IMIS

Samples were collected using an amphipod trap, Isaacs-Kidd midwater trawl (IKMT) and van veen grab sampler deployed in the stations within Admiralty bay, along Bransfield Strait and within Maxwell Bay. All the samples that were caught were identified and grouped to the lowest taxonomic level possible using the keys of Marine Wildlife King George Island Antarctica by Schories & Kohlberg (2016) and Rauschert & Arntz (2015). Other taxonomic keys and photographs provided by Cédric d'Udekem d'Acoz were also used for confirmation. The dataset gives an overview on the distribution and abundance of these species in the Admiralty bay, Bransfield Strait and Maxwell Bay during the summer season. This dataset is published by SCAR-AntOBIS under the license CC-BY 4.0. Please follow the guidelines from the SCAR and IPY Data Policies (https://www.scar.org/excom-meetings/xxxi-scar-delegates-2010-buenos-aires-argentina/4563-scar-xxxi-ip04b-scar-data-policy/file/) when using the data. If you have any questions regarding this dataset, don't hesitate to contact us via the contact information provided in the metadata or via data-biodiversity-aq@naturalsciences.be. This dataset is part of the Refugia and Ecosystem Tolerance in the Southern Ocean (RECTO) project funded by Belgium Science Policy (BELSPO).
The amphipod trap was deployed in two different stations close to Machu Picchu base in the Admiralty Bay. About 400 grams of Chilean pickerel fish was used as bait inside the trap. Organisms caught inside the trap were placed in a bucket with cold sea water and sorted. Samples were photographed and immediately preserved and stored in a -20 °C freezer in the laboratory. About 20 amphipod individuals or pleopods were preserved in All protect Tissue reagent as well as DNA/RNA shield for later molecular analyses. A part of the amphipod individuals was also frozen for later flow cytometry and the remaining amphipods were preserved in pure ethanol (99% p.a.) and placed at -20°C for storage. Sorting and processing were done as quickly as possible to prevent degradation of nucleic acids and proteins. Samples were also labelled inside the bottle using ethanol resistant paper and outside the bottle using an ethanol proof marker. Ethanol was replaced after three days. Isaacs-Kidd midwater trawl (IKMT) has a net with a mesh size of 500 µm and was used for pelagic sampling by attaching it on the A-frame crane located at the back of the vessel. The IKMT was deployed at 175 meters and was then towed for 5 minutes. Samples were collected by detaching the cod-end from the net. Amphipods were sorted from the rest of the samples and photos were taken immediately. Organisms were also immediately placed in absolute ethanol (99% purity) afterwards. Van Veen grab sampler allows the sampling of sediments and bottom fauna. Van Veen sampler was deployed at 6 stations in Admiralty Bay and 13 stations along the Bransfield Strait and 1 station within Maxwell Bay. Sampling using the Van Veen grab took approximately 15 minutes from the time it was deployed to the time it came back onboard. In cases where the Van Veen did not close, it was re-deployed up to three trials and only until then was sampling terminated. Large specimens that were visible with the naked eye were immediately collected on board before sieving and were placed in their respective collection bottles with sea water and ice packs on the side to maintain temperature. Any sediment samples collected were sieved onboard using a hand-held kitchen sieve with 1 mm mesh size to collect organisms in the sediment. Further processing and sorting were done in the geological laboratory. To avoid DNA degradation and to keep the organisms alive, sorting was done using a tray with cold sea water with ice packs. Photos were also taken immediately, and organisms directly placed in absolute ethanol (99% purity) afterwards. Processing to storage was done as quickly and as efficiently as possible. All samples that were caught were identified and grouped to the lowest taxonomic level possible using the keys of Marine Wildlife King George Island Antarctica by Schories & Kohlberg (2016) and Rauschert & Arntz (2015). Other taxonomic keys and photographs provided by Cédric d'Udekem d'Acoz were also used for confirmation.