Data

Data Tables

Table 1 includes a sample of the data prior to any modifications for analysis.

The column "date" records the sampling date (often in a timestamp format), and "month" provides further breakdown of the time. The "season" column distinguishes seasonal sampling periods (e.g., Dry vs. Wet).

The "site" and "site.name" columns identify the sampling locations. Other columns (e.g., "site.depth_m" and "sampling.depth_m") give information on the depth at which samples were collected.

Columns such as "sampling.time", "low.tide.time", "high.tide.time", "low.tide.level_m", "high.tide.level_m", "tide.amplitude_m", and "tidal.current" record details on the tide conditions and timing of sampling.

Additional environmental data include "dissolved.oxygen_mg/L_mean.1m", "ph_mean.1m", "salinity_ppt_mean.1m", and "water.temperature_C_mean.1m", which describe the water properties measured at around 1 m depth.

There are several columns recording the counts of different pteropod species (e.g., "atlanta.count", "cavolinia.count", "creseis.count", etc.). There is a "total.count" column that sums up the counts for each sample.

Density estimates for the different species (e.g., "atlanta.density_m3", "cavolinia.density_m3") are provided along with "total.density_m3" which gives the overall density of pteropods per cubic meter.

These columns provide both the biological and environmental contexts necessary to analyze temporal, spatial, and ecological patterns across the sampling sites.

Table 1. Raw data table.

Pteropods_FinalData

Data exploration

Figure 6. Environmental parameters by season.

Environmental Parameters by Season

The graph titled "Environmental Parameters by Season" (Figure 3) presents a comparison of four key water quality variables—Dissolved Oxygen (DO), pH, Salinity, and Temperature—across two seasons: Dry (red) and Wet (blue). Each variable is represented as a boxplot, illustrating its distribution, median, and variability within each season. The results indicate clear seasonal trends: DO and pH are higher during the Wet season, suggesting increased oxygen availability and a more alkaline environment, while salinity is higher in the Dry season, likely due to reduced freshwater input and increased evaporation. Temperature is notably higher and more stable in the Wet season, whereas the Dry season shows greater fluctuations, with some lower temperature values. These patterns highlight the influence of seasonal changes on water chemistry, likely driven by rainfall, evaporation, and freshwater inflow, which can have significant ecological implications for marine and coastal ecosystems.

Total Count of species over Time

The scatter plot titled "Scatter Plot of Total Count over Time" (Figure 4) displays the distribution of Total Count of organisms over a time period from April 2019 to January 2020. Each green dot represents an individual data point, showing the total count recorded on a specific date. The majority of observations fall within a low count range, clustered near the bottom of the plot. However, there are several notable spikes in total count, with extreme values exceeding 400 and even 800 at certain points, particularly around October 2019 and early 2020. This suggests occasional significant increases in total count, which could be attributed to specific events, seasonal variations, or anomalies in the data. The scattered nature of the points indicates high variability over time, with no clear trend or pattern, suggesting that the total count fluctuates irregularly rather than following a consistent upward or downward trajectory

Figure 7. Total counts over time.

Figure 8. Pteropod density by season and site.

Pteropod Density by Season and Site

The total density of pteropods (individuals/m³) across three sites (Bay of Panama, Las Perlas, and Taboguilla) during the dry and wet seasons is shown in Figure 5. Across all sites, pteropod densities tend to be higher during the wet season compared to the dry season, with greater variability in the data, as indicated by the wider interquartile ranges and more outliers. Among the three sites, Taboguilla (blue) consistently shows the highest pteropod densities, particularly in the wet season, where several extreme outliers exceed 400 individuals/m³. The Bay of Panama (red) and Las Perlas (green) exhibit lower densities, though they also experience an increase in pteropod density in the wet season. These results suggest that pteropod populations are more abundant during the wet season, with Taboguilla showing the highest densities among the studied sites.

Species composition by season and site

Figure 6 presents the species composition by season (dry and wet) and site (Bay of Panama, Las Perlas, and Taboguilla) in terms of mean density (individuals/m²). Across all sites, species densities are generally higher during the wet season compared to the dry season. The most dominant species appears to be Cresis (dark blue), particularly in the wet season at the Taboguilla site, where its density reaches the highest value observed in the graph. Other species, such as Gymnosomata (green) and Atlanta (dark purple), are present in smaller proportions but are more noticeable in some locations like Las Perlas and the Bay of Panama. Overall, species richness and density increase during the wet season, with Taboguilla showing the highest densities among all sites.

Figure 9. Species composition by season and site.

Figure 10. Total organisms vs. environmental parameters.

Environmental parameters vs total organisms

The set of scatter plots in Figure 7 shows the relationship between total organism abundance and four environmental parameters (temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and salinity) across two seasons (dry and wet). Across all graphs, data points from the wet season (blue) show higher organism counts compared to the dry season (red), particularly at higher temperatures, moderate pH levels, and lower dissolved oxygen levels. In the Temperature vs. Total Organisms plot, organism abundance increases with temperature, especially above 25°C. The pH vs. Total Organisms plot suggests a slight positive trend, with more organisms found around pH 8.1–8.2. In the Dissolved Oxygen vs. Total Organisms plot, high organism densities are observed at lower oxygen levels (~4–6 mg/L), particularly during the wet season. The Salinity vs. Total Organisms plot indicates that the highest organism densities occur around 30–32 ppt, with a slight negative trend. Overall, the results suggest that pteropod abundance is more influenced by temperature and dissolved oxygen, with higher densities occurring in warmer, lower-oxygen conditions, particularly during the wet season.

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