Biodiversity of Benthic Infauna in the Canadian Beaufort Sea (2021-2024)

2021-2024 survey data from the Canadian Beaufort Sea Marine Ecosystem Assessment (CBS-MEA) program. The dataset documents infauna taxonomic occurrences and sampling events from 29 stations in 2021, 14 in 2022, 21 in 2023, and 24 in 2024, collected using a 50 x 50 cm box-corer. It was produced by Fisheries and Oceans Canada to expand baseline species diversity and habitat association coverage in the Beaufort Sea and Amundsen Gulf.

Use Cases

• Analyzing spatial and interannual variability in benthic species diversity based on the program's stated focus.
• Modeling habitat associations for infauna based on the described sampling across fixed stations and depth ranges.
• Establishing biodiversity baselines for previously unstudied Arctic areas based on the program's expansion goals.
• Studying food web linkages by integrating this infauna data with other CBS-MEA oceanographic and biological datasets.

Strengths

• Multi-year temporal coverage from 2021 to 2024, allowing for interannual comparison.
• Replicated sampling with two or three box cores collected per station.
• Standardized collection method using a 50 x 50 cm box-corer and consistent sieving/preservation protocols.
• Identification to the lowest possible taxon level, suggesting detailed taxonomic resolution.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for large-scale modeling.
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to the specific study area in the Canadian Beaufort Sea.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Collection Method

Scientific sampling using a box-corer along transects at fixed stations, with sediment sieved and specimens preserved in formaldehyde.

Time Range

2021-2024

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-01 14:01:34.653329; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Canadian Beaufort Sea and Amundsen Gulf, at depths between 21-653 meters.