ca9e0bbf205879690d0a2de1fe873a7e English dataset Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute Project Officer dassh.enquiries@mba.ac.uk pointOfContact 2021-11-11 MEDIN Discovery metadata standard 2.3.8 urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::4326 Abundance and Biomass of benthic infauna from grab samples taken as part of an ecosystem assessment of Belfast Lough in 2012 2018-11-28 publication 2012-09-26 creation 2021-11-10 revision DASSHDT00000394 This dataset contains information on the abundance and biomass of infauna found in sediment grab samples carried out in Belfast Lough as part of a mussel (Mytilus edulis) bed stock assessment and Crepidula (Crepidula fornicata) survey in September 2012. The main aim of the survey was to assess the stock of mussel beds in Belfast Lough and to survey the Crepidula population in Belfast Lough. The infaunal surveying was carried out using a 0.1m2 day grab and a 1mm sieve. Samples were taken at 50 stations over 5 days in September in 2012. Abundance and biomass were recorded and infauna were identified to species level where possible. Particle size analysis and Carbon and Nitrogen analysis was also carried out at each station. The most abundant species found and most frequently recorded was the polychaete Melinna palmata. Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute Project Officer dassh.enquiries@mba.ac.uk originator Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute Project Officer dassh.enquiries@mba.ac.uk custodian continual Delimited Marine Environmental Data and Information Network Habitats and biotopes Species distribution GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 2008-01-06 revision Zoobenthos generic abundance Habitat characterisation SeaDataNet P021 parameter discovery vocabulary 2009-11-16 revision Habitats and biotopes INSPIRE THEMES 2011-02-16 creation Biodiversity GEMET 2011-07-06 creation Marine Gardline 2012-03-16 creation Open access; CC-BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) otherRestrictions Open access 10 English biota biota ICES Rectangles 2009-05-01 creation 38E4 -5.8024 -5.4208 54.6342 54.8462 2012-09-06 2012-09-26 Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute Project Officer dassh.enquiries@mba.ac.uk distributor https://doi.org/10.17031/5ydwq8 DOI Link A link to the web service or dataset http://https://www.dassh.ac.uk/ DASSH website A link to the general host site dataset MEDIN data guideline for sediment sampling by grab or core for benthos 2011-02-02 publication See the referenced specification true This dataset contains information on the abundance and biomass of macrofauna found in sediment grab samples taken from Belfast Lough in September of 2012. These samples were taken as part of the mussel (Mytilus edulis) bed stock assessment in Belfast Lough as well as investigating the presence of the invasive Crepidula (Crepidula fornicata) in these mussel beds. Crepidula (also known as slipper limpets are an invasive species in Belfast Lough. This species was originally found along the East coast of the Americas and they were first documented in Belfast Lough in 2009. Belfast Lough now contains the only viable population in Ireland. Mussel dredge samples (taken using a 2ft wide mussel dredge with 30kg capacity), infaunal samples, particle size analysis samples and Carbon and Nitrogen samples were all taken as part of this survey. This dataset only contains the information regarding the infaunal samples. The methodology for collecting the infaunal samples is as follows. A 0.1m2 day grab was used to take a sample of the sediment and associated infaunal communities. When the sample reaches the deck, a 250ml sample is taken for PSA and a further 25ml is taken for C and N analysis. The rest of the sample is carefully sieved to reveal any infauna. Fixed Formalin (4 percent buffered formaldehyde) is added to the remains of the sample and these are placed in labelled buckets. The samples are sent to accredited taxonomic laboratories were they are identified to as high a level as possible and weighed. The grab samples were taken on 5 separate days throughout the course of August and September 2012.