IMIS - Marine Research Groups

Data on marine benthonic foraminifera were obtained from samples collected by Shipek grab from the continental margin off Nova Scotia, Canada. Samples were collected from the benthos in water depths ranging from 16 metres to 440 metres and once brought shipboard sediment was scraped off the surface (20ml)of the sample and preserved in a combination of seawater and formaldehyde buffered with borax. In the laboratory, samples were sieved and stained in Rose Bengal and then dried and concentrated by flotation in carbon tetrachloride. Relative abundance of each species of foraminifera was then recorded. Survey results consist of density (number of individuals per cubic centimetre). The original survey report (Williamson, 1983) contains information on temperature, slope, percent gravel, sand and mud. The OBIS view of this dataset includes only the abundance and biomass information.