Grain-shape and grain-size data of sediment samples from a monitoring study of sandy-beach meiofauna (Ahrenshoop, