2561 individual polychaetes from 266 samples were collected from the Oceanic Shoals Australian Marine Park between 2009 and 2012. The inventory includes 368 species and 43 families, with new species, genera, and family records for Australia. Researchers used this species-level data to examine variation among surveys, relationships with environmental variables, and differences in ecological patterns across taxonomic and functional groups.
Use Cases
- Compare polychaete species assemblages across different survey periods based on the multi-year sampling.
- Model relationships between polychaete community structure and environmental variables or geomorphology.
- Analyze how ecological patterns differ when using species-level versus family-level taxonomic resolution.
- Investigate the distribution of functional groups (feeding, habitat, mobility) across different seabed features like plains and banks.
Strengths
- Includes 2561 individual specimens, providing a substantial sample size for analysis.
- Covers 368 species and 43 families, offering high taxonomic resolution.
- Data spans four marine surveys conducted between 2009 and 2012, allowing for temporal analysis.
- Records include new species, genera, and family records for Australia, indicating novel findings.
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
- Data may reflect geographic and temporal bias inherent to the specific surveys conducted.
Provenance
- Source
- Australian Ocean Data Network
- Collection Method
- Sediment samples were elutriated (500 μm) to separate macrofauna from four marine surveys.
- Time Range
- 2009 to 2012
- Freshness
- Last updated 2026-06-16 20:00:28.806952; freshness should be verified.
- Geography
- Oceanic Shoals region, northern Australia (Oceanic Shoals Australian Marine Park)