Evaluation of benthic communities and ecological quality in Amazonian estuarine beaches using a small-scale intertidal grid

Abstract

This dataset repository contains all raw data files, processed matrices, spatial interpolation grids, and reproducible R scripts associated with the ecological, sedimentological, and geochemical assessment of estuarine beaches in Cajueiro and Carimã (Northern Coast of Brazil), sampled across different seasonal periods and intertidal zones. 1. Data Files Raw_Water.csv: Contains raw in-situ physical and chemical water parameters monitored across estuarine sites, including water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO), and pH, categorized by site, sampling month, season, and replicate. Benthos_Sediment_Data.csv: Comprehensive matrix integrating benthic macrofauna taxonomic abundances, sediment grain-size fractions (fine sand, silt, clay), organic matter content (OM), and trace metal concentrations (Cd, Pb, Cu, Cr, Mn, Ni, Zn, Hg, among others) per sampling unit. Raw_AMBI.csv: Long-format table detailing benthic macroinvertebrate taxa, abundance per replicate, taxonomic assignment to Ecological Groups (EQ I to V) based on sensitivity to environmental disturbance, alongside spatial and temporal metadata (Site, Month, Season, Zonation, Replicate). Raw_data_spreadsheet_benthic.csv: Master raw spreadsheet containing primary counts and field observations of benthic community structures prior to statistical standardization and taxonomic abbreviation processing. Sediment_2025.csv: Dedicated sedimentological dataset comprising detailed physical characterization parameters, granulometric fractions, and organic carbon/matter contents measured across sampling stations for the 2025 campaign. Surfer_Master_Grid_Absolute_Density_Sediment.csv: Interpolated master grid file formatted for spatial contouring software (Surfer), containing absolute macrofaunal densities and sediment metrics used for spatial distribution mapping across the estuarine gradients. 2. R Scripts R Scripts (.R): A comprehensive set of reproducible scripts written in the R language designed for data import, cleaning, taxonomic abbreviation, statistical transformations (such as Hellinger and Z-score standardization), multivariate community analyses (including dbRDA with forward model selection and M-AMBI ecological quality status calculations), and the automated generation of high-resolution publication-ready figures.