East Antarctic Surface Sediment Data on Grainsize, Silica, and Carbonate, 1950s-2012

472 sediment grainsize samples, plus 255 carbonate and 304 biogenic silica samples, compiled from East Antarctic research spanning the 1950s to 2012. This data from the Australian Ocean Data Network provides a physical habitat layer for analyzing seabed communities. Sedimentary properties are mapped against bathymetry and geomorphic features to illustrate habitat variations across the Antarctic shelf and slope.

Use Cases

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

Strengths

• Compiles data from a long temporal range, spanning from the 1950s to 2012.
• Includes multiple sediment property types: 472 grainsize samples, 255 carbonate samples, and 304 biogenic silica samples.
• Data is geospatially referenced and intended for overlay with bathymetry and geomorphic maps.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.

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 05 04 23:23:08.032282; freshness should be verified.

Geography

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