The Belgica 121 expedition to the Western Antarctic Peninsula: a detailed biodiversity census.

• Published in: Biodiversity Data Journal
• Main Authors: Danis, Bruno, Christiansen, Henrik, Guillaumot, Charlène, Heindler, Franz Maximilian, Jossart, Quentin, Moreau, Camille, Pasotti, Francesca, Robert, Henri, Wallis, Ben, Saucède, Thomas
• Other Authors: Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Catholic University of Leuven = Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Universiteit Gent = Ghent University (UGENT), EMC2, Ocean Expeditions, Biogéosciences UMR 6282 (BGS), Université de Bourgogne (UB)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), The Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO): the bulk of the funding of the expedition waschannelled through two research projects funded by BELSPO, RECTO (promoter: IsaSchön, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences) and vERSO (promoter: Bruno Danis,Université Libre de Bruxelles).The Cabinet Marcourt (Federation Wallonia-Brussels – Research, Education) supportedthe expedition for functioning and various equipment.The Belgian Federal Public Service Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment fundedthe ship time necessary to the visit of historic monument N°45 dedicated to the Belgicaexpedition led by Adrien de Gerlache.The Fund for Scientific Research (FNRS), and the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO)have funded travel expenses for some B121 team members.The B121 team also acknowledge financial support from the Fonds Léopold III and theRoyal Belgian Zoological Society.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2021
• Subjects: Southern Ocean; Belgica; low environmental impact; shallow waters; climate change; benthos; [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology; Antarctic; Antarctic Peninsula; Gerlache; Gerlache Strait; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-03409288; https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.9.e70590

19 pages International audience This dataset relates to the biodiversity census carried out during the Belgica 121 (B121) expedition to the Western Antarctic Peninsula from February to March 2019. One of the aims of the campaign was to explore the surroundings of the Gerlache Strait and to carry out a detailed biodiversity census focusing on inter- and subtidal shallow-water areas using both classic descriptive marine ecology methods, as well as state-of-the art techniques (habitat mapping, genetics, trophic ecology). The biodiversity census was carried out onboard a nimble research vessel, RV Australis. This dataset will offer access to the raw data on biodiversity occurrences, obtained using a range of methods described in this data paper. New raw biodiversity data for a poorly-sampled region (Western Antarctic Peninsula) with a special focus on shallow ecosystems.