This dataset documents the epifauna occurrences collected from 2021 to 2024 during the Canadian Beaufort Sea Marine Ecosystem Assessment (CBS-MEA) conducted by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). This scientific program focuses on the integration of oceanography, food web linkages, physical-biological couplings, and spatial and interannual variabilities. The program also aims to expand the baseline coverage of species diversity, abundances, and habitat associations in previously unstudied areas of the Beaufort Sea and Western Canadian Archipelago. The study took place mainly in the Canadian Beaufort Sea and the Amundsen Gulf. Sampling is done along transects at fixed stations in the study area. Catches are collected with a 3 m benthic beam trawl for 10 minutes bottom-contact time at a target speed of 2 knots and with a modified Atlantic Western IIA otter trawl for 20 minutes bottom-contact time at a target speed of 2.9 knots. A total of 32 stations were sampled for epifauna in 2021, 22 in 2022, 23 in 2023 and 22 in 2024, between 22-655 m depth. Epibenthic invertebrates were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible and photographed. All unknown specimens are frozen. In the lab, the identifications are validated or refined with the photos and the frozen specimens. The data are presented in Darwin Core and are separated in two files: The "Activité_épifaune_CBSMEA_epifauna_event_en" file which contains information about missions, stations and deployments, which are presented under a hierarchical activity structure. The "Occurrence_épifaune_CBSMEA_epifauna_en" file that contains the taxonomic occurrences.

Marine biodiversity is a key component of ocean health. Monitoring and understanding marine biodiversity is essential for our ability to forecast and respond to changes. The goal of the Arctic Marine Biodiversity Observing Network (AMBON) project is to demonstrate and build an operational marine biodiversity observing network from microbes to whales, integrating diversity levels from genetic to organismal. AMBON field region is located on the Chukchi Sea continental shelf in the US Arctic as a region exposed to climatic changes and anthropogenic influences. This dataset contains biomass and abundance data collected in the Chukchi Sea during the August 2017 Arctic Marine Biodiversity Observing Network (AMBON) research cruise. Epifauna samples were collected using beam trawl during a research cruise during August 2017 in the Chukchi Sea, U.S. Arctic. The data consist of biomass per taxon of epibenthic invertebrates. The dataset is a comma separated values file exported from a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. This dataset was transformed from the native format into a table structure using Darwin Core term names as column names.

This dataset contains benthic epifauna biomass and abundance data collected in the Chukchi Sea, U.S. Arctic during the 9 August - 3 September 2015 Arctic Marine Biodiversity Observing Network (AMBON) research cruise aboard the vessel Norseman II. The dataset contains two comma separated values (csv) files exported from Microsoft Excel. These data were generated from epifauna samples conducted using beam trawls during the research cruise. The data in the file named AMBON2015_epifauna_abundance_DWC.csv describes abundance per taxon of epibenthic invertebrates. The data in the file named AMBON2015_epifauna_biomass_DWC.csv describes biomass per taxon of epibenthic invertebrates. This dataset was transformed into a table structure using Darwin Core term names as column names.

The North Shore of the Lower Estuary (Upper North Shore, Quebec) is a productive coastal system where many commercial species of benthic invertebrates are fished in the infralittoral (10-20 m) and circalittoral (20-50 m) zone. However, little data exist on the biodiversity of non-commercial species and the environmental characteristics of the benthic habitat in this area. Two scientific surveys were conducted in 2018 and 2019 to address this knowledge gap by developing a framework of biodiversity and environmental (water column and seafloor) data taking that will be used to determine the baseline state of the benthic ecosystem in this region. Surveys were conducted in 2018 (August 11-14) and 2019 (July 30-August 5) in the Upper North Shore region (between the towns of Forestville and Godbout). Surveys followed a fixed sampling design of eight transects perpendicular to bathymetry with stations at 10 m depth intervals in a bathymetry range of 10-50 m for a total of approximately 40 stations per survey. Specimens were collected with a beam trawl with an opening of 2.8 m. The hauls were made at a target speed of 2 knots and a target duration of 7 minutes. Start and end positions were recorded to calculate the distance traveled on each tow using the geosphere library of R. The average tow distance was approximately 425 m. The area covered at each tow was the product of the trawl opening and the distance traveled. The three files provided (DarwinCore format) are complementary and are linked by the "eventID" key. The "event_information" file includes generic event information, including date and location. The "additional_information_event_and_occurrence" file includes sample size, sampling protocol and sampling effort, among others. The "taxon_occurrence" file includes the taxonomy of the species observed, identified to the species or lowest possible taxonomic level. For abundance and biomass estimates, contact Virginie Roy (virginie.roy@dfo-mpo.gc.ca). For quality controls, all taxonomic names were checked against the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) to match recognized standards. The WoRMS match was placed in the "scientificNameID" field of the occurrence file. Special cases were noted in "identificationRemarks" and selected specimens were confirmed using field photos. Data quality checks were performed using the R obistools and worrms libraries. All sampling locations were spatially validated. This project was funded by DFO Coastal Environmental Baseline Program under Canada’s Oceans Protection Plan. This initiative aims to acquire environmental baseline data contributing to the characterization of important coastal areas and to support evidence-based assessments and management decisions for preserving marine ecosystems.

The NMFS/USGS survey of the southern part of Closed Area II was conducted in June, 1999 on 2 cruises: NMFS Albatross cruise ALB9905, June 2-9 (this cruise is also designated as USGS ALBA9933); and USGS R/V Connecticut cruise CONN9912, June 23. Study sites (1A, 2A, MMS1/2D, etc.) are part of a pre-determined grid of sites designed to sample the southern part of Closed Area II (south of 40o 30'N) and the area around its margins open to fishing that lies within approximately 2 nm of the western, southern, and eastern boundaries of Closed Area II. See files ca21999datatypes.pdf and ca21999datatypesB.txt for a tabulation of the kinds of data and the number of replicates collected at each study site. NMFS otter trawl, CTD, and benthic invertebrate stations use station numbers that are the same as the study site numbers (1A, 2A, etc.). USGS video/photo transect and sediment sample stations at the same study sites use a different numbering system (9906001, 9906002, etc.). See files ca21999datatypesA.pdf and ca21999datatypesB.txt for a list of NMFS and equivalent USGS station numbers. On the ALB9905 cruise, a suite of data was collected from each study site that included: 1) otter trawl sample of fish and epibenthic invertebrates; 2) benthic invertebrate samples from seabed sediment; 3) water column CTD (conductivity, temperature, pressure) profile; 4) 20-minute video/photo drift transect and sediment samples for texture and organic carbon analyses. In most cases, the sediment sample was collected at the end of the transect. On the CONN9912 cruise, later in June, only video/photo imagery and sediment texture samples were collected at five sites (3A, 3C, 4B, 5A, 5C) with the same sampling system that was used on the Albatross cruise. Of these 5 sites, only site 4B was sampled on the Albatross cruise (otter trawl and CTD cast only). Otter trawl and CTD stations are designated 1A, 2A, etc. and use the same numbering as the study sites. For locations of otter trawls, see files ca21999trawlstaA.pdf and ca21999trawlstaB.txt. For locations of CTD stations, see files ca21999datatypes.pdf and ca21999datatypesB.txt Otter trawl data include statistics on the catch of 33 species of fish, lobsters, and sea scallops. The otter trawl results were used to plot the species abundance maps for the following species: Alewife, Ocean Pout, American Plaice, Polloc,k Atlantic Cod, Redfish, Atlantic Herring, Red Hake, Atlantic Mackerel, Sea Raven, Barndoor Skate, Sea Scallop, Butterfish, Silver Hake, Fawn Cusk Eel, Spiny Dogfish, Summer Flounder, Goosefish, Thorny Skate, Gulfstream Flounder, White Hake, Haddock, Windowpane Flounder, Illex, Winter Flounder, Little Skate, Winter Skate, Lobster, Witch Flounder, Loligo, Yellowtail Flounder, Longhorn Sculpin. Benthic invertebrate stations are designated 1A, 2A, etc. and use the same numbering as the study sites. They are located at the start of each otter trawl tow. For locations of benthic invertebrate stations, see files ca21999invertstaA.pdf and ca21999invertstaB.txt. See files ca21999datatypes.pdf and ca21999datatypesB.txt for the number of replicates collected at each station. Video/photo transects and sediment sample stations are designated 9906001, 9906002, etc. They are associated with the study sites (1A, 2A, etc.) described above, but use a different numbering system. See files ca21999datatypesA.pdf and ca21999datatypesB.txt for a list of NMFS and equivalent USGS station numbers. For locations of video/photo transects and of sediment samples (texture and organic carbon), see files ca2usgsstaA.pdf and ca2usgsstaB.txt. Individual seabed photographs at each station are shown as jpg images and include information on location, water depth, and sediment texture. Photographs are arranged in rows from left-to-right, top-to-bottom, in the order that they were taken during the video/photo transect.

The benthic invertebrate, plant and fish biodiversity of the 200,000 km² area of the GBR shelf seabed was sampled by a 200 m tow of a 1.5 m epibenthic sled at 1191 sites, representing a full range of known physical environments, during six 1-month-long voyages on the AIMS vessel Lady Basten. More than 7,000 species/species-equivalent OTUs (operational taxonomic units) were identified. The dataset comprises 79,173 site-by-species records. A pipe-dredge was attached to the sled to collect sediment samples: a 500 ml subsample was processed for particle size and carbonate by Geoscience Australia; another 500 ml subsample was sieved on 1 mm mesh and preserved in 10% Formalin - Rose Bengal solution.

This data set contains a single table of descriptions of benthic samples collected in 1998 at Nelson and Izembek lagoons, Alaska. This includes: the weight of the sample, the species or species group of benthic animals (also vegetation) and their number, size and weight, and the amount of sand and gravel. These data provide a basis for additional studies that includes sampling of the benthos in Nelson and/or Izembek lagoons. These data are important as historic information useful in examining long-term changes in the lagoons in light of changing climate.

This data set contains a single table of descriptions of benthic samples collected in 1998 at Nelson and Izembek lagoons, Alaska. This includes: the weight of the sample, the species or species group of benthic animals (also vegetation) and their number, size and weight, and the amount of sand and gravel. These data provide a basis for additional studies that includes sampling of the benthos in Nelson and/or Izembek lagoons. These data are important as historic information useful in examining long-term changes in the lagoons in light of changing climate.

This dataset contains species distribution, abundance and identity data of benthic invertebrates from Batemans Bay, NSW. Epifauna samples from the inter-tidal and subtidal rocky coasts around the bay were sampled twice, in November 1990 and August 1991. The data were taken as a control site for similiar sampling in Jervis Bay. The data are part of the Jervis Bay Marine Ecological Study. NB - As the database has been lost, the only data still available are those published in the JERVIS BAY BASELINE STUDIES Final Report.