Abstract:

This dataset contains DeSoto Canyon macrofauna abundance and associated environmental parameters data obtained aboard the R/V Weatherbird II, WB1411, in the northern Gulf of Mexico from 2014-05-30 to 2014-06-09. Project data was generated from sediment cores collected from 10 stations along two transects, along the axis and canyon wall, in the DeSoto Canyon, and three from the adjacent slope. Three replicate deployments of an MC-800 Multicorer (10 cm diameter) were conducted at each site. Four cores from each deployment were sectioned on deck into 0−1, 1−5, and 5−10 cm fractions and fixed whole in 10% formalin. Data on abundances of resident macrofauna and sediment granulometry were derived from the cores. Seawater parameters were measured by CTD and terrain parameters were derived from pre-existing bathymetry data. Measures of particulate organic carbon were computed from remote sensing data. Dataset also contains longitude, latitude, depth and date of sample collection. Cruise was led by chief scientist Dr. Ian R. MacDonald.

Suggested Citation:

Baco-Taylor, Amy and Arvind Shantharam. 2021. DeSoto Canyon macrofauna abundance and associated environmental parameters data obtained aboard the R/V Weatherbird II, WB1411, in the northern Gulf of Mexico from 2014-05-30 to 2014-06-09. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/GTDT3JP2

Purpose:

The purpose of this project was to characterize the fine-scale nature of the diversity and community structure of deep-sea infaunal macroinvertebrates of the DeSoto Canyon and how it compares to the adjacent continental slope.

Data Parameters and Units:

Three excel files, one excel file contains the cruise documentation for the R/V Weatherbird II (WB1411). Remaining two excel files are DeSoto Canyon Environmental Data, and DeSoto Canyon Macrofauna Sort. The headers of these excel files are: Station_Event Sample Collection Time (date) Latitude Longitude Depth (m) (m) Pressure (NTU) Conductivity [s/m] Faunal abundances (total count summed over 4 cores) Slope Bathymetry degrees Habitat Transect Aspect − northness degrees Aspect − eastness Bathymetry degrees % Carbon Core sub-sample % Nitrogen Core sub-sample % Sand Core sub-sample % Silt Core sub-sample % Clay Core sub-sample Salinity CTD rosette PSU Temperature CTD rosette °C O2 concentration CTD rosette mg l−1 Oxygen [umol/kg] Oxygen [mg/L] Fluorometry Eco-afl CTD rosette mg m−3 Fluorometry CDOM CTD rosette mg m−3 Turbidity CTD rosette NTU Chlorophyll-a (mg/L) Particulate organic carbon Remote sensing mg C m−2 d−1 Habitat/Treatment

Methods:

Three replicate deployments of an MC-800 Multicorer (10 cm diameter) were conducted at each site. Four cores from each deployment were sectioned on deck into 0−1, 1−5, and 5−10 cm fractions and fixed whole in 10% formalin. Once in the laboratory, infaunal macrofauna were sorted and identified to family for bivalves, polychaetes, amphipods, and cumaceans.

Instruments:

MC-800 Multicorer (10 cm diameter)

Individual Files: