Australian Ocean Data Network hosts a dataset presenting fossil evidence from a 47 cm sediment core beneath the Amery Ice Shelf. The data reveals a succession of benthic communities, from no fauna prior to ~9600 years BP to mobile organisms and later filter feeders, linked to ice shelf retreat and advected food supply. This study provides insights into species succession patterns relevant to future global change impacts on sub-ice shelf ecosystems.
Use Cases
- Modeling benthic community succession based on fossil assemblage data mentioned in the description
- Analyzing the relationship between planktonic food supply and filter feeder emergence based on the described advection process
- Studying the impact of ice shelf retreat on sub-ice shelf ecosystems based on the described colonization timeline
Strengths
- Data is derived from a 47 cm long sediment core, providing a physical record
- The description details a clear temporal sequence of colonization spanning from prior to ~9600 years BP to the present
- Analysis identifies specific faunal groups: sponges, bryozoans, polychaetes, and 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 data_gov_au
Provenance
- Source
- Australian Ocean Data Network
- Collection Method
- Fossil analysis of a sediment core
- Time Range
- Holocene period, with specific events dated to ~9600 years BP
- Freshness
- Last updated 2026-05-05 04:29:18.941010; freshness should be verified
- Geography
- Amery Ice Shelf, East Antarctica, Prydz Bay region