Sediment surface images (SSI) for replicate macrofaunal communities from the Western Barents Sea for summer 2018

• Main Authors: Solan, Martin, Godbold, Jasmin, Grange, Laura, Ward, Ellie Rose, Wood, Christina, Reed, Adam
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: UK Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research & Innovation 2020
• Subjects: "EARTH SCIENCE","BIOSPHERE","ECOSYSTEMS","MARINE ECOSYSTEMS","BENTHIC"; "EARTH SCIENCE","OCEANS","MARINE SEDIMENTS","BIOTURBATION"; bioturbation; functional group; particle reworking; sediment surface; surficial faunal activity; Arctic; Arctic Ocean; Barents Sea; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.5285/b62af357-cbee-4a98-894b-5ed3c11cef7d; https://data.bas.ac.uk/full-record.php?id=GB/NERC/BAS/PDC/01369

Images of the macrofaunal mediated redistribution of optically distinct particulate tracers (luminophores) for intact communities from the western Barents Sea after 12 days incubation. Images taken from above each aquarium using a digital SLR camera. Data were collected on the cruise JR17007. Funding was provided by 'The Changing Arctic Ocean Seafloor (ChAOS) - how changing sea ice conditions impact biological communities, biogeochemical processes and ecosystems''' project (NE/N015894/1 and NE/P006426/1, 2017-2021), part of the NERC funded Changing Arctic Ocean programme. : Data were collected from each of 6 stations in 2018 (B13-B17 and Xs) during research cruise (RRS James Clark Ross: JR17007 (10th July to 5th August, 2018) following a transect along the 30°E meridian. At each station four replicate intact sediment cores (LWH: 20 x 20 x 12 cm) were obtained from replicate 0.1m2 USNL (Unites States Naval Laboratory) box cores using a core extruder, transferred to transparent acrylic aquaria (internal dimensions, LWH: 20 x 20 x 34 cm) and overlain with ~8 L (20cm depth) surface seawater (salinity, ~34). Aquaria (n = 24) were randomly transferred to one of two insulated fibreglass seawater baths (LWH: 1.2 x 1.2 x 0.8m, Tanks Direct, UK) and maintained at a representative ambient bottom temperature in the dark. Faunal mediated sediment particle reworking was estimated by establishing the redistribution of optically distinct particulate tracers (luminophores: 215g aquaria-1, fluorescent green, <200µm silica sand, density 2.35 kg dm-3; Glass Pebbles Ltd., UK). Luminophores were evenly distributed across the sediment surface immediately after the partial seawater change. After 12 days, images (RGB colour, JPEG compression) of the surficial redistribution of luminophores were taken from above each aquarium using a digital SLR camera. Resolution: Realised camera resolution of ~60 µm pixel-1. Resolution image specific and can be calculated by dividing the the internal dimension of the aquarium (20cm) visible in each image by the distance measured in pixels. : Instrumentation: Canon 400D digital SLR camera : Original unedited images provided.