Species identification of worms from grabs - Leveque Shelf (Browse Basin), Western Australia SOL5754 (GA0340)

Full description

In May 2013, Geoscience Australia (GA) and the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) undertook a collaborative seabed mapping survey (GA0340/ SOL5754) on the Leveque Shelf, a distinct geological province within the Browse Basin, offshore Western Australia. The purpose of the survey was to acquire geophysical and biophysical data on seabed environments over a previously identified potential CO2 injection site to better understand the overlying seabed habitats and to assess potential for fluid migration to the seabed.

Mapping and sampling was undertaken across six areas using multibeam and single beam echosounders, sub-bottom profilers, sidescan sonar, underwater towed-video, gas sensors, water column profiler, grab samplers, and vibrocorer. Over 1070 km2 of seabed and water column was mapped using the multibeam and single beam echosounder, in water depths ranging between 40 and 120 m. The sub-surface was investigated using the multichannel and the parametric sub-bottom profilers along lines totalling 730 km and 1547 km in length respectively. Specific seabed features were investigated over 44 line km using the sidescan sonar and physically and sampled at 58 stations.
Integration of this newly acquired data with existing seismic data will provide new insights into the geology of the Leveque Shelf. This work will contribute to the Australian Government's National CO2 Infrastructure Plan (NCIP) by providing key seabed environmental and geological data to better inform the assessment of the CO2 storage potential in this area of the Browse Basin.

This dataset contains identifications of Polychaetes collected from 64 Smith-McIntyre grabs deployed during GA0340/SOL5754.

Lineage

Maintenance and Update Frequency: asNeeded

Statement: Sediment was elutriated for ~ 5 minutes over a 500um sieve. Retained sediments and animals were then preserved in 70% ethanol for later laboratory sorting and identification. During sorting, all worms were separated and sent to Infaunal Data Pty Ltd for identification to species or operational taxonomic unit (OTU). Species-level identifications were undertaken by Lynda Avery at Infaunal Data Pty Ltd and were delivered to Geoscience Australia in April 2013. Specimens were lodged at the Museum of Victoria in May 2015. The data is delivered in an Excel file with three spreadsheets: `Polychaete data_LAvery contains the species matrix with abundances of each species listed against station. `Polychaete species list contains a list of species identified. `Station metadata contains the station coordinates and depths at which grabs were deployed. Data is presented here exactly as delivered by the taxonomist, and Geoscience Australia is unable to verify the accuracy of the taxonomic identifications. See GA Record 2014/10 (GeoCat 78749) for further details on survey methods and specimen acquisition.