidae, Bothidae, Gonostomatidae, Diodontidae, Myliobatidae, Priacanthidae, Ostraciidae, Centriscidae, Scaridae, Tetraodontidae, Schindleriidae, Cirrhitidae, Holocentridae, Megalopidae, Callionymidae, Caracanthidae, Nemipteridae, Malacanthidae, Nomeidae, Scopelarchidae, Bythitidae, Antennariidae, Phosichthyidae, Muraenidae, Gobiidae, Chanidae, Ophidiidae, Sillaginidae, Balistidae, Gempylidae, Clupeidae, Bramidae, Cottidae, Pomacanthidae, Zanclidae, Congridae, Trichonotidae, Dasyatidae, Caesionidae, Scombridae, Acanthuridae, Pinguipedidae, Labridae, Chaetodontidae, Pseudochromidae, Lutjanidae, Ptereleotridae, Syngnathidae, Belonidae, Soleidae, Triacanthodidae |
Temporal Coverage
| Start Date / End Date | 2005-03-31 / 2011-11-27 |
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Project Data
This study integrates fish data from the 2005 "Dongsha Marine Ecosystem Baseline Survey" and focuses on the ecological restoration and management of the Dongsha Atoll. The project aims to investigate the composition and distribution of fish eggs and larvae in the Dongsha Atoll lagoon through two to four surveys within a year, using morphological and genetic methods. It also seeks to understand the relationship between Dongsha's fish populations and those in surrounding South China Sea waters, addressing fish population connectivity and mechanisms for maintaining biodiversity.
| Title | Survey of fish egg, larval, and adult species composition and their distribution in Dongsha Atoll Lagoon |
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| Funding | Marine National Park Headquarters, National Park Service, Ministry of the Interior Construction and Planning Agency |
| Study Area Description | The study was conducted within and outside the Dongsha Atoll lagoon, a unique atoll in Taiwan. Sampling occurred across designated 25 stations, spaning 20°47'–22°35' N and 116°42'–116°55' E. |
| Design Description | Atoll Lagoon through a detailed examination of their early life history stages, including fish eggs and larvae. Given the bipartite life cycle of marine fishes, where eggs and larvae undergo distinct drifting, hatching, metamorphosis, and settlement phases across coastal and oceanic regions, significant differences often exist between the composition of eggs, larvae, and adult fish in the same area. This study aims to address these differences by investigating the spatial and temporal distribution of early life history assemblages and evaluating their contributions to self-recruitment within the lagoon. By comparing the community structure of fish eggs, larvae, and adults, suitable species with distinct early life history traits can be identified for subsequent genetic parentage analyses using high-resolution markers. This approach will provide direct evidence of ecological connectivity within and beyond the reserve, offering critical insights into whether local populations are self-sustaining or reliant on external recruits. Such findings are essential for evaluating the effectiveness of marine protected areas in ensuring habitat integrity and species sustainability. The ultimate goal is to use the results to inform long-term monitoring and management strategies for the Dongsha Atoll and surrounding South China Sea regions, with significant implications for marine protected areas conservation outcomes. |
The personnel involved in the project:
Sampling Methods
Sampling was carried out using a 90 cm zooplankton net with a 330 μm mesh for horizontal tows lasting 10–15 minutes at each station. A HydroBios flow meter was attached to the net to measure actual water volume. Modified light traps were used at night in the lagoon and nearby stations to capture late-stage larvae. Subtidal coral reef zones were surveyed by divers for demersal eggs and mouth-brooding fish species. Surface buoyant eggs and other specimens were preserved in 95% ethanol for laboratory analysis. Collected samples were examined through morphological analysis and species identification, with abundance calculated in the laboratory.
| Study Extent | The study was conducted within and outside the Dongsha Atoll lagoon, a unique atoll in Taiwan. Sampling occurred across designated 25 stations, spaning 20°47'–22°35' N and 116°42'–116°55' E. |
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Method step description:
- As sampling description
Additional Metadata
| Alternative Identifiers | 4ef40e28-2f67-4506-a698-15a381837328 |
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| https://ipt-test.taibif.tw/resource?r=dongsha_atoll_lagoon_chihwei |