This dataset investigates the macrobenthos 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 3250 m water depth between 16 August 2002 and 5 September 2002. Total abundance ranged from 3 to 265 individuals per 0.04 square meters (75 - 6625 individuals per square meter) and decreased with increasing depth. Biomass ranged from 0.04 to 228 mg wet weight per 0.04 m2 (1-5700 mg wet weight per square meter) and followed the same trend. Polychaetes, crustaceans and bivalves dominated the faunal densities, biomass and species numbers. Over 70 benthic invertebrate species 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 is part of the Pacific Marine Arctic Regional Synthesis (PacMARS) Project.

This data set is in Excel format, and presents the foundation for a scientific publication: Bluhm BA, MacDonald IR, Debenham C, Iken K (2005) "Macro- and megabenthic communities in the high Arctic Canada Basin: initial findings." Polar Biology (spec. issue) 28:218-231.

Taxonomists that assisted with species identifications are listed in the publication. This data set has the unique catalog number 2005B1. This data set contains the raw counts for each box core replicate sample, mostly per 0.04 m2. In most cases, no replicates could be obtained due to time constraints. Limited environmental data as well as mean station totals of abundance and biomass are in the related publication.

This dataset is not currently available online. For more information, email the point of contact.