Holocene Benthic Colonisation History Beneath the Amery Ice Shelf, East Antarctica

A dataset from the Australian Ocean Data Network presents fossil analysis from a 47 cm sediment core documenting seabed community succession beneath the Amery Ice Shelf. The data reveals a transition from a barren state prior to ~9600 years ago to a diverse modern fauna dominated by filter feeders and polychaetes, linked to ice shelf retreat and advected food supply. This record, last updated in 2026, provides evidence for understanding how sub-ice shelf ecosystems respond to climate-driven changes.

Use Cases

• Modeling species succession timelines based on the described faunal assemblage changes over the Holocene.
• Analyzing the relationship between ice shelf proximity and benthic food supply based on the described advection of planktonic particles.
• Studying the resilience and colonization patterns of filter-feeder communities in isolated environments based on the core's modern fauna description.
• Assessing potential impacts of future ice shelf collapse on organic supply regimes and benthic community structure.

Strengths

• Core length of 47 cm provides a temporal sequence for analysis.
• Description specifies a clear temporal marker (~9600 yr BP) for the onset of colonization.
• Faunal groups are identified (sponges, bryozoans, polychaetes, planktonic taxa).

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to a single core from the Amery Ice Shelf region.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Fossil analysis of a sediment core.

Time Range

Holocene, with specific data points from prior to ~9600 years BP to present.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-10 21:57:20.756447; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Beneath the Amery Ice Shelf, East Antarctica, with connection to Prydz Bay shelf waters.