Epibenthos samples from the southeastern Chukchi Sea and Kotzebue Sound were collected in 1976 using an otter trawl lined with 31.8mm mesh. Crustaceans dominated abundance while echinoderms, mainly sea stars, dominated biomass, and spatial distribution was analyzed via cluster analysis. The dataset discusses factors supporting an abundant benthic fauna and notes a follow-up survey in 1998.
Use Cases
- Analyze spatial distribution of benthic fauna based on cluster analysis results mentioned in the description
- Study trophic group dominance (scavenger-predators vs. suspension feeders) across different regions
- Compare community composition, abundance, and biomass between 1976 and the 1998 follow-up survey
- Investigate relationships between water mass patterns (Alaska Coastal Water) and benthic productivity
- Model the role of entrained particulate organic carbon in supporting demersal fish and marine mammal populations
Strengths
- Sampling methodology is specified: otter trawl with 31.8mm (1.25") mesh for fish and epifauna retention
- Includes comparative analysis with a follow-up survey conducted 22 years later in 1998
- Discusses specific ecological factors like water mass complexity and particulate organic carbon dispersion
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
- Last updated 1976-09-16 23:59:59.999000; freshness should be verified
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment
Provenance
- Source
- SCIOPS
- Collection Method
- Sampled via otter trawl in the southeastern Chukchi Sea and Kotzebue Sound.
- Time Range
- 1976
- Geography
- Southeastern Chukchi Sea, Alaska, inclusive of Kotzebue Sound.