Dataset: Infauna and sediment property data collected off the Alabama coast before and after Hurricane Sally (2020-2021)

Name: Infaunal community composition and sediment grain size distribution, porosity, and organic content of sediment cores collected in the Northern Gulf of Mexico off the Alabama (USA) coast during 2020 and 2021 before and after Hurricane Sally
Published: 2024-08-07
Keywords: tropical cyclone, sediment transport, grain size distribution, infauna, biota, oceans

Cite This Dataset

DOI:10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.934897.1

Spatial Extent: N:30.24642 E:-87.98882 S:30.04793 W:-88.289

Coastal Alabama

Temporal Extent: 2020-09-10 - 2021-05-26

Project:

CAREER: Mechanisms of bioturbation and ecosystem engineering by benthic infauna (Bioturbation and Ecosystem Engineering)

Principal Investigator:

Kelly Dorgan (Dauphin Island Sea Lab, DISL)

Student:

William Cyrus Clemo (University of South Alabama, USA)

BCO-DMO Data Manager:

Shannon Rauch (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, WHOI BCO-DMO)

Version:

Version Date:

2024-08-07

Restricted:

Validated:

Yes

Current State:

Final no updates expected

Infaunal community composition and sediment grain size distribution, porosity, and organic content of sediment cores collected in the Northern Gulf of Mexico off the Alabama (USA) coast during 2020 and 2021 before and after Hurricane Sally

Abstract:

This dataset consists of infaunal community composition and sediment grain size distribution, porosity, and organic content of sediment cores in addition to bottom water salinity, dissolved oxygen, and temperature collected from 9 sites at 5, 12 and 20 meters depth in the Northern Gulf of Mexico off the Alabama (USA) coast before and after Hurricane Sally, which occurred in 2020.

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Archival Copy

Version Date	Archive	Persistent Identifier (PID)	Date PID Issued
2024-08-07	Marine Biological Laboratory/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Library (MBLWHOI DLA)	10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.934897.1	2024-08-07

Methods & Sampling

Sediment coring was carried out from the R/V E.O. Wilson, operated by Dauphin Island Sea Lab. Sediment cores (9.6-centimeters (cm) inner diameter) were collected with an Ocean Instruments MC-400 multicorer or via SCUBA diving at each site and timepoint. Four replicate cores were sieved (500 micrometers (μm) mesh) and retained contents were preserved in 95% ethanol with Rose Bengal tissue stain (0.05 grams per liter (g L-1)). Stained infauna were identified to family level and enumerated. Taxa that could not be reliably identified to family level were grouped into higher levels of classification (e.g., Nemertea). Infauna were also divided into size classes of body thicknesses of <1 millimeter (mm) and >1 mm. Body length and biomass could not be determined for a large number of specimens, especially annelids (the most abundant phylum), due to fragmentation during collection and preservation (only annelids with intact heads were counted). Body width was measured under a dissecting microscope with a ruler. Grain size was measured in the top 8-12 cm of sediment. 1-2 cores were sectioned into 1 cm increments and dried at 65 degrees Celsius (°C) for 48 hours. Dried samples were placed in a muffle furnace at 550 °C for 4 hours to combust sediment organic matter. Porosity and organic content were calculated from the sediment mass differences before and after drying and combusting, respectively. Combusted sediment was then placed in a 1% sodium hexametaphosphate solution for at least 3 weeks to deflocculate. After weeks of deflocculating, clumps of mud often remained intact in muddier samples, so all samples were gently rubbed with a gloved finger on a 63 μm sieve to break up mud clumps. The mud was then washed through the sieve and combined with the sand retained on the sieve. After breaking up clumps, we measured grain size distribution using a Malvern Mastersizer 3000. For each sample, 5 measurements were averaged and then analyzed using Gradistat (Kenneth Pye Associates, LTD.). Bottom water salinity and temperature (°C) were measured at each site and timepoint using a Seabird SBE 25 Sealogger CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth) instrument array. The CTD was deployed on a line by a winch that lowered the CTD to the bottom and then brought it back to the surface at each site.

Problems/Issues

Body length and biomass are not reported in this dataset because these measurements could not be determined for a large number of specimens, especially annelids (the most abundant phylum), due to fragmentation during collection and preservation (only annelids with intact heads were counted).

Data Processing Description

For each sediment sample, 5 Malvern Mastersizer measurements were averaged and then analyzed using Gradistat v9.1 (Kenneth Pye Associates, LTD.). For each core or pair of cores from each site and time point, we then averaged sediment property values in the top 5 cm, or within distinct surface layers (e.g., sand sharply transitioning to mud) if the layers were less than 5 cm.

