393 observations of seabirds, cetaceans, and seals were recorded during a May 2016 transit voyage. The trial collected sightings every ten minutes from the RV Investigator's observation deck, identifying 33 bird species, 3 cetaceans, and one seal. Data has been published to the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS) and species are linked to the World Register of Marine Species.
Use Cases
- Analyze seabird species distribution patterns based on the 393 observations recorded during the voyage.
- Study incidental cetacean and seal sightings mentioned in the description to understand marine mammal presence.
- Validate data recording systems for marine observation platforms based on the trial described.
- Link species observations to taxonomic databases using the provided World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) identifiers.
Strengths
- 393 total observations provide a substantive sample for analysis.
- 33 identified bird species, 3 cetaceans, and one seal offer taxonomic diversity.
- Species are linked to the authoritative World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS).
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 temporal and geographic bias inherent to the single May 2016 transit voyage.
Provenance
- Source
- Australian Ocean Data Network
- Collection Method
- Observations made every ten minutes in the forward quadrant from the RV Investigator observation deck.
- Time Range
- May 2016
- Freshness
- Last updated 2026-05-05 04:32:52.371303; freshness should be verified.
- Geography
- Transit from Hobart to Sydney