Two 16S rDNA clone libraries, one from a Brown Bay sample and one from an O'Brien Bay sample were generated. These samples were originally collected as part of ASAC project 868 and the microbiology of the samples is now being investigated as part of ASAC 1228. Two data files are included in the download. Both are in "fasta" format, a text-based format for representing either nucleotide sequences or peptide sequences, in which base pairs or amino acids are represented using single-letter codes. Further information about the dataset can also be found in the referenced paper.

Data shows carbon and nitrogen stable isotope concentration in siphon tissue of laternula elliptica from three sites adjacent to Casey Station. McGrady Cove, Brown Bay Inner and Shannon Bay. All shellfish were collected by divers during the 2014/15 summer season. Samples were sent to Cornell University Stable Isotope laboratory for analysis.

Data shows gross body measurements of lantern shellfish (Laternula elliptica) collected by divers at McGrady Cove; Brown Bay Inner, and Shannon Bay. Measurements include length, width, and height of shell and weight with shell on and shell off.

Data show results of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in muscle tissue of Trematomus bernacchii collected at 5 sites adjacent to Casey Station. Sites are contaminated Brown Bay, near Wilkes Station, Shannon Bay and reference O'Brien Bay and Sparkes Bay. Approximately 1cm3 of muscle tissue from the left side of each fish was taken for stable isotopes analysis.

Gross body measurements of fish length (cm), weight (g), and sex (M/F). Fish were collected on line and in box traps at Brown Bay, Shannon Bay, near Wilkes Station, O'Brien Bay and Sparkes Bay. Sex was determined after dissection for other analyses.

Sediment samples which were originally collected as part of ASAC 868 (ASAC_868) are now being investigated using molecular microbial techniques as part of ASAC 1228 (ASAC_1228). Samples were collected in a nested survey design in two hydrocarbon impacted areas and two unimpacted areas. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of a region of the 16S RNA gene was used to investigate the microbial community structure. Banding patterns obtained from the DGGE were transformed into a presence / absence matrix and analysed with a multivariate statistical approach. The download file contains an excel spreadsheet, a csv version of the data, plus a readme file.

A survey of the epibenthic fauna of hard-substrata was made around Casey Station, using a camera mounted on a frame to take photoquadrats. A nested sampling design was used with several spatial scales. At each location there were two sites, approximately 50-100 m apart. At each site there were three by 15 m long transects, approximately 5 m apart. On each transect there were 2 plots, 5 m long by 2 m wide. Six photoquadrats were taken in each plot. This metadata record describes one component of this survey, photoquadrats taken in and around boulders and boulder fields. One of the aims of this survey was to determine if there is any evidence of human impacts in these assemblages. There were several control and several potentially impacted locations. The data have yet to be analysed. Also links to ASAC 1100.

The recruitment of mobile epifauna on hard-substratum was examined in a field experiment using tiles. A total of 160 tiles were deployed at five locations, with 32 tiles at each location, arranged in a spatially nested design. There were three potentially impacted locations locations (two in Brown Bay and one in Shannon Bay) and two control locations (in O'Brien Bay). This metadata record describes data from the first sampling time only. Eight tiles were collected from each location 15 months after the initial deployment. The experiment was setup so that the combined recruitment of mobile epifauna to the upper and lower sides of the tiles could be examined. The sessile epifauna on the tiles were also collected and are described in a separate metadata record. A total of 40 samples are included in this data. Also links to ASAC 1100.

The effect of location and sediment contamination on recruitment of soft-sediment assemblages were examined in field experiment at Casey Station, East Antarctica. Four locations were used, a polluted bay adjacent to an old disused tip site (Brown Bay), a bay adjacent to the Casey Station sewage outfall, and two undisturbed control locations in O'Brien Bay. At each location two types of defaunated sediment (polluted and control) were placed 12 - 18 m, in experimental trays. Half of the experimental sediments were left in place over the Austral winter, from March - November, and the remaining sediments were collected after a total of one year, in February 1999. There were large differences in recruitment between the two locations and significant differences between the polluted and control sediment. There were not only differences in abundance of taxa and assemblage structure but also in spatial variability and variability of populations of certain taxa, with recruitment to the control locations more variable than polluted locations, and recruitment in the control sediment more variable than the polluted sediment. The majority of fauna recruiting to the experiment were highly motile colonizing species with non-pelagic lecithotrophic larvae, usually brooded and released as dispersing juveniles, such as gammarids, tanaids, isopods and gastropods. A total of 64 recruitment samples were collected after 9 months and 52 samples after one year. Samples were sieved at 500 micro m and sorted mainly to species. Samples are rows in data sheet. Site codes include place name (e.g. BB2) and experimental treatment (e.g. C1 - control 1). See accompanying sheet for full details of codes, including species names. Sediment chemistry data are means (and standard errors) for each treatment (averaged over 2 trays). Also links to ASAC 1100. The fields in this dataset are: Species Site Sample Abundance Toxicity Arsenic Cadmium Copper Lead Silver Zinc

Marine soft-sediment assemblages were sampled from shallow (5 - 35m) nearshore regions around Casey Station, Windmill Islands, East Antarctica in winter 1998, using a van-Veen grab (surface area 20 x 25 cm). Samples were sieved through a 1 mm mesh and sorted to species where possible. A hierarchical, spatially nested sampling design was used with locations (km's apart), sites (100s of metres apart). Two potentially impacted, polluted locations (Shannon Bay - adjacent to a sewage outfall; and Brown Bay - adjacent to an old garbage tip) were compared with a control location in O'Brien Bay. Data were analysed using both multivariate and univariate statistical methods. Significant differences in assemblages were found between locations and between sites within locations. Significant differences in the abundances of taxa at several taxonomic levels (species, family, order, phylum) were also found at both spatial scales. Significant differences were also detected between the polluted and control locations. These samples were collected as part of a larger program examining human impacts in marine benthic assemblages at Casey Station. These samples were used in an analysis of temporal changes in soft-sediment assemblages at Casey. A total of 30 grab samples were collected in this survey. The fields in this dataset are: Location Site Date Site/Replicate Species