May to July 1980 saw the collection of benthic organism data from the Gulf of Mexico aboard the vessel EXCELLENCE. The dataset contains species abundance, distribution, and biomass information from sediment sampler casts. Data were submitted by Texas A&M University as part of the Brine Disposal project.
Use Cases
- Analyze species_abundance and total_weight_of_organisms per species to model biomass distribution across sampling stations.
- Correlate species_distribution data with environmental data like bottom_temperature, salinity, and sediment_characteristics.
- Map organism abundance using station_positions and times to assess spatial patterns in the Gulf of Mexico.
- Study cruise metadata such as vessel, investigator, and institution for historical research context.
Strengths
- Data collection spans a focused 2-month period from May to July 1980.
- Includes multiple data dimensions: species counts, environmental conditions, and detailed cruise metadata.
Limitations
- Sample size is unknown, potentially limiting statistical power.
- Data is from a single cruise in 1980, offering a temporal snapshot rather than long-term trends.
- Geographic coverage is limited to the specific cruise track in the Gulf of Mexico.
Provenance
- Source
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), submitted by Texas A&M University.
- Collection Method
- Field sampling using sediment sampler casts, following the F132 format for bottom dwelling marine organism surveys.
- Time Range
- 1980-05-22 to 1980-07-25
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Gulf of Mexico, specific stations sampled during the EXCELLENCE cruise.