Lord Howe Island Infaunal data

Full description

Geoscience Australia carried out a marine survey on Lord Howe Island shelf (NSW) in 2008 (SS06-2008) to map seabed bathymetry and characterise benthic environments through co-located sampling of surface sediments and infauna, rock coring, observation of benthic habitats using underwater towed video, and measurement of ocean tides and wave-generated currents. Sub-bottom profile data was also collected to map sediment thickness and shelf stratigraphy. Data and samples were acquired using the National Facility Research Vessel Southern Surveyor. Bathymetric data from this survey was merged with other pre-existing bathymetric data (including LADS) to generate a grid covering 1034 sq km. As part of a separate Geoscience Australia survey in 2007 (TAN0713), an oceanographic mooring was deployed on the northern edge of Lord Howe Island shelf. The mooring was recovered during the 2008 survey following a 6 month deployment. Sample/species matrix of infaunal taxa derived from Smith McIntyre grab samples taken on the Southern Surveyor cruise SS06/2008 to Lord Howe Island. This dataset is a contribution to the CERF Marine Biodiversity Hub.

Lineage

Progress Code: completed

Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlanned

Statement: Lord Howe Island sediments were sampled using a Smith McIntyre grab. Sediments were washed on a half millimetre sieve and the retained material was preserved in ethanol. The preserved material was examined under a dissecting microscope and the animals were removed, identified and enumerated. Log of edits carried out on Lord Howe infaunal data 1) Data was recorded using the beta test version of Biotally while processing the samples. No data sheets were generated. Daily backups were made to an external hard drive and stored separate to the laptop housing the software. 2) Stn03 (reps1-3) did not preserve, something wrong with the amount of formalin. So no infauna records for station 3. 3) Station 05 was sampled with a single grab but only sediment and charismatic epifauna were kept. 4) Lauren Hughes at Australian Museum reviewed the IDs of key amphipod taxa and made the following corrections: What was became Gammaridea_sp29 Ericthonius_pugnax Gammaridea_sp17 Globoso_lembos Phliantidae_C60 Pereondus_thomsoni Gammaridea_sp15 Ceradocus_sp1 Gammaridea_sp20 Leucothoidae_sp3 Gammaridea_sp18 Latigammaropsis_sp1 Gammaridea_sp21 Melita_sp1 Ampeliscidae_sp2 Ampelisca_toora Gammaridea_sp14 Pardaliscidae_spX Gammaridea_sp26 Plumiliophotis_sp1 Gammaridea_sp28 Melitidae_sp2 5) Data exported from Biotally and opened in PRIMER. Taxa as rows, stations as columns. 6) PRIMER data check function run to look for: missing values; duplicate samples; all zero samples; estimated values; negative values; duplicate variables; all zero variables. 7) Infaunal data set to Piers Dunstan as a spreadsheet for external examination. 8) Labelling errors identified: two stations labelled as SS062008_04GRSM01. Counts and taxa matched against archived samples and one was identified as SS062008_04GRSM02. Two copies of SS062008_12GR02. Split in 12GR02 of unknown origin but one sample only held a biscuit star. The biotally version of this sample had both the biscuit star and the rest of the taxa in the second sample. Biscuit star was transferred into the more complete version and the auxiliary was deleted. Corrected 9) Piers identified anomalous counts for Kalliapsuedes in two samples and noted the labelling error already identified and corrected at this end. 10) Samples SS062008_31GR03 and SS062008_31GR01 revisited to check that high abundance of Kalliapsuedes_sp2 were genuine. They were. 11) Samples SS062008_02GR01, SS062008_02GR02 and SS062008_02GR03 revisited to check that the reported low abundance and richness for those samples was genuine. They were. 12) Station data merged with transposed infauna data (stations now as rows, taxa as columns). 13) Diversity indices calculated in PRIMER and saved as an Excel file, (stations as rows, indices as columns). 14) To check: Lovenia inshore v. offshore specimens (stn 10, 11, 31 and19): Checked and found correct. 15) Review cirolanids to see if the split is genuine: it wasnt and the information for these taxa was coalesced. 16) Check station 1gr04 to see if Maeridae was present (but somehow missed). Checked and found absent. 17) Check specimens of spiondae sp4 against spionidae sp6 to confirm whether or not the division is genuine. Checked and found to be suspect. Data colesced in database. 18) Check ID of Gamm22 in sample from station 02. Checked and found to be accurate. 19) Lat and lon of biological data checked against that used to generate physical data: appeared consistent in the spreadsheets but plotted the physical data as an overlay on the biological within the GIS and confirmed the match.

Notes

Credit
Many taxon names amphipods were provided by Lauren Hughes and Jim Lowry at the Australian Museum. Tanzanapseudes was identified by Buz Wilson at the Australian Museum.