Dataset: Octocoral recruitment surveys on transects at 5 sites on the south shore of St. John, US Virgin Islands, 2014-2019.

Censuses of octocoral recruits were conducted at 5 sites on the south shore of St. John, US Virgin Islands from 2014-2019.  Recruits (1 polyp – 5  centimeter tall colonies) were enumerated, and when possible were identified to genus in separate 0.25 square meter quadrats (n = 8) randomly placed along 6 transects at each of 3 sites (48 quadrats per site). Transects were positioned in a marked 50 meter x 10 meter area, with stainless steel eye bolts marking each of the 6 transects. Transects were 10m long.

Two sites were added in November 2017. At these sites 0.25 square meter quadrats (n = 16) were randomly placed along 3 fixed transects at each site (48 quadrats per site).

NOTES:
- 8 quadrats were surveyed by transect but be aware that a few transects present differences in the number of quadrats surveyed. That cases were noted below.
- 0.1 cm recruits are those with 1, 2 or 3 polyps, therefore, not measurables

2014 - Four transects surveyed at E Cabritte.
2014 - 7 quadrats surveyed at Europa on transect 10.
2014 - All quadrats at E Cabritte positioned on the left (L) side of line.
2014 - All quadrats at Europa were positioned alternating left (L) or right (R) side of the transect line but on the quadrats L8 and L6 on transect 10.

2015 - Quadrats surveyed from Feb -15 to Mar-15 were positioned alternating left (L) or right (R) side of the transect line.
2015 - March at Europa -7 quadrats were surveyed (instead of 8) on transect 40.
2015 - August at E Cabritte - 10 quadrats (instead of 8) were surveyed on transect 10.
2015 - August at Europa - 6 quadrats (instead of 8) were surveyed on transect 40.
2015 - August at Tektite - 7 quadrats (instead of 8) were surveyed on transect 10.

2016 - Quadrats surveyed were randomly positioned on the right or left side of the transect line.
2016 - March at Tektite - 7 quadrats (instead of 8) were surveyed on transect 30.
2016 - 29th July at Europa - 2 quadrats (instead of 8) were surveyed on transect 10.
2016 - August at E Cabritte - The quadrat 6R on the transect 40 was surveyed twice (indicated in the Comments column as "Repeated Quadrat")
2016 - August at E Cabritte - 7 quadrats (instead of 8) were surveyed on transect 40.

2017 - March at Tektite - The transect 40 was not surveyed.
2017- July at E Cabritte- 9 quadrats were surveyed on transect 50.
2017 - July at E Cabritte- 9 quadrats were surveyed on transect 20.
2017 - November at E Cabritte - Seven quadrats (instead of 8) surveyed on transect 0.
2017 - November at E Cabritte - Transect 10 was not surveyed.
2017 - November at Europa - Nine quadrats (instead of 8) surveyed at transect 10.
2017 - November Deep Tektite was included in the study but just 8 quadrats (instead of 16) on transect 1 were surveyed. Surveys are performed on the left side of the transect line.
2017 - November Yawzi was included in the study, but just 8 quadrats on transect 1, and 3 quadrats (instead of 16) were surveyed. Surveys are performed on the left side of the transect line.

2018 - July and August we included scleractinian recruits surveys (genus level) at E Cabritte, Europa and Tektite (But NOT on Deep Tektite and Yawzi)
2018 - July and August at Deep Tektite we surveyed 16 quadrats at each of the 3 transects.
2018 - July and August at Yawzi we surveyed 17 quadrats on transect 2 (instead of 16).