Albatross Bay Fish Species Composition and Abundance Survey

Approximately 890,000 fish of 237 species were collected during a stratified trawl survey in Albatross Bay between 1986 and 1988. The data originates from 7 research cruises conducted by the CSIRO Marine Laboratories' Tropical Fish Ecology Project. It captures species composition, abundance, and predator-prey relationships for prawn species.

Use Cases

• Analyze temporal and spatial patterns of fish abundance using cruise dates, depth zones, and day/night sampling data.
• Model species co-occurrence and community structure using the 237 identified species and their recorded abundances.
• Identify key prawn predators by analyzing the subset of fish data specifically tagged for predator occurrence.
• Compare family-level dominance (e.g., Leiognathidae, Haemulidae) across different depth zones and sampling times.
• Assess catch frequency metrics for specific species like Caranx bucculentus, which was caught in 96% of all trawls.

Strengths

• Large sample size of approximately 890,000 individual fish specimens.
• Covers 237 distinct fish species, with detailed analysis of 25 dominant species.
• Stratified sampling design across four depth zones and both day and night conditions.

Limitations

• Data is temporally stale, with the last update in November 1988, limiting contemporary ecological analysis.
• Geographic scope is limited to Albatross Bay in the Gulf of Carpentaria, reducing generalizability.
• Specific column definitions, row counts, and data formats are unknown, complicating direct usability.

Provenance

Source

CSIRO Marine Laboratories Information Network (MarLIN), via NASA Earthdata.

Collection Method

Random stratified trawl surveys conducted during 7 four- to five-day cruises.

Time Range

August 1986 to November 1988.

Freshness

Static historical dataset; last updated 1988-11-15.

Geography

Albatross Bay, Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia.