MAPS: Concurrent Planktobenthic and Benthic Fauna Sampling

The Mounted Assembly for Planktobenthic Sampling (MAPS) was deployed on the Carnarvon Shelf in Western Australia. This dataset likely contains records of benthic and planktobenthic fauna collected concurrently using a novel tri-layered net system attached to an epibenthic sled. The concurrent collection method supports research into larval ecology, nutrient cycling, biogeography, and surrogacy.

Use Cases

• Analyzing correlations between planktobenthic and benthic species diversity across taxonomic groups.
• Studying larval ecology and dispersal patterns using fragile larvae specimens collected by the tri-layered net.
• Investigating nutrient cycling and biogeography through concurrent benthic and suprabenthic community data.
• Developing environmental surrogacy models based on relationships between benthic and planktobenthic fauna.

Strengths

• The sampling method uses a novel tri-layered net designed to collect a broad range of organisms, including smaller fragile larvae.
• The method allows for concurrent collection of benthic and planktobenthic fauna, a previously unachieved sampling goal.
• The MAPS assembly can be modified for use on a wide variety of benthic sleds to target different organisms.

Limitations

• Dataset size, row count, column names, license, and author information are not provided in any source.
• The dataset appears to be a publication or method description rather than a structured data table.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Sampling using the Mounted Assembly for Planktobenthic Sampling (MAPS) on an epibenthic sled.

Freshness

Last updated on 2026-04-20.

Geography

Carnarvon Shelf, Western Australia