Mawson Station in Antarctica provides a field log of notes and observations for whales and seals recorded between 1979 and 1984. The Australian Antarctic Division library archived the original hard copy. It documents species including Minke Whales, Killer Whales, Leopard Seals, Elephant Seals, Crabeater Seals, and Fur Seals.
Use Cases
- Analyze species presence and frequency across locations like Horseshoe Harbour, Welch Island, and Giganteus Island.
- Study temporal patterns of sightings and activities for species such as Minke Whales and Leopard Seals over the 5-year period.
- Compare observed behaviors or population notes between seal types like Elephant Seals and Fur Seals.
- Map historical species distribution using recorded location data from the Antarctic coast.
Strengths
- Covers a 5-year continuous observation period from 1979 to 1984.
- Documents multiple specific species and distinct geographic locations within the Antarctic region.
Limitations
- Unknown sample size (row count) and specific column schema limit quantitative analysis.
- Data is from a single, fixed time period over 40 years old, which may not reflect current conditions.
- Original data is a hand-written log, which may introduce transcription errors or inconsistencies.
Provenance
- Source
- Australian Antarctic Division (AU_AADC).
- Collection Method
- Field observations and notes recorded in a log by personnel at Mawson Station.
- Time Range
- 1979 to 1984.
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Mawson Station area, Antarctica, including Horseshoe Harbour, Welch Island, and Giganteus Island.