Marine Sediment Grain Size Data from Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Fisheries and Oceans Canada collected grain size data from sediment and water column samples using bottle samples, sediment cores, and sediment grabs. The data focuses on fine-grained particles smaller than 1mm, used to study the fate of contaminants like heavy metals and pesticides, as well as physical sediment transport processes. The dataset includes samples from the Atlantic provinces and worldwide.

Use Cases

• Analyze the distribution of fine-grained (<1mm) particles to model contaminant transport pathways for heavy metals and pesticides.
• Study correlations between grain size data and physical sediment processes like resuspension and transport in marine environments.
• Use grain size measurements from sediment cores to investigate historical deposition patterns of aquaculture waste or hydrocarbons.

Strengths

• Data collected by the national Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Maritime Science Branch, an authoritative source.
• Focus on fine-grained (<1mm) particles, which are critical for studying food sources and contaminant transport.
• Samples collected from multiple global locations, not just Canadian Atlantic provinces.

Limitations

• Specific data volume (rows, file size) and column structure are unknown, complicating initial assessment of analytical scope.
• Data collection methodology (bottle samples, cores, grabs) may vary between projects, potentially affecting consistency.
• The description lacks temporal coverage details, limiting time-series analysis.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Maritime Science Branch.

Collection Method

Collected from sediment and water column samples using bottle samples, sediment cores, and sediment grabs.

Freshness

Last updated on 2026-03-24.

Geography

Atlantic provinces of Canada and worldwide.