BCO-DMO Processing

- Imported original file "ClemoHurricaneSallyInfaunaSediment2020to2021.csv" into the BCO-DMO system.
- Converted date field to YYYY-MM-DD format.
- Rounded the infaunal taxa abundance columns to whole numbers (integers).
- Renamed fields to comply with BCO-DMO naming conventions.
- Corrected taxa names where needed to align with WoRMS-accepted names.
- Saved the final file as "934897_v1_infauna_and_sediment_data_hurricane_sally_2020_to_2021.csv".

Data Files

File
934897_v1_infauna_and_sediment_data_hurricane_sally_2020_to_2021.csv (Comma Separated Values (.csv), 72.55 KB) MD5:26573cf4c957ed4cd12c9c46778748b8 Primary data file for dataset ID 934897, version 1

More Information about this dataset

Funding Sources

Funding Source	Award Number
NSF Division of Ocean Sciences	OCE-1844910

Deployments

None available yet

Instruments

Malvern Mastersizer 3000/3000E laser diffraction particle size analyzer

Supplied Name: Malvern Mastersizer 3000

Supplied Description:

Grain size analysis was done on a Malvern Mastersizer 3000 particle analyzer.

Instrument Type

Generic Name: Malvern Mastersizer 3000/3000E laser diffraction particle size analyzer

Acronym: Malvern Mastersizer 3000

Generic Description:

The Malvern Mastersizer 3000/3000E is a laser diffraction particle size analyzer available for both dry and wet dispersions of particles from nanometer to millimeter ranges. A laser beam passes through a dispersed particulate sample and the angular variation in intensity of the scattered light is measured. The angular scattering intensity data is then analyzed to calculate the size of the particles that created the scattering pattern using the Mie theory of light scattering. The particle size is reported as a volume equivalent sphere diameter. The instrument has an accuracy of 0.6%, operation temperatures of 5degC to 40degC (non-condensing), size of 10 nm - 3.5 mm (3000) or 0.1 - 1000 um (3000E).

Microscope - Optical

Supplied Name: dissecting microscope

Supplied Description:

Instrument Type

Generic Name: Microscope - Optical

Community Identifier: http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L05/current/LAB05/

Generic Description:

Instruments that generate enlarged images of samples using the phenomena of reflection and absorption of visible light. Includes conventional and inverted instruments. Also called a "light microscope".

Ocean Instruments MC-400 Multi corer

Supplied Name: Ocean Instruments MC-400 multicorer

Supplied Description:

Used for core collection.

Instrument Type

Generic Name: Ocean Instruments MC-400 Multi corer

Acronym: MC-400 Multi Corer

Generic Description:

The Ocean Instruments MC-400 {Hedrick/Marrs} multi-corer is a sediment multi-corer with a series of cores attached to one deployment frame. This model carries four sample tubes. It is designed to retrieve sediment and water samples in lakes and shelf waters. The sample tubes are sealed with a silicone rubber upper door gasket and a neoprene or carpet lower door seal. Each of the four sample tubes can be removed from the coring unit for immediate processing in the laboratory without exposing their contents to the surface environment. It is designed to recover undisturbed surface sediments and is therefore well-suited to study benthic processes. The multi-corer is disposed on a research vessel and is lowered into the water body by a cable. When the multi-corer touches the sediment the units ballast weight pushes the assembled cores into the substrate. Each of the tubes contains a unique sediment core. The multi-corer uses a unique hydrostatic damping system that slows the penetration rate down to approximately 1 cm/s. Provisions have been made to carry up to two 4-liter water bottles that actuate as the frame legs touch bottom. The overall sample tube length is 58 cm, with a maximum penetration of 34.5 cm. The tube diameter is 10 cm.

ruler

Supplied Description:

Instrument Type

Generic Name: ruler

Generic Description:

A device used for measuring or for drawing straight lines, consisting of an elongated piece of rigid or semi-rigid material marked with units for measurement. Device that allows one or more physical dimensions of a sample or specimen to be determined by visible comparison against marked graduations in units of measurement of dimension length.

Sea-Bird SBE 25 Sealogger CTD

Supplied Name: Seabird SBE 25 Sealogger CTD

Supplied Description:

Instrument Type

Generic Name: Sea-Bird SBE 25 Sealogger CTD

Acronym: CTD SBE 25

Community Identifier: http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L22/current/TOOL0040/

Generic Description:

The Sea-Bird SBE 25 SEALOGGER CTD is battery powered and is typically used to record data in memory, eliminating the need for a large vessel, electrical sea cable, and on-board computer. All SBE 25s can also operate in real-time, transmitting data via an opto-isolated RS-232 serial port. Temperature and conductivity are measured by the SBE 3F Temperature sensor and SBE 4 Conductivity sensor (same as those used on the premium SBE 9plus CTD). The SBE 25 also includes the SBE 5P (plastic) or 5T (titanium) Submersible Pump and TC Duct. The pump-controlled, TC-ducted flow configuration significantly reduces salinity spiking caused by ship heave, and in calm waters allows slower descent rates for improved resolution of water column features. Pressure is measured by the modular SBE 29 Temperature Compensated Strain-Gauge Pressure sensor (available in eight depth ranges to suit the operating depth requirement). The SBE 25's modular design makes it easy to configure in the field for a wide range of auxiliary sensors, including optional dissolved oxygen (SBE 43), pH (SBE 18 or SBE 27), fluorescence, transmissivity, PAR, and optical backscatter sensors. More information from Sea-Bird Electronics: http:www.seabird.com.

Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus

Supplied Name: SCUBA diving

Supplied Description:

Instrument Type

Generic Name: Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus

Acronym: SCUBA

Generic Description:

The self-contained underwater breathing apparatus or scuba diving system is the result of technological developments and innovations that began almost 300 years ago. Scuba diving is the most extensively used system for breathing underwater by recreational divers throughout the world and in various forms is also widely used to perform underwater work for military, scientific, and commercial purposes.

Reference: https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/technical/technical.html

Parameters

Date and time formats are described in python strftime() syntax.

Supplied Name	Supplied description	Supplied Units	Standard Name
Site	Site name, includes transect (W: West, M: Middle, E: East) and depth (05: 5m, 12: 12m, 20: 20m) at which samples were collected	unitless	site
Latitude	site latitude	decimal degrees (N)	lat
Longitude	site longitude	decimal degrees (E)	lon
WaterDepth_m	site depth	meters (m)	depth_w
Date	sampling date Format: %Y-%m-%d	unitless	date
TimeAfterSally_d	days after Hurricane Sally landfall	days	days
Rep	replicate	unitless	replicate
Actiniaria	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Nemertea	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Platyhelminthes	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Aspidosiphonidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Golfingiidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Thalassematidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Ampharetidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Acoetidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Amphinomidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Capitellidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Cirratulidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Cossuridae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Eulepethidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Eunicidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Flabelligeridae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Glyceridae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Goniadidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Hesionidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Lumbrineridae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Magelonidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Maldanidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Nephtyidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Nereididae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Oenonidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Onuphidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Opheliidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Orbiniidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Oweniidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Paraonidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Pectinariidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Phyllodocidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Pilargidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Polynoidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Spionidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Serpulidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Sigalionidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Sternaspidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Syllidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Terebellidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Annelida	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Phoronida	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Lingulida	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Caecidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Calyptraeidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Cancellariidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Columbellidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Cylichnidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Epitoniidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Eulimidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Haminoeidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Nassariidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Naticidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Olividae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Olivellidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Pyramidellidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Terebridae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Tornidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Turridae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Muricidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Gastropoda	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Arcidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Corbulidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Lasaeidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Lucinidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Lyonsiidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Mactridae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Nuculidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Nuculanidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Pandoridae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Solenidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Tellinidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Ungulinidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Veneridae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Verticordiidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Bivalvia	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Scaphopoda	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Pantopoda	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Bodotriidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Diastylidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Leuconidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Nannastacidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Cumacea	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Ampeliscidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Argissidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Corophiidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Haustoriidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Ischyroceridae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Liljeborgiidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Oedicerotidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Photidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Phoxocephalidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Platyischnopidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Stenothoidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Synopiidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Amphipoda	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Tanaidacea	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Albuneidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Anthuridae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Ancinidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Idotea	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Isopoda	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Mysidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Aethridae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Pinnotheridae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Paguroidea	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Porcellanidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Portunidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Raninidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Callianassidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Upogebiidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Luciferidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Caridea	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Ophiuroidea	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Holothuroidea	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Clypeasteroida	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Echinoidea	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Enteropneusta	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Branchiostomidae	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Lophotrochozoa	infaunal taxa abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
Abundance_core	total infaunal abundance	indivduals per core	abundance
less_than_1mm	infauna less than 1mm wide	indivduals per core	abundance
greater_than_1mm	infauna greater than 1mm wide	indivduals per core	abundance
SalBot	site bottom water salinity	PSU	sal
TempCBot	site bottom water temperature	degrees Celsius	temp
DOmgperLBot	site bottom water dissolved oxygen	milligrams per liter (mg L-1)	O2
PorTop5cm	sediment porosity (top 5 cm average); reported as a unitless fraction	unitless	porosity
OCTop5cm	sediment organic content (top 5 cm average); reported as a unitless fraction (e.g., 0.00707 OC = 0.707 % OC).	unitless	no_bcodmo_term
MeanGSTop5cm_phi	mean grain size, phi scale (top 5 cm average)	unitless	sed_grain_size
SortingTop5cm_phi	grain size sorting, phi scale (top 5 cm average)	unitless	sed_grain_size
SkewnessTop5cm_phi	grain size skewness, phi scale (top 5 cm average)	unitless	sed_grain_size
KurtosisTop5cm_phi	grain size kurtosis, phi scale (top 5 cm average)	unitless	sed_grain_size
MudFracTop5cm	sample fraction consisting of mud-sized particles (top 5 cm average)	unitless	mud