Between 1900 and 1932, a copper (Cu) mine operated near Gay, Michigan, along the shore of Lake Superior, discharged approximately 22.8 million metric tons of waste material known as ‘stamp sands’ (SS) to a nearby beach. This pile of SS has migrated via wind and rain along the beaches in northern Grand Traverse Bay and into Buffalo Reef, an important spawning area for Lake Trout and Lake Whitefish. During their first summer, these newly spawned fish consume benthic invertebrates and zooplankton in nearby beach habitats. SS contain elevated concentrations of metals (especially Cu) that are toxic to many invertebrate taxa, and studies have observed very few benthic taxa in areas with very high SS. Here, we sampled the invertebrate community from four beaches: one near Buffalo Reef with very high SS, one in southern Grand Traverse Bay with moderate SS, one in the nearby Little Traverse Bay with very little SS and a beach ~58 km away with no SS (Big Bay). We also re-sampled the benthos at some sites that had been sampled as part of an earlier study. Both benthic invertebrates (in August 2021) and zooplankton (in June and July 2021) were sampled along the transects at these four beaches. Sediment samples were collected at the same time as the benthic invertebrate sampling and used to quantify SS and 12 metals at each site (including Cu).

Determining spatial distributions and temporal trends in trace metals in sediments and benthic organisms is common practice for monitoring environmental contamination. These data can be the basis for assessing metal exposure, the potential for adverse biological effects, and the response to regulatory or management actions (Suter, 2001). Another common method of environmental monitoring is to examine the community structure of sediment-dwelling benthic organisms (Simon, 2002). Spatial and temporal changes in community structure reflect the integrated response of resident species to environmental conditions, although the underlying cause(s) for the response may be difficult to identify and quantify. Together, measurements of metal exposure and biological response can provide a more complete view of anthropogenic disturbances and the associated effects on ecosystem health. Despite the complexities inherent in monitoring natural systems, the adopted approach has been effective in relating changes in near-field contamination to changes in reproductive activity of a clam (Hornberger and others, 2000) and in benthic community structure (Kennish, 1998). This study, with its basis in historical data, provides a rare multi-decadal context within which future environmental changes can be assessed.

Determining spatial distributions and temporal trends in trace metals in sediments and benthic organisms is common practice for monitoring environmental contamination. These data can be the basis for assessing metal exposure, the potential for adverse biological effects, and the response to regulatory or management actions (Suter, 2001). Another common method of environmental monitoring is to examine the community structure of sediment-dwelling benthic organisms (Simon, 2002). Spatial and temporal changes in community structure reflect the integrated response of resident species to environmental conditions, although the underlying cause(s) for the response may be difficult to identify and quantify. Together, measurements of metal exposure and biological response can provide a more complete view of anthropogenic disturbances and the associated effects on ecosystem health. Despite the complexities inherent in monitoring natural systems, the adopted approach has been effective in relating changes in near-field contamination to changes in reproductive activity of a clam (Hornberger and others, 2000) and in benthic community structure (Kennish, 1998). This study, with its basis in historical data, provides a rare multi-decadal context within which future environmental changes can be assessed.

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.

The U.S. Geological Survey is monitoring concentrations of metals and other trace elements in water, streambed sediment, and aquatic invertebrates at 6 locations in the middle and lower portions of the mainstem Klamath River from below J.C. Boyle dam in Oregon to near the mouth on the northwestern coast of California. Included are 3 tributary monitoring sites, one each on the Scott, Salmon, and Trinity Rivers. This data release makes available major and minor trace element concentrations in surface water, bed sediment, and aquatic invertebrates collected in September 2018, and in bed sediment collected in September 2019.

The U.S. Geological Survey is monitoring concentrations of metals and other trace elements in water, streambed sediment, and aquatic invertebrates at 6 locations in the middle and lower portions of the mainstem Klamath River from below J.C. Boyle dam in Oregon to near the mouth on the northwestern coast of California. Included are 3 tributary monitoring sites, one each on the Scott, Salmon, and Trinity Rivers. This data release makes available major and minor trace element concentrations in surface water, bed sediment, and aquatic invertebrates collected in September 2018, and in bed sediment collected in September 2019.

During two seasonal sampling events in spring (June) and fall (August) of 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, collected benthos (benthic invertebrates) and plankton (zooplankton and phytoplankton) at three sites each in the Waukegan Harbor Area of Concern (AOC) in Illinois and in Burns Harbor-Port of Indiana, a non-AOC, in Indiana. Physical and chemical data were sampled concurrently (specific conductance, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll-a, total and volatile suspended solids in water samples; particle size and volatile-on-ignition solids of sediment in benthic grab samples). Benthos were collected by using Hester-Dendy artificial substrate samplers and composite dredge grab samples of bottom sediment; zooplankton were collected by using tows from depth to the surface with a 63-micrometer mesh plankton net; phytoplankton were collected by using whole water samples composited from set depth intervals. The interpretive report based on these data is Scudder Eikenberry, B.C., Templar, H.A., Burns, D.J., Dobrowolski, E.G., and Schmude, K.L., 2017, Comparison of benthos and plankton for Waukegan Harbor Area of Concern, Illinois, and Burns Harbor-Port of Indiana non-Area of Concern, Indiana, in 2015: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2017–5039, 29 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20175039. QA/QC of the data is documented in this report.

During two seasonal sampling events in spring (June) and fall (August) of 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, collected benthos (benthic invertebrates) and plankton (zooplankton and phytoplankton) at three sites each in the Waukegan Harbor Area of Concern (AOC) in Illinois and in Burns Harbor-Port of Indiana, a non-AOC, in Indiana. Physical and chemical data were sampled concurrently (specific conductance, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll-a, total and volatile suspended solids in water samples; particle size and volatile-on-ignition solids of sediment in benthic grab samples). Benthos were collected by using Hester-Dendy artificial substrate samplers and composite dredge grab samples of bottom sediment; zooplankton were collected by using tows from depth to the surface with a 63-micrometer mesh plankton net; phytoplankton were collected by using whole water samples composited from set depth intervals. The interpretive report based on these data is Scudder Eikenberry, B.C., Templar, H.A., Burns, D.J., Dobrowolski, E.G., and Schmude, K.L., 2017, Comparison of benthos and plankton for Waukegan Harbor Area of Concern, Illinois, and Burns Harbor-Port of Indiana non-Area of Concern, Indiana, in 2015: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2017–5039, 29 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20175039. QA/QC of the data is documented in this report.

Benthic organism were collected using sediment sampler, BT, and bottle casts from the EASTWARD and other platforms in the Georges' Bank from 10 July 1981 to 08 June 1984. Data were submitted by the Battelle Marine Research Laboratory in New England with support from Ocean Continental Shelf - Georges' Bank project. The F132 format contains data from field sampling or surveys of bottom dwelling marine organisms. The data provide information on species abundance, distribution, and biomass; they may have been collected by point sampling (grab or core), by tow (dredge, trawl or net), by photographic surveys, or by other methods. Cruise information such as vessel, start and end dates, investigator, and institution/agency; station numbers, positions and times; and equipment and methods are reported for each survey. Environmental data reported at each sampling site may include meteorological and sea surface conditions; surface and bottom temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen; and sediment characteristics. Number of individual organisms and total weight of organisms is reported for each species. A text record is available for comments.