East Antarctic Surface Sediment Data on Grainsize, Biogenic Silica, and Carbonate

472 sediment grainsize samples, 192 Folk classification samples, 255 calcium carbonate samples, and 304 biogenic silica samples were collected from the East Antarctic region south of 60°S between the 1950s and 2012. The Australian Ocean Data Network compiled this data to provide insight into seabed habitats for benthic communities. Sedimentary properties are overlain on bathymetry and geomorphic maps to illustrate habitat variations across the shelf, slope, and proposed Marine Protected Areas.

Use Cases

• Model benthic habitat suitability based on sediment grainsize and composition data.
• Analyze correlations between seabed geomorphic features and sediment properties like carbonate content.
• Assess environmental variability within proposed East Antarctic Marine Protected Areas using the compiled sedimentary data.

Strengths

• Includes data from 472 quantitative grainsize analyses and 192 Folk classifications.
• Composition data covers 255 calcium carbonate and 304 biogenic silica samples.
• Temporal coverage spans from the 1950s to 2012, providing a multi-decadal perspective.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic or temporal bias inherent to the compilation sources.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Compilation of data collected and analyzed from various sources.

Time Range

1950s to 2012

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-05 07:40:18.271100; freshness should be verified.

Geography

East Antarctic region (30-150°E) south of 60°S