Title of the dataset:
Data underlying publication: Green turtles shape the seascape through grazing patch formation around habitat features: experimental evidence

Creators:
Fee O.H. Smulders 	(Wageningen University & Research, Aquatic Ecology and Water 				Quality Management Group, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The 			Netherlands)ORCID:0000-0003-4124-8355
Elisabeth S. Bakker	(1. Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of 				Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands 2. Wildlife 				Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University, The 				Netherlands)
Owen R. O'Shea		(The Centre for Ocean Research and Education (CORE), Gregory Town, 			Eleuthera, Commonwealth of The Bahamas
Justin E. Campbell	(Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Environment, 				Florida International University, Miami, USA)
Olivia K. Rhoades	(Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Environment, 				Florida International University, Miami, USA)
Marjolijn J.A. 
Christianen		(Wageningen University & Research, Aquatic Ecology and Water 				Quality Management Group, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The 			Netherlands)

Related publication:
Green turtles shape the seascape through grazing patch formation around habitat features: experimental evidence, under revision at Ecology

Description:
This dataset contains the data collected from field experiments studying the impact of habitat structure on green turtle density, behavior and grazing impact. In this study, we established large-scale (242m2) and small-scale arrays (9m2) with artificial structures in a a seagrass meadow in The Bahamas. Over time, within the large-scale array, we measured turtle density, turtle grazing behavior and grazing patch development using drone imagery. Additionally we measured Thalassia testudinum seagrass morphology (LAI, cover, shoot density and aboveground biomass)comparing seagrass in the grazing patch within cages and outside cages. To confirm that turtles select structure as foraging site, even at a small-scale, we measured grazing patch development around the structures in the small-scale arrays. 

Keywords:
Chelonia mydas, habitat structure, herbivory, landscape of fear, plant-herbivore interactions, seagrass, Thalassia testudinum

Spatial coverage:
Data was collected in Bottom Harbour, Eleuthera

Temporal coverage:
Field data was collected in the period of May 2018 - October 2020

This dataset contains the following files:
- Datafile_Green_turtles_shape_the_seascape (Excel file consisting of seperate sheets per experiment)
- Metadata file (.csv) with explanations of all variables per datasheet
- Code file Smulders_et_al_rcode.R includes the statistical analyses conducted in the manuscript

Explanation of variables:
Can be found in the Metadata csv file

Methods, materials and software:
Can be found in the publication, will be linked to the dataset once published online

This dataset is published under the CC BY (Attribution) license.
This license allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, so long as attribution is given to the creator.

