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Metadata Files

Data Publication

Benthic Survey Macrofauna Abundance and Biomass Data, as part of the Western Channel Observatory, UK, between 2008 and 2019.

Mesher, Thomas | McNeill, Caroline Louise

NERC EDS British Oceanographic Data Centre NOC

(2022)

Descriptions

This data set contains benthic macrofaunal abundance and biomass data collected as part of the Western Channel Observatory (WCO). Initiated in 2008, the Western Channel Observatory Benthic Survey based at Plymouth Marine Laboratory is an ongoing ecological time-series, currently supported by funding as part the NERC National Capability CLASS programme. Macrofaunal samples have been taken from six sites within Plymouth sound and further offshore. Since 2011 sampling effort has predominantly focused on the marine biodiversity reference site, station L4. Two sites are muddy (Jennycliff and Rame) and four have sandy sediments (Cawsand, Eddystone, L4 and Plymouth deep). The Plymouth deep site was identified and added to the Benthic Survey in order to investigate the prior and post biological impacts following the deposition of dredge material removed from river Tamar docks.
Macrofaunal samples were collected using a box corer or grab (0.1 m³). On recovery and transportation to Plymouth Marine Laboratory all faunal samples were fixed and preserved with 10% buffered formaldehyde solution. All fauna was extracted, identified to species or the lowest taxonomic denomination using stereo and compound microscopy and the abundance recorded. Biomass (blotted wet weight) was measured for each recorded taxon to the nearest 0.00001 g.

Keywords

Originally assigned keywords

biota

oceans

Source

https://www.bodc.ac.uk/data/published_data_library/catalogue/10.5285/d9f44202-b0d4-646c-e053-6c86abc018c6/

Source publisher

NERC EDS British Oceanographic Data Centre NOC

DOI

10.5285/d9f44202-b0d4-646c-e053-6c86abc018c6

Creators

Mesher, Thomas

McNeill, Caroline Louise

Citation

Mesher, T., & McNeill, C. L. (2022). Benthic Survey Macrofauna Abundance and Biomass Data, as part of the Western Channel Observatory, UK, between 2008 and 2019. (Version 1) [Data set]. NERC EDS British Oceanographic Data Centre NOC. https://doi.org/10.5285/D9F44202-B0D4-646C-E053-6C86ABC018C6

Dates

Collected:

2008-05-21/2019-07-03

Issued:

2022

Language

Datacite version

Geo location(s)

English Channel