428 high-resolution still images and 8,522 video observations document the presence, absence, and density of the unstalked crinoid Heliometra glacialis in the St. Anns Bank Marine Protected Area, Atlantic Canada. The data, a derivative of Fisheries and Oceans Canada's benthic imagery surveys, was published in March 2026. Crinoids were observed in approximately 44% of the surveyed area (~4811 m²), forming dense beds on cobble and pebble substrates at depths of 77-119 meters.
Use Cases
- Modeling species-habitat relationships based on substrate type and slope features.
- Estimating population density of a biogenic habitat-forming species from imagery-derived counts.
- Assessing habitat coverage and distribution within a Marine Protected Area.
- Validating remote sensing or predictive models with fine-scale, near-seafloor observational data.
Strengths
- Includes 8,522 video observations and 428 high-resolution still images for cross-validation.
- Reports specific density estimates up to 139 individuals per square meter.
- Documents substrate type for each observation using a modified Wentworth scale.
- Covers a defined survey area of approximately 4811 square meters across five transects.
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
Provenance
- Source
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Coastal Ecosystems Science Division.
- Collection Method
- Derived from benthic imagery surveys using a drift-camera with high-resolution still and continuous video capture.
- Time Range
- From a two-year survey; specific years not stated.
- Freshness
- Last updated 2026-03-24 08:36:46.747625; freshness should be verified.
- Geography
- St. Anns Bank Marine Protected Area, off the coast of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada.