This dataset is derived from sediment trap records collected by Thomas Trull as part of the multidisciplinary SAZ Project initiated in 1997 by the Antarctic Cooperative Research Centre (ACE CRC) (Trull et al 2001b). The current submission provides data not included in Wilks et al. (submitted) 'Biogeochemical flux and phytoplankton assemblage variability: A unique year-long sediment trap record in the Australian Sector of the Subantarctic Zone.' This dataset contains three parts: Supplementary Table 1 describes sediment trap deployment information and current speed measured during deployment. Supplementary tables 2a and 2b are raw diatom counts of every species encountered at the site, at every sampling cup. Table 2a contains the 500 m trap depth record, while table 2b is for the 2000 m trap depth record. Supplementary table 3 contains environmental data (chlorophyll-a, photosynthetically active radiation, and sea surface temperature) for each cup record.

This dataset was collected as part of an honours project by Jessica Wilks at Macquarie University (submitted May 2012). The samples analysed were taken from an expedition conducted by Dr Leanne Armand in 2011 as part of the KEOPS2 mission (KErguelen: compared study of the Ocean and the Plateau in Surface water). During this mission 7 locations (A3-1, A3-2, E1-3, E14W2, NPF-L, R2 and TEW) around the Kerguelen Plateau were sampled for seafloor sediment. Each attached spreadsheet represents the data from one of these locations. Three tubes of sediment were taken for each location. The data within each spreadsheet is separate for the three tubes. After the tubes of seafloor sediment were processed to remove organic material and carbonates (leaving nothing but siliceous material, primarily diatoms) slides were made with a small amount of material, three slides per tube of sediment. Diatoms were identified using a light microscope at 40x magnification. Approximately 400 frustules were counter per tube (ie per set of 3 slides) in order to represent the diversity of the species present. The number of each species or subspecies of diatom are tallied in the spreadsheets attached. Species identifications follow Armand et al 2008. Other information in the attached spreadsheets includes the seafloor depth at the point of sampling, the distance from the Kerguelen shoreline at the point of sampling, the amount of suspended material used on each slide, the number of field of view (at 40X) viewed to count the quota of 400 diatom frustules, and the calculated number of frustules/ gram of dry sediment weight. Counting protocol: centric frustules were counted only when 1) more than half of the frustule was intact; and 2) the frustule was clearly identifiable. If 1) but not 2) then the frustule was counted as "unidentified centric". For Rhizosolenia spp, frustules were couned if the apex was present and identifiable, otherwise it was counted as "R. unknown". Thalassiothrix and Tricotoxon were only counted if one end was present and identifiable. The number was later divided by 2, to give the number of complete frustules. Abbreviations: A. spp= Actinocyclus As. spp= Asteromphalus Az. spp= Azpeita Ch. spp= Chaetoceros Co. spp= Coscinodiscus C. spp= Cocconeis D. spp= Dactyliosen E. spp= Eucampia F. spp= Fragilariopsis O. spp= Odontella P. spp= Paralia Po. spp= Porosira R. spp= Rhizosolenia Th. spp= Thalassionema T. spp= Thalassiosira Locations A3-1, Kerguelen Plateau: -50.65333 S, 72.04 E A3-2, Kerguelen Plateau: -50.64722 S, 72.07 E E1-3, Kerguelen Plateau: -48.11667 S, 71.96667 E E14W2, Kerguelen Plateau: -48.7775 S, 71.43833 E NPF-L, Kerguelen Plateau: -48.62417 S, 74.81222 E R2, Kerguelen Plateau: -50.39389 S, 66.69944 E TEW, Kerguelen Plateau: -49.16083 S, 69.83389 E

