DeSoto Canyon macrofauna abundance and associated environmental parameters data obtained aboard the R/V Weatherbird II, WB1411, in the northern Gulf of Mexico from 2014-05-30 to 2014-06-09

This dataset contains DeSoto Canyon macrofauna abundance and associated environmental parameters data obtained aboard the R/V Weatherbird II, WB1411, in the northern Gulf of Mexico from 2014-05-30 to 2014-06-09. Project data was generated from sediment cores collected from 10 stations along two transects, along the axis and canyon wall, in the DeSoto Canyon, and three from the adjacent slope. Three replicate deployments of an MC-800 Multicorer (10 cm diameter) were conducted at each site. Four cores from each deployment were sectioned on deck into 0−1, 1−5, and 5−10 cm fractions and fixed whole in 10% formalin. Data on abundances of resident macrofauna and sediment granulometry were derived from the cores. Seawater parameters were measured by CTD and terrain parameters were derived from pre-existing bathymetry data. Measures of particulate organic carbon were computed from remote sensing data. Dataset also contains longitude, latitude, depth and date of sample collection. Cruise was led by chief scientist Dr. Ian R. MacDonald.