Benthic Boundary Layer (BBL) macrofauna of the continental shelf of Heraklion Bay (2001)

Data Records

The data in this sampling event resource has been published as a Darwin Core Archive (DwC-A), which is a standardized format for sharing biodiversity data as a set of one or more data tables. The core data table contains 7 records.

1 extension data tables also exist. An extension record supplies extra information about a core record. The number of records in each extension data table is illustrated below.

This IPT archives the data and thus serves as the data repository. The data and resource metadata are available for download in the downloads section. The versions table lists other versions of the resource that have been made publicly available and allows tracking changes made to the resource over time.

Versions

The table below shows only published versions of the resource that are publicly accessible.

How to cite

Researchers should cite this work as follows:

Christ M L, Koumpaki E, Maidanou M, Miletic M, Poursanidis D, Faulwetter S, Koutsoubas D, Arvanitidis C, Dounas C, Koulouri P (2026). Benthic Boundary Layer (BBL) macrofauna of the continental shelf of Heraklion Bay (2001). Version 1.0. Hellenic Center for Marine Research. Samplingevent dataset. https://ipt.medobis.eu/resource?r=bbl-her&v=1.0

Rights

Researchers should respect the following rights statement:

The publisher and rights holder of this work is Hellenic Center for Marine Research. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY 4.0) License.

GBIF Registration

This resource has not been registered with GBIF

Keywords

BBL macrofauna; seasonal trends; bathymetric changes; continental shelf; Mediterranean

Contacts

Geographic Coverage

A study area of four different stations (St. 1 50, m; St. 2, 100 m; St. 3, 200 m; St. 4, 300 m isobaths) was selected. St. 1, Lat. 35.362000, Lon. 25.1000667; St. 2, Lat. 35.382883, Lon. 25.099350; St. 3, Lat. 35.422783, Lon. 25.094817; St. 4, Lat. 35.444033, Lon. 25.093717).

Taxonomic Coverage

This dataset presents the identified hyperbenthic, (epi-)benthic and planktonic macrofaunal species belonging to the taxonomic groups of Crustacea, Polychaeta and Mollusca and their abundances in the different sampling periods and stations.

Temporal Coverage

Project Data

This work was carried out in the framework of the project "Development of a new method for the quantitative measurement of the effects of otter trawling on benthic nutrient fluxes and sediment biogeochemistry" financed by the European Commission (DG. XIV, Studies for the support of CFP).

The personnel involved in the project:

Sampling Methods

As sampling apparatus, a modified hyperbenthic sledge Towed Trawl Simulator Sledge version 2, TTSS2) described in Koulouri et al. (2003), was used simulating the artificial resuspension of the sediment surface (total surface area of 0.45 m2, plankton nets with 0.5 mm mesh size). The sledge was towed from the research vessel “PHILIA” of the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research at a speed of two knots and with a length of wire paid out to depth ratio of 2:1. At station 1 (50 m isobath), three 50 m length tows were performed, while at each of the stations 2 (100 m isobath), 3 (200 m isobath) and 4 (300 m isobath), one 200 m length tow was carried out. Travelling distance of the sledge, while in contact with the seabed, was measured by an odometer and the whole process was monitored by a video-camera, both attached to the apparatus. On board, the samples were preserved in 10% formalin and sorted under a magnifying glass back in the laboratory. Furthermore, the macrofaunal organisms were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level and counted using a stereoscope and a microscope.

Method step description:

1. 1. Two field surveys were carried out in early spring and early autumn. During daylight hours, three tows with 50 m length were performed at station 1 and one tow of 200 m length at stations 2,3 and 4. St. 4 was only sampled in early autumn. Samples were fixed in 10% formalin after collection. 2. The macrofauna was sorted out, classified to the major taxa and counted. Furthermore, the taxonomic groups (Crustacea, Polychaeta ,Mollusca) were identified to the lowest possible taxon level and counted. Macrofaunal densities from the three replicates from station 1 were averaged. Then, all densities estimated in the samples were standardized to the number of individuals per 100 m2 of sediment surface. 3. The data were standardized according to the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) (Wilkinson MD. et al. 2016). To secure interoperability, the dataset was formatted according to Darwin Core Archive (Wieczorek et al. 2012). For scientific valid names, the World Register of Marine Species with its Taxon Match Tool (WoRMS Editorial Board 2026) was used and the additional measurements and associated facts were standardized with controlled terms from the NERC Vocabulary Server, enhancing interoperability across marine data repositories (BODC - British Oceanographic Data Centre 2026). In the end the dataset was tested using the LifeWatch & EMODnet Biology Quality Control tool (Perez et al. 2024).

Collection Data

Additional Metadata