Rocky Shore Species Counts Following the 'Nella Dan' Oil Spill

Species abundance data from a 1988 study assessing the effects of an oil spill on rocky shore ecosystems near Macquarie Island. The dataset records counts of individuals per species from quadrat and line transect surveys across five specific shore zones. Data was collected by the Australian Antarctic Data Centre.

Use Cases

• Analyze correlations between specific Site codes (e.g., SB, BB) and Species counts to assess spatial impact variability.
• Model temporal trends by joining this 1988 data with related projects (ASAC_672, ASAC_1003) using the Year field.
• Calculate biodiversity indices (e.g., Shannon) from the species-abundance matrix for different Site and replicate combinations.
• Investigate population recovery by comparing Species abundance data from this baseline study against later monitoring datasets.

Strengths

• Data collected using standard ecological methods: quadrat and line transect with counts and percentage cover.
• Clear site coding structure (e.g., sb(1)3) allows for precise replication and spatial analysis across six defined locations.

Limitations

• Dataset contains 1988 data only, providing a single temporal snapshot without pre-spill or long-term recovery data.
• Sample size and row count are unknown, limiting statistical power assessment.
• Kelp holdfasts were collected but not evaluated, representing a gap in the reported biota.

Provenance

Source

Australian Antarctic Data Centre (AU_AADC), ASAC Project 250.

Collection Method

Field data collected via quadrat and line transect methods, recording species counts and percentage cover.

Time Range

1988

Freshness

null

Geography

Rocky shores near Macquarie Island, specifically Sandy Bay, Secluded Bay, Buckles Bay, Garden Cove, Green Gorge, and Goat Bay.