Antarctic Benthic Community Data from Weddell Sea Campaign

34 oceanographic stations were sampled across the Weddell Sea, including the Kapp Norvegia, Hilltop, Austasen, and Orleans Canyon zones. The campaign collected vertical profiles of temperature, salinity, and nutrients, 31 sediment samples, and current meter data recorded every 5 minutes over 9 days. It was conducted by the organization SCIOPS, though the specific year is not provided.

Use Cases

• Correlate benthic community composition from sediment cores with overlying water column properties like temperature and nutrient profiles.
• Analyze current speed and direction data from RCM7/RCM9 meters to model sediment transport and disturbance in iceberg-dense zones.
• Compare stoichiometric data (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids) from gorgonian tissue samples of Ainigmaptilon antarcticus and Fannyella nodosa species.
• Map the spatial distribution of chlorophyll and particulate nitrogen from multi-level water samples across different transects.

Strengths

• Data from 34 distinct oceanographic stations provides spatial coverage across four Antarctic zones.
• High-temporal-resolution current data with measurements recorded every 5 minutes over a 9-day period.
• Multi-faceted sampling includes water column profiles, sediment cores, and biological tissue samples.

Limitations

• Sample size for specific data types is limited (e.g., only 31 sediment samples, 8 cores).
• Geographic coverage is restricted to specific transects in the Weddell Sea, not the entire region.
• One current meter was lost, creating a data gap for that location.

Provenance

Source

nasa_earthdata, organization SCIOPS

Collection Method

Field campaign using CTD probes with rosettes, multi box cores, TV grabs, and anchored current meters (Anderaa RCM7/RCM9). Samples analyzed onboard with a Technicon auto-analyzer or frozen for later study.

Time Range

Campaign duration included a 16-hour sampling period and repeated 48-hour sampling at a central station, but specific year(s) are unknown.

Geography

Weddell Sea, Antarctica, specifically the Kapp Norvegia, Hilltop, Austasen, and Orleans Canyon (Bransfield Strait) zones.