Benthic Epifauna Trawl Survey in Eastern Canadian Arctic 2021

2021 data from the KEBABB program documents epifauna occurrences from 16 sampling stations in Baffin Bay, Davis Strait, and Barrow Strait. The dataset, provided by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, is structured in Darwin Core format across two files detailing sampling events and taxonomic occurrences. Sampling employed Agassiz and benthic beam trawls at depths between 85 and 850 meters.

Use Cases

• Analyze taxonomic occurrences across the 16 sampled stations to map species distribution in Baffin Bay.
• Model epifauna community composition against deployment data like depth and bottom-contact time.
• Validate species identifications by linking occurrence records to associated specimen photographs.
• Study hierarchical activity structures from mission and station data to assess sampling effort variability.

Strengths

• Data collected from 16 fixed stations across a significant depth gradient (85-850 m).
• Structured in the standardized Darwin Core format for biodiversity data.
• Includes validated taxonomic identifications supported by specimen photographs.

Limitations

• Limited temporal coverage to a single year (2021), preventing trend analysis.
• Geographic scope is restricted to the Eastern Canadian Arctic, limiting broader applicability.
• Sample size is constrained to the stations sampled in one expedition.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) in collaboration with university partners.

Collection Method

Sampling via Agassiz and benthic beam trawls along transects at fixed stations; specimens identified to lowest taxonomic level and photographed.

Time Range

2021

Freshness

null

Geography

Eastern Canadian Arctic (Baffin Bay, Davis Strait, Barrow Strait).