Holocene Benthic Colonisation History Beneath the Amery Ice Shelf, Antarctica

A 47 cm long sediment core from beneath the Amery Ice Shelf in East Antarctica reveals a succession of benthic life over the Holocene. Fossil analysis shows a modern fauna dominated by filter feeders and polychaetes, with colonisation beginning after approximately 9600 years before present. The data, provided by Geoscience Australia, documents species succession linked to ice shelf retreat and changes in food supply.

Use Cases

• Modeling species succession timelines based on sediment core stratigraphy mentioned in the description.
• Analyzing the relationship between planktonic taxa abundance and benthic filter feeder emergence described in the study.
• Investigating the impact of ice shelf proximity on benthic food supply regimes as discussed in the description.

Strengths

• Analysis is based on a 47 cm sediment core providing a physical record.
• The description details a clear temporal sequence from ~9600 years BP to the present.
• Data originates from Geoscience Australia, a national geological authority.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

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 2026-03-25 16:38:25.562187; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Beneath the Amery Ice Shelf, East Antarctica, Prydz Bay region.