DOI: 10.5061/dryad.r7sqv9sm9
title: Intertidal invertebrates in Western Australia

description: Abstract: Aims: Along the west coast of Australia, intertidal rock
 platforms support high invertebrate diversities that provide vital
 ecosystem services, yet patterns in diversity are not well understood.
 Here, we document and examine the invertebrate assemblages on intertidal
 rock platforms in Western Australia and delineate ecoregions according to
 assemblage structure.  Location: West coast of Australia Taxon:
 Invertebrates Methods: We recorded 406 invertebrate species from quadrat
 and timed search surveys on 39 intertidal limestone platforms that span
 16° of latitude. We analysed latitudinal variation in species assemblage
 composition and multiple components of invertebrate diversity (alpha,
 gamma and beta diversity) that relate to different spatial scales (local,
 regional, bioregional) using multivariate analysis of variance and
 distance-based linear models. Bioregions of similar invertebrate
 assemblages were delineated using hierarchical cluster analysis with
 unweighted pair-group methods using arithmetic averaged. Results: There
 was a clear relationship between alpha and gamma diversity, with both
 increasing towards the equator. Beta diversity was relatively high across
 all sites, not reporting any significant variation with latitude,
 highlighting how regional patterns can arise from sites with high local
 variation. Our results indicate that the intertidal diversity aligns with
 latitudinal diversity gradient theory, demonstrating how regional scale
 processes influence patterns in diversity. Main conclusions: The
 composition of species distributions across latitudes indicates that a
 transition between tropical- and temperate-dominated assemblages occurs
 between 27°S – 24°S, however further research is required to examine the
 properties of the transition zone. Distinct groupings of invertebrate
 assemblages were identified, which delineated the coast into five regions.
 We established a comprehensive empirical understanding of invertebrate
 assemblages along the west coast of Australia acts as a valuable baseline
 to assess future change and aid in future management and conservation
 efforts.  
description: # Intertidal invertebrates in Western Australia Dataset DOI:
 [10.5061/dryad.r7sqv9sm9](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.r7sqv9sm9) ##
 Description of the data and file structure Intertidal macroinvertebrate
 species diversity and distribution information along the Western
 Australian coast from 18S - 34S.  Data collected by visual census surveys
 of 30 x 1m^2 quadrats and timed searches at 39 different sites across 16
 latitudes. We have submitted our site presence/absence data (The
 assemblages of each site pooled from quadrat and timed search data (site
 alpha diversity) (intertidal_invertebrate_assemblages_wa.csv), and
 invertebrate taxonomy and trait information
 (invertebrate_trait_information.csv). ### Files and variables ####
 **intertidal_invertebrate_assemblages_wa.csv** *
 *Taxa: *Currently valid scientific name or assigned
 morphospecies open nomenclature qualifiers (e.g. sp. 1, sp.2, etc.). *
 *Latitude:* Degree of latitude south (°S). * *Region:*  Region of Western
 Australia where sampling site was conducted. * *Site (row):* Individual
 sampling site names.  * *Site (columns, labelled 1-39):* presence (1) or
 absence (0) of taxa at each site compiled from pooled quadrat and timed
 search species lists. * *Genus:* Currently valid Linnaean genus taxonomic
 classification or lowest possible classification with confidence. If taxa
 were not identified to species, the lowest taxonomic level that could be
 assigned is repeated across all categories. * *Family:* Currently valid
 Linnaean family taxonomic classification or lowest possible classification
 with confidence.If taxa were not identified to species, the lowest
 taxonomic level that could be assigned is repeated across all categories.
 * *Order:* Currently valid Linnaean order taxonomic classification or
 lowest possible classification with confidence.If taxa were not identified
 to species, the lowest taxonomic level that could be assigned is repeated
 across all categories. * *Class:* Currently valid Linnaean class taxonomic
 classification or lowest possible classification with confidence.If taxa
 were not identified to species, the lowest taxonomic level that could be
 assigned is repeated across all categories. * *Phylum:* Currently valid
 Linnaean phyla taxonomic classification or lowest possible classification
 with confidence.If taxa were not identified to species, the lowest
 taxonomic level that could be assigned is repeated across all categories. 
 
 **invertebrate_trait_information** * *Taxa: *Currently
 valid scientific name or assigned morphospecies open nomenclature
 qualifiers (e.g. sp. 1, sp.2, etc.). * *Genus:* Currently valid Linnaean
 genus taxonomic classification or lowest possible classification with
 confidence. If taxa were not identified to species, the lowest taxonomic
 level that could be assigned is repeated across all categories. *
 *Family:* Currently valid Linnaean family taxonomic classification or
 lowest possible classification with confidence.If taxa were not identified
 to species, the lowest taxonomic level that could be assigned is repeated
 across all categories. * *Order:* Currently valid Linnaean order taxonomic
 classification or lowest possible classification with confidence.If taxa
 were not identified to species, the lowest taxonomic level that could be
 assigned is repeated across all categories. * *Class:* Currently valid
 Linnaean class taxonomic classification or lowest possible classification
 with confidence.If taxa were not identified to species, the lowest
 taxonomic level that could be assigned is repeated across all categories.
 * *Phylum:* Currently valid Linnaean phyla taxonomic classification or
 lowest possible classification with confidence.If taxa were not identified
 to species, the lowest taxonomic level that could be assigned is repeated
 across all categories. - *Assigned distribution affinity*: Biogeographic
 affinity of taxa * Tropical: Taxa were classified as tropical if their
 distributions were concentrated within tropical latitudes (typically north
 of ~24° S) or extended from the tropics southward along the WA coastline.
 * Temperate: Species were classified as temperate if their ranges were
 centred in temperate latitudes (south of ~24° S) or extended from
 temperate regions northwards along the WA coastline. *
 Cosmopolitian: Species with broad distributions spanning multiple
 biogeographic provinces, including both tropical and temperate regions,
 were classified as cosmopolitan. * Unknown: Where distribution information
 was insufficient for confident assignment, species were listed as unknown.
 - Source of distribution information: References provided or N/A for
 unknown taxa. ## Code/software Data is formatted for use in PRIMER-E
 software.  Taxonomic information is provided to the right of the data,
 uploads as an indicator in PRIMER. Factors are listed underneath the data
 matrix, indication site information - latitude surveyed, region, site.