Infauna UNIS AB-x21

Data Records

The data in this occurrence 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 72 records.

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:

Wikström K M E, Maurer Z A, Nevstad M B, Sander L, Olsen Benjaminsen V, Bögel L, Gonzalez Fajardo S, Harton K A, Modin H M, Morin E C F, Scholz K, Walder T, Sen A, Silberberger M, Renaud P (2025). Infauna UNIS AB-x21. Version 1.0. The University Centre in Svalbard. Occurrence dataset. https://ipt.gbif.no/resource?r=infauna_unis_abx21&v=1.0

Rights

Researchers should respect the following rights statement:

The publisher and rights holder of this work is The University Centre in Svalbard. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY 4.0) License.

GBIF Registration

This resource has been registered with GBIF, and assigned the following GBIF UUID: 9191a84f-032a-4c9f-806a-80e1651e2522.  The University Centre in Svalbard publishes this resource, and is itself registered in GBIF as a data publisher endorsed by GBIF Norway.

Keywords

Occurrence; Observation; EARTH SCIENCE> BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > BENTHIC

Contacts

Geographic Coverage

Three fjords in Svalbard; Kongsfjorden, Rijpfjorden and Raudfjorden.

Taxonomic Coverage

No Description available

Temporal Coverage

Project Data

Course research cruise undertaken for the masters and PhD course AB-x21 at UNIS Ausust 2025, onboard R/V Helmer Hanssen. Infauna data from three Svalbard fjords: Kongsfjorden, Rijpfjorden and Raudfjorden. Data from one Van Veen grab per fjord. Grab samples processed through sieves (smallest mesh was 0.5 mm). The organsims were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible by the students under supervision.

The personnel involved in the project:

Sampling Methods

The benthic infaunal samples were collected by RV Helmer Hanssen, operated by UIT University of Tromsø between 20th of August 2025 and 28th of August 2025. A Van Veen grab sampler, which is lowered to the seafloor was used. This is a commonly employed method to study soft-bottom communities (e.g. Cochrane et al., 2012, Willassen et al., 2022, Włodarska-Kowalczuk et al. 2019). The grab has a clamshell design that allows it to enclose a defined sediment area when lifted from the seabed. The model used during this survey had an effective sampling area of approximately 0.1 m2 sufficient to capture the sediment layer where most macrofaunal organisms reside. The first sampling station (Station 722) took place in Kongsfjorden. From there, the vessel continued further north to Rijpfjorden, where the second station (Station 747) was located close to shore of Nordaustlandet. The track then proceeded southwestward across the northern shelf, with the final sampling station (Station 761) situated in Raudfjorden, at the northwestern tip of Spitsbergen. (See table 1 and figure 1) At each station, two replicate grabs were taken. One grab was dedicated to infaunal processing, while the other was used exclusively for the collection of environmental parameters (chlorophyll a, phaeophytin, total organic carbon [TOC], and grain size). This separation ensured that biological samples were not disturbed or reduced by subsampling, and that environmental measurements were taken from undisturbed material. After each deployment, the grab was carefully retrieved. Samples were only accepted if the jaws had closed properly and if the sediment surface was intact and undisturbed. If the grab was incomplete (e.g., insufficient sediment volume, leakage, or partial closure), it was discarded and redeployed. Infauna processing The grab designated for infauna was retrieved and emptied onto a cascade table for washing. Sediment was gently flushed with seawater and passed sequentially through a 5 mm sieve and a 0.5 mm sieve. The 5 mm mesh retained larger debris such as stones and shells, while the 0.5 mm mesh retained the macrofaunal fraction of the sample. The material remaining on both sieves was transferred to sorting trays and examined immediately on board. Organisms were carefully picked out and identified to the lowest practicable taxonomic level using microscopes. Immediate processing helped to ensure a good quality of identification features and prevent loss of delicate taxa. Following identification and counting, specimens were preserved in 70% ethanol for long-term storage and further laboratory work.

Method step description:

1. The benthic infaunal samples were collected by RV Helmer Hanssen, operated by UIT University of Tromsø between 20th of August 2025 and 28th of August 2025. A Van Veen grab sampler, which is lowered to the seafloor was used. This is a commonly employed method to study soft-bottom communities (e.g. Cochrane et al., 2012, Willassen et al., 2022, Włodarska-Kowalczuk et al. 2019). The grab has a clamshell design that allows it to enclose a defined sediment area when lifted from the seabed. The model used during this survey had an effective sampling area of approximately 0.1 m2 sufficient to capture the sediment layer where most macrofaunal organisms reside. The first sampling station (Station 722) took place in Kongsfjorden. From there, the vessel continued further north to Rijpfjorden, where the second station (Station 747) was located close to shore of Nordaustlandet. The track then proceeded southwestward across the northern shelf, with the final sampling station (Station 761) situated in Raudfjorden, at the northwestern tip of Spitsbergen. (See table 1 and figure 1) At each station, two replicate grabs were taken. One grab was dedicated to infaunal processing, while the other was used exclusively for the collection of environmental parameters (chlorophyll a, phaeophytin, total organic carbon [TOC], and grain size). This separation ensured that biological samples were not disturbed or reduced by subsampling, and that environmental measurements were taken from undisturbed material. After each deployment, the grab was carefully retrieved. Samples were only accepted if the jaws had closed properly and if the sediment surface was intact and undisturbed. If the grab was incomplete (e.g., insufficient sediment volume, leakage, or partial closure), it was discarded and redeployed. Infauna processing The grab designated for infauna was retrieved and emptied onto a cascade table for washing. Sediment was gently flushed with seawater and passed sequentially through a 5 mm sieve and a 0.5 mm sieve. The 5 mm mesh retained larger debris such as stones and shells, while the 0.5 mm mesh retained the macrofaunal fraction of the sample. The material remaining on both sieves was transferred to sorting trays and examined immediately on board. Organisms were carefully picked out and identified to the lowest practicable taxonomic level using microscopes. Immediate processing helped to ensure a good quality of identification features and prevent loss of delicate taxa. Following identification and counting, specimens were preserved in 70% ethanol for long-term storage and further laboratory work.

Additional Metadata