Macro and Megabenthic Communities in the High Arctic Canada Basin: Initial Findings

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Metadata:

Identification_Information
Data_Quality_Information
Spatial_Data_Organization_Information
Spatial_Reference_Information
Entity_and_Attribute_Information
Distribution_Information
Metadata_Reference_Information

Identification_Information:

Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Bluhm, B.A., MacDonald IR, Debenham C, Iken K.

Publication_Date: 2004

Title:

Macro and Megabenthic Communities in the High Arctic Canada Basin: Initial Findings

Series_Information:

Series_Name: 28: 218-231
Issue_Identification: Polar Biology

Other_Citation_Details: Canada Basin Ocean 1 Infauna CCGC Louis S. St. Laurent 2002-23

Description:

Abstract:: This dataset investigates the macro- and megabenthos of the Canada Basin, which is one of the biologically least known areas of the Arctic deep sea. Macro-infauna was collected with 11 box cores at six stations ranging from 640 to 3,250 m water depth. Total abundance ranged from 3 to 265 individuals 0.04 square meters (75 - 6,625 individuals per square meters) and decreased with increasing depth. Biomass ranged from 0.04 to 228 mg wet weight 0.04 m–2 (1–5,700 mg wet weight per square meter) and followed the same trend. Polychaetes, crustaceans and bivalves dominated the faunal densities, biomass and species numbers. A total of 90 benthic invertebrate species/taxa (including 15 identified from under-water imager), not part of this data set) from four biogeographic affinities were identified, including at least three new species of Isopoda. The evident low abundances and biomass are in agreement with findings from the Eurasian Arctic deep sea. This dataset exist in Excel format, and presents the foundation for a scientific publication by Bluhm et al (2005). This dataset has a unique catalog number of 2005B1 (should be indicated in process step).
Purpose:: To assess species composition, abundance and distribution of the infauna of the Arctic Canada Basin.

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 20020813
Ending_Date: 20020908

Currentness_Reference: ground condition

Status:

Progress: Complete
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None planned

Spatial_Domain:

Description_of_Geographic_Extent: Canada Basin, Northwind Ridge

Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: 162.31
East_Bounding_Coordinate: 122.98
North_Bounding_Coordinate: 70.58
South_Bounding_Coordinate: 75.93

Keywords:

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: none
Theme_Keyword: infauna
Theme_Keyword: box core
Theme_Keyword: abundance
Theme_Keyword: biomass
Theme_Keyword: distribution

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: IOOS Core Variables
Theme_Keyword: Version 1
Theme_Keyword: Biology

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: AOOS Data Catalog Explorer
Theme_Keyword: obis

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: AOOS Data Services
Theme_Keyword: dsid=OBIS
Theme_Keyword: data=<http://penguin.sfos.uaf.edu/rest/datasets/dsid=OBIS>

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: none
Place_Keyword: Arctic
Place_Keyword: Canada Basin
Place_Keyword: Northwind Ridge

Taxonomy:

Keywords/Taxon:

Taxonomic_Keyword_Thesaurus: none
Taxonomic_Keywords: Porifera
Taxonomic_Keywords: Cnidaria
Taxonomic_Keywords: Sipuculida
Taxonomic_Keywords: Aschelminthes
Taxonomic_Keywords: Mollusca
Taxonomic_Keywords: Annelida
Taxonomic_Keywords: Arthropoda
Taxonomic_Keywords: Echinodermata
Taxonomic_Keywords: Bryozoa
Taxonomic_Keywords: Hemichordata
Taxonomic_Keywords: Chordata

Taxonomic_System:

Taxonomic_Procedures:

Rough sorting in lab by trained students supervised by experts taxonomy by a variety of taxonomists, see data table; several specimens remained unidentified.

Taxonomic_Completeness:

Not all specimens were identified to species level. A number of presumably new species were found but not described.

Vouchers:

Specimen: herbarium specimens

Repository:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Person_Primary:

Contact_Person: Bodil Bluhm
Contact_Organization: IMS/SFOS University of Alaska Fairbanks

Contact_Address:

Address: P.O. Box 757220
City: Fairbanks
State_or_Province: Alaska
Postal_Code: 99775-7220

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: bluhm@ims.uaf.edu

General_Taxonomic_Coverage:

In several cases, the specimens remained with the taxonomists who identified them (see data table) For specimens collected: see data set; collection method: box core; locations: Canada Basin, Northwind Ridge (Arctic Ocean). Repository: Most specimens: School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, - Bodil Bluhm and others with taxonomists who identified them.