Total Organic Carbon A 2 g homogenised wet sediment sub-sample from each core was weighed into a pre-combusted crucible and dried at 105 degrees C. The dried sample was reweighed before being analysed for total carbon by mass loss on ignition at 550 degrees C, the sample was placed in the muffle furnace for 4 hours. Samples 56698, 57062, 56837, 57058, and 580792 were analysed in triplicate to assess the reproducibility of the analytical procedure. (Total number of analyses was 117). - TOC - For the 107 samples: - Mean and SD: 3 plus or minus 4 % DMB, range: 0.16-15 %, n=107 - Considering the mean values for the 27 site locations: - Range: 0.33-14 % DMB, mean and SD: 3.3 plus or minus 3.7 % DMB, n=27 - Analytical uncertainty - Analytical precision: 5 samples analysed in triplicate: - RSD = 6 plus or minus 5% range 1-11%, n=5 - Site heterogeneity: reproducibility (RSD) of mean data from site replicate samples was 26% (mean, SD 15%, range 10-57%, n=27) - From the limited data on reproducibility summarised above, it can be concluded that site heterogeneity contributes most to the uncertainty of the TOC data for the site locations. - DMF - For the 107 samples: - Mean and SD: 0.57 plus or minus 0.23 %, range: 0.09-0.85, n=107 - Considering the mean values for the 27 site locations: - Range:0.17-0.83, mean and SD: 0.57 plus or minus 0.22, n=27 - Analytical uncertainty - Analytical precision: 5 samples analysed in triplicate: - RSD = 2 plus or minus 2% range 0.8-5%, n=5 - Site heterogeneity: reproducibility (RSD) of mean data from site replicate samples (mostly quadruplicates) was 10% (mean, SD 10%, range 1-37%, n=27) - From the limited data on reproducibility summarised above, it can be concluded that site heterogeneity contributes most to the uncertainty of the DMF data for the site locations. Collection of sediment cores Sediment for grain size and various chemical analysis were sampled using a core of PVC tubing (15cm long x 5cm diameter) pushed 10cm into the sediment. These cores were kept upright at all times to ensure the stratigraphy remained intact and frozen in the core tube at -20 degrees C. Grain size analysis The outer 5 mm edge of the core was removed with a scalpel blade and placed in a clean, dried preweighed beaker. The sample was weighed and placed in an oven at 45 degrees C to dry. Once dry the sample was reweighed and then sieved through a 2 mm sieve, any residual sediment in the beaker was weighed and the weight recorded. The less than 2 mm fraction and the greater than 2 mm fraction were separately collected and weighed. A 5 g sample of the less than 2 mm fraction was taken for grain size analysis which was carried out using the Mastersizer 2000 Particle Size Analyser by Associate Professor Damian Gore at the Department of Physical Geography, Macquarie University, Sydney.

