SS2012t07: Benthic Biota Specimens from Northern Australia

A 2012 survey collected benthic marine specimens during a transit between Darwin and Cairns from 15-24 October. The program gathered 261 voucher specimens, including ~139 kg of sponges and 30 kg of cnidarians, for biodiversity and natural products research. The data was acquired by the Australian Ocean Data Network using an ROV and benthic sled in previously mapped areas.

Use Cases

• Assess biodiversity of sessile invertebrates based on specimen counts and biomass data
• Screen marine organisms for active compounds against diseases based on samples sent for cancer and HIV research
• Map the distribution of sponges and corals based on sampling locations across a bank and terrace/hole features
• Study benthic community structure based on the described abundance of sponges, octocorals, and hard corals

Strengths

• Includes 261 voucher specimens with recorded biomass (e.g., ~139 kg of sponges)
• Specifies a focused sampling period (15-24 October 2012) and geographic areas (bank and terrace/hole)
• Describes a clear research purpose for biodiversity and natural products screening

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/temporal bias inherent to data_gov_au

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Collected via ROV and benthic sled during a research vessel transit.

Time Range

15-24 October 2012

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-16 23:51:36.649100; freshness should be verified

Geography

Northern Australia, specifically between Darwin and Cairns, including a bank (Area I) and a terrace/hole feature within the proposed Wessel Islands CMR (Area II).