Metadata record for data expected from ASAC Project 996 See the link below for public details on this project. The study investigated the effects of the small sewage outfall on algal epifauna in the isthmus area. No impacts were detected and patterns of community structure were tentatively explained by local differences in wave exposure gradients. From the abstract to the referenced paper: As part of a wider programme investigating the effects of human presence on Antarctic and sub-Antarctic ecosystems, this study evaluated the impact of the small sewage outfall at Macquarie Island on the epifauna living within turfs of the intertidal red alga Chaetangium fastigiatum. Sampling was conducted during early December (austral summer) in both 1996 and 1997 at six sites, two sites within each of three adjacent bays. The site closest to the outfall was 3m from the point of discharge. Data analyses at the population and community levels failed to demonstrate a significant effect of the outfall. Small scale spatial patterns, probably related to wave exposure, and inter-annual variation in recruitment, are suggested as the main causes of variation in patterns of epifaunal dominance during the study. The site codes used in this dataset are: GCS - Garden Cove South GCN - Garden Cove North GBS - Bay 1 South GBN - Bay 1 North CS - Bay 2 North CN - Bay 2 South At each site 5 replicates were taken. The numbers are total individuals of each species that were found in each Chaetangium sample. This is a basic, though standard, species-abundance matrix. The fields in this dataset are: Species Site Year

Metadata record for data expected from ASAC Project 1003 Further investigations of the effects of the Nella Dan oil spill on intertidal benthic communities at Macquarie Island: continued recovery of kelp holdfast communities. See the link below for public details on this project. The project investigated spatial variation in kelp holdfast macrofaunal communities 7 years after the initial oil spill. The project was expanded to cover more sites than were sampled in projects 250 (ASAC_250) and 672 (ASAC_672). Results indicated that an impact was still detectable at one of the 3 oiled sites. This dataset contains the 1988 and 1994 data. Holdfast data from the 1994/1995 season is also included (comparing east versus west). The numbers are total individuals of each species that were found in each holdfast sample. This is a basic, though standard, species-abundance matrix. The site codes used in this project are: SB = Sandy Bay SEC = Secluded Bay BB = Buckles Bay GC = Garden Cove GG = Green Gorge GB = Goat Bay HMB = Half Moon Bay BAUER = Bauer Bay Other codes as for oil spill data The first number given after the site code is the site number at that sampling location. The second number is the replicate at that site. Thus sb(1)3 is Sandy Bay site 1, replicate 3. The fields in this dataset are: Species Year Site

Metadata record for data expected from ASAC Project 250 See the link below for public details on this project. The study investigated the impacts of oiling on the biota of rocky shores. Five shore zones were evaluated and kelp holdfasts were collected (but not evaluated as part of this project). Data were collected using quadrat and line transect methods using counts and percentage cover as variables. Data for this work was also used in ASAC projects 672 and 1003 (ASAC_672, ASAC_1003). This dataset contains the 1988 data only. The site codes used in this project are: SB = Sandy Bay SEC = Secluded Bay BB = Buckles Bay GC = Garden Cove GG = Green Gorge GB = Goat Bay The first number given after the site code is the site number at that sampling location. The second number is the replicate at that site. Thus sb(1)3 is Sandy Bay site 1, replicate 3. The numbers are total individuals of each species that were found in each holdfast sample. This is a basic, though standard, species-abundance matrix. The fields in this dataset are: Species Year Site

A survey of macrobenthic assemblages in soft-sediments was done at Casey Station, East Antarctica. Samples were taken by divers using hand-held corers (core size - 10 cm diameter by 10 cm deep). This was the final component of a large nested sampling survey extending over a three year periods with samples taken in three summers and one winter period. The aims were: 1) To examine spatial variation at several scales in these assemblages; 2) To determine if there were differences between potentially impacted areas and control areas; 3) To determine the level of replication, taxonomic resolution and data transformation that are appropriate to studies of human impacts in Antarctic soft-sediment assemblages. Cores were collected by divers in a hierarchical, spatially nested design incorporating 4 scales: Locations (1000s of metres apart), Sites (100s of metres), Plots (10s of metres) and among replicates within plots (~1 metre). This data set consists of 48 core samples from three locations, O'Brien Bay, Sparkes Bay and Wilkes. Samples are sorted mainly to species. Links to ASAC 1100. The fields in this dataset are: Location Site/Rep Species

A survey of macrobenthic assemblages in soft-sediments was done at Casey Station, East Antarctica. Samples were taken along four transects in Brown Bay, along a pollution gradient that has its source at an abandoned waste tip on the shore of Brown Bay. The transects were up to 300 M long and there were 9 sampling stations on each transect except for transect four which had only 4 sampling stations. Sampling stations were at the following distances from the shoreline and tip site: 10 m, 20 m, 30 m, 40 m, 50 m, 100 m, 150 m, 200 m, and 300 m. Two cores of the soft-sediment assemblages were taken at each sampling station and two cores for analysis of heavy metals and hydrocarbons. Samples were taken by divers using hand-held corers (fauna core size - 10 cm diameter by 10 cm deep; sediment analysis cores - 5 cm diam. by 10 cm deep). The aims were: 1) to determine the nature and extent of the contamination gradient in front of the tip site and; 2) to determine if there was a corresponding response in the soft-sediment assemblages along the contamination gradient. A total of 62 samples of soft-sediment assemblages and 62 samples for heavy metal and hydrocarbon analysis were taken. Sediment grain size was also examined at each sampling point. The benthic diatom communities were also analysed in each sample. Links to ASAC 1100. The fields in this dataset are: Distance Position Site and replicate Species