Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Annual Review 2012

AEBAR 2012: Appendices: Past projects
BIODIVERSITY continued
Project Code Project Title Specific Objectives Status Citation/s
ZBD2007-01 Chatham-Challenger
Oceans 20/20 Post-
Voyage
1. To quantify in an ecological manner- the biological composition and function of
the seabed at varying scales of resolution- on the Chatham Rise and Challenger
Plateau
2. To elucidate the relative importance of environmental drivers- including
fishing- in determining sea bed community composition and structure.
3. To determine if remote-sensed data (e.g. acoustic) and environmentally
derived classification schemes (e.g. marine environmental classification system)
can be utilized to predict bottom community composition- function and diversity
4. To count- measure- and identify to species-level (where possible- otherwise to
genus) all macro invertebrates (> 2 mm) and fish collected during Oceans 20/20
voyages.
5. To count- measure and identify to species-level (where possible- otherwise to
genus or family) all meiofauna (> 2 mm) from multicore samples collected during
the Oceans 20/20 voyages.
6. To count- measure and identify to species- level (where possible- otherwise to
genus or family) all fauna collected by hyper-benthic sled during the Oceans
20/20 voyages.
7. To count- measure- and identify to species-level all macrofauna observed on
DTIS images collected during the Oceans 20/20 voyages. The number of
biogenic features (burrows/mounds) and habitat (spatial) complexity should also
be estimated.
8. To count- measure- and identify to species-level (where possible- otherwise to
genus or family) all macrofauna observed on DTIS video footage collected during
the Oceans 20/20 voyages.
9. To calculate and compare the performance of a suite of diversity measures
(species and taxonomic-based) at varying levels of resolution.
10. To estimate particle size composition and organic content of sediment
samples. Sediment samples should be aggregated over the top 5 cm of
sediment.
11. To measure the bacterial biomass (top 2 cm) of the sediment and in the
sediment surface water samples- collected during the Oceans 20/20 voyages
12. To elucidate the relationships- patterns and contrasts in species composition-
assemblages- habitats- biodiversity and biomass (abundance) both within and
between stations- strata and areas.
13. To define habitats (biotic) encountered during the survey and assess their
relative sensitivity to modification by physical disturbance- their recoverability
and their importance to ecosystem function / production.
14. To quantify the productivity- energy flow (trophic networks) and the energetic
coupling (bentho pelagic or otherwise) of the area surveyed areas at various
levels of resolution.
364
Completed Bowden 2011; Bowden et al.
2011 ; In press; Bowden &
Hewitt 2012; Compton et al.
2012; Coleman and Lörz
2010; Hewitt et al. 2011a;
2011b; Lörz 2011a; 2011b;
Nodder et al. 2012; Floerl et
al. 2012