Coccolith Weight and Morphology Data from Southern Ocean Fossils and Sediment Traps

Parks Australia provides a dataset on Coccolithus pelagicus coccoliths from the South Tasman Rise region of the Southern Ocean. The data includes a derived Weight Index (WI) and morphometry measurements like distal shield length (DSL), intended to quantify intra-specific variations in calcification. The record highlights that modern Coccolithus populations in the Southern Ocean appear more heavily calcified than fossil counterparts.

Use Cases

• Analyze allometric scaling between coccolith size and weight based on the Weight Index (WI) and morphometry data.
• Compare calcification degrees between similarly sized morphotypes using the WI approach.
• Investigate changes in coccolith shape and calcification within and between Coccolithus populations over time.
• Calibrate and validate mass estimation methods for large, partially birefringent coccoliths.

Strengths

• Dataset is based on calibrated and validated methods adapted for large Coccolithus pelagicus coccoliths.
• Results demonstrate statistically significant changes in shape and calcification degree within and between populations.
• Combines Weight Index (WI) data with morphometry measurements like distal shield length (DSL).

Limitations

• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Data may reflect geographic/temporal bias inherent to data_gov_au.

Provenance

Source

Parks Australia, referencing a source publication.

Collection Method

Method adapted from Beaufort (2005) using birefringence, applied to fossil and sediment trap material from the South Tasman Rise.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-16 23:36:10.283413; freshness should be verified.

Geography

South Tasman Rise region of the Southern Ocean.