The collection aims to showcase the range of Southern Ocean diatom species found in the major hydrological provinces of the Australian Sector of the Southern Ocean along the 140 degrees E. The collection includes specimens collected in the Sub-Antarctic Zone (SAZ), Polar Frontal Zone (PFZ) and Antarctic Zone (AZ). Samples were collected with McLane Parflux time series sediment traps placed at several depths in the SAZ (47 degrees S site), PFZ (54 degrees S site) and AZ and (61 degrees S site) during the decade 1997-2007. The shortest sampling intervals were eight days and corresponded with the austral summer and autumn, whereas the longest interval was 60 days and corresponded with austral winter. Split aliquots were obtained for taxonomic analysis via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). For improved taxonomic imaging, samples were treated with hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide to remove carbonates and organic matter, respectively. A micropipette was used to transfer the suspension of selected samples to a round-glass cover slip following standard decantation method outlined by Barcena and Abrantes (1998). Samples were air-dried and coated with gold for SEM analysis. SEM analysis was carried out using a JEOL 6480LV scanning electron microscope. Taxonomy Diatoms include all algae from the Class Bacillariophyceae and follow the standardised taxonomy of World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). Order Asterolamprales Family Asterolampraceae Asteromphalus hookeri Ehrenberg Asteromphalus hyalinus Karsten Order Achnanthales Family Cocconeidaceae Cocconeis sp. Order Bacillariales Family Bacillariaceae Fragilariopsis curta (Van Heurck) Hustedt Fragilariopsis cylindrus (Grunow) Krieger Fragilariopsis kerguelensis (O'Meara) Hustedt Fragilariopsis pseudonana (Hasle) Hasle Fragilariopsis rhombica (O'Meara) Hustedt Fragilariopsis separanda Hustedt Nitzschia bicapitata Cleve Nitzschia kolaczeckii Grunow Nitzschia sicula (Castracane) Husted var. bicuneata (Grunow) Hasle Nitzschia sicula (Castracane) Husted var. rostrata Hustedt Pseudo-nitzschia heimii Manguin Pseudo-nitzschia lineola (Cleve) Hasle Pseudo-nitzschia turgiduloides Hasle Order Chaetocerotanae incertae sedis Family Chaetoceraceae Chaetoceros aequatorialis var. antarcticus Cleve Chaetoceros atlanticus Cleve Chaetoceros dichaeta Ehrenberg Chaetoceros peruvianus Brightwell Chaetoceros sp. Order Corethrales Family Corethraceae Corethron spp. Order Coscinodiscales Family Coscinodiscaceae Stellarima stellaris (Roper) Hasle et Sims Family Hemidiscaceae Actinocyclus sp. Azpeitia tabularis (Grunow) Fryxell et Sims Hemidiscus cuneiformis Wallich Roperia tesselata (Roper) Grunow Order Hemiaulales Family Hemiaulaceae Eucampia antarctica (Castracane) Mangin Order Naviculales Family Plagiotropidaceae Tropidoneis group Family Naviculaceae Navicula directa (Smith) Ralfs Family Pleurosigmataceae Pleurosigma sp. Order Rhizosoleniales Family Rhizosoleniaceae Dactyliosolen antarcticus Castracane Rhizosolenia antennata f. semispina Sundstrom Rhizosolenia antennata (Ehrenberg) Brown f. antennata Rhizosolenia cf. costata Gersonde Rhizosolenia polydactyla Castracane f. polydactyla Rhizosolenia simplex Karsten Proboscia alata (Brightwell) Sundstrom Proboscia inermis (Castracane) Jordan Ligowski Order Thalassiosirales Family Thalassiosiraceae Porosira pseudodenticulata (Hustedt) Jouse Thalassiosira ferelineata Hasle et Fryxell Thalassiosira gracilis (Karsten) Hustedt Thalassiosira lentiginosa (Janisch) Fryxell Thalassiosira oestrupii (Ostenfeld) Hasle var. oestrupii Fryxell et Hasle Thalassiosira oliveriana (O'Meara) Makarova et Nikolaev Thalassiosira tumida (Janisch) Hasle Order Thalassionematales Family Thalassionemataceae Thalassionema nitzschioides var. lanceolatum Grunow Thalassiothrix antarctica Schimper ex Karsten Data available: 73 SEM images of the most abundant diatom species found at the three sampling sites. Samples were collected by several sediment traps placed at different depths in the Subantarctic Zone (47 degrees S site), Polar Frontal Zone (54 degrees S site) and Antarctic Zone (61 degrees S site) during the decade 1997-2007. The collection site and date for each species image can be found in Table 1 (see the word document in the download file).

This data provides the absolute abundance of diatom valves from cores recovered from the George V coast as part of the CEAMARC (Collaborative East Antarctic Marine Census) mission of 2007-2008. Data are presented as valves/gram dry weight of sediment. All samples analyzed were core top samples, however no age constraints have been established. Chaetoceros resting spores were included in the absolute abundance calculations. Slides were prepared following Rathburn et al 1997.

This dataset contains the abundance of diatom species found in the surface sediments from cores collected as part of the CEAMARC (Collaborative East Antarctic Marine Census) mission. The cores were collected from the George V basin along the Antarctic coast. Latitude, longitude and water depth data are included for each site. Sediments were prepared following standard diatom preparation techniques (Rathburn et al 1997).