Standing stocks of organic carbon associated with sessile reefal communities on submarine terraces in the Bahamian region

Benthic communities on coral reefs at locations in Florida, the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands and Haiti were sampled between July 1972 and June 1973.All sampling was carried out using SCUBA. Grand Bahama Island sites were accessed from Hydro Lab, a saturation diving facility. Individual samples were collected from within 10x10cm quadrats placed at intervals along transects. Bare sediments were recovered to a depth of 2.5cm. Macroscopic algae were manually cropped. Sponges were cut out by knife. "Bare" rock and living corals were recovered with chisel and sledge hammer in which cases the surface areas of the individual samples were irregular and had to be established subsequently. All samples were transferred in situ to numbered plastic bags, returned to the surface and immediately frozen. Samples were later processed and analysed in the laboratory to determine organic carbon content.The dataset consists of the following subsets:(a) 8 vertical transects on spurs at Grand Bahama a depths between 16.8 and 21.4m.(b) Two transects from depths of 30-38m at Grand Bahama(c) A set of samples from the Hydro Lab study grid, Grand Bahama. The grid is comprised of 9 transects spaced at 25m intervals parallel to the reef front over the depth range 15-22m. Each 15m transect was sampled using 10x10cm quadrats spaced at 1m intervals along the transect. (d) A set of 14 regional transects at depths between 13 and 27m. Each 10m transect was sampled using 10x10cm quadrats spaced at 1m intervals along the transect. (e) A set of 5 seasonal observations (November 1972, January, February, April and June, 1973) from the Hydro Lab study grid, Grand Bahama.
These data were collected as background information for studies of the productivity and metabolism of reefal communities on deeply submerged platforms (terraces) in the Bahamian region. Most of the observations relate to the deep reef off the southern shore of Grand Bahama Island. Supporting data was collected from more widely scattered locations elsewhere in the region.
Additional data collected in relation to these communities are described in the metadata record "Coral associations on submarine terraces in the Bahamian Region".

1972年7月至1973年6月期间，研究人员对佛罗里达、巴哈马、特克斯和凯科斯群岛以及海地的珊瑚礁底栖生物群落（benthic community）开展采样工作，所有采样均通过水肺潜水（SCUBA）完成。大巴哈马岛的采样点位通过饱和潜水设施Hydro Lab抵达。
采样时沿样带（transect）按间隔布设10×10cm样方（quadrat），并从中采集个体样品：裸露沉积物的采集深度达2.5cm；大型藻类采用人工剪除的方式获取；海绵类生物通过刀具切割采集；“裸露”岩石与活珊瑚则使用凿子与大锤采集，此类样品的表面积不规则，需后续进行测定。所有样品均在现场装入编号塑料袋，出水后立即冷冻保存。后续在实验室对样品进行处理与分析，以测定其有机碳含量。
本数据集包含以下子集：
(a) 大巴哈马岛的8条垂直样带，布设於礁脊（spurs）上，采样水深范围为16.8至21.4米。
(b) 大巴哈马岛的2条样带，采样水深范围为30至38米。
(c) 大巴哈马岛Hydro Lab研究网格的样品集。该网格由9条平行于礁前的样带组成，样带间隔25米，覆盖水深15至22米的范围；每条15米长的样带以1米间隔布设10×10cm样方进行采样。
(d) 14条区域样带，采样水深范围为13至27米；每条10米长的样带以1米间隔布设10×10cm样方进行采样。
(e) 大巴哈马岛Hydro Lab研究网格的5次季节性观测数据，采集时间分别为1972年11月、1973年1月、2月、4月及6月。
本数据集的采集背景为巴哈马区域深水淹没台地（terraces）的礁群落生产力与代谢研究。绝大多数观测数据取自大巴哈马岛南岸外的深水礁体，辅助数据则采自该区域内其他分布更为分散的点位。
另有与该类群落相关的补充数据，已在元数据（metadata）记录"巴哈马区域海底台地的珊瑚群落"（Coral associations on submarine terraces in the Bahamian Region）中予以说明。