DOI: 10.5061/dryad.dfn2z3575
title: Database of facilitative interactions between pairs of coastal marine habitats

description: Large-scale restoration of habitats is urgently needed to meet
 international calls for restoration and to reinstate the ecosystem
 services derived from these habitats. Coastal marine seascapes are
 comprised of interconnected habitats where their density, diversity and
 spatial distributions are shaped by the biophysical and ecological
 processes occurring among them. Cross-habitat facilitation, where
 processes generated in one habitat benefit another (e.g., wave
 attenuation, sediment stabilisation), naturally underpins coastal
 ecosystem development, resilience and expansion but restoration of coastal
 marine habitats has traditionally focused on single- rather than
 multi-habitat approaches. We identified over 2100 studies on coastal
 restoration, yet only 6 (0.002%) addressed restoration of multiple
 habitats concurrently, and just 3 explicitly aimed to harness
 cross-habitat facilitation. Using a systematic literature review, we then
 identified over 200 facilitative interactions between pairs of coastal
 marine habitats, but 85% of them were described on scales &lt;1m. This
 database describes the spatial scale and type of facilitative processes
 documented between pairs of coastal marine habitat types. In order to
 scale-up coastal marine restoration, we need to address a key knowledge
 gap in understanding how processes underpinning cross-habitat facilitation
 operate at the spatial scales of those used in restoration.
description: # Database of facilitative interactions between pairs of coastal marine
 habitats
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.dfn2z3575](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.dfn2z3575) To quantify the number of published examples of facilitative interactions occurring between pairs of habitat-forming species, we conducted a literature search of ecological literature published in English in Web of Science on 7 June 2022. The search terms “Topic = facilitat* OR positive interact*” was combined with pairs of each of the following to represent the six habitat-former types: “oyster* OR mussel* OR shellfish*” (shellfish), “saltmarsh* OR salt marsh*”, “seagrass ”, “mangrove”, “macroalga*”, and “coral NOT coralli* (to exclude studies on coralline algae). These paired searches resulted in a total of 1094 publications. This search was revised on 23 August 2022 to include the terms “sea grass*” and “kelp” in the seagrass and macroalgae searches, respectively: “seagrass* OR sea grass* and “macroalga* OR kelp”. This resulted in an additional 65 publications. An additional 25 examples of facilitation between pairs of habitat types were identified by searching reference lists or including examples known to the authors. A total of 1180 publications were checked to determine whether positive/facilitative interactions were reported between the pairs of habitat formers. A total of 116 publications met the criteria for inclusion. The spatial assemblage and scale (linear distance in m), directionality and type of the facilitative interaction(s) were recorded. Spatial assemblages were classified as nested (i.e. occurring on top of another habitat former or immediately adjacent, less than 1 cm, to another habitat former within the same study plot) or adjacent. The maximum spatial scale (linear distance) of the facilitative interaction was recorded where stated in the publication or estimated from figures and/or site location using Google Earth Pro. Nested pairs of habitat formers were assigned a nominal value of 0.01 m for the maximum linear distance. The facilitative interactions were classified into one of ten categories (Table S1). ## Description of the data and file structure The database contains a column for Habitat A, which is the habitat that is providing the facilitative process(es), and a column for Habitat B, the recipient habitat. The Study type from which data were extracted were classified as experimental, descriptive, synthesis, conceptual or review. The maximum distance over which the facilitative process(es) was observed is recorded under the Linear_max (m) column. Where relevant, the type of habitat assemblage in which the process(es) were described is recorded as either nested (occurring in the same habitat plot) or adjacent (separated by at least 0.1 m). The mechanism(s) of facilitation is provided for each habitat pair. Column H contains the list of all mechanims (up to three for each reference) documented. Columns I-K separates the mechanisms into individual columns. Columns are n/a if less than 3 mechanisms were described. Each row represents data for a single direction of facilitation between pairs of habitats (Habitat A to Habitat B). The full reference is provided for each row.   The database contains n/a where data were not available (either not provided in the text or could not be determined from other information such as maps).  Where no studies were described between pairs of habitats (Column D = NONE), the data in Columns E-K are filled with "null".  ## Sharing/Access information This data are also accessbile as published supplemental material from [https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2300546120](https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2300546120) Data was derived from the references provided in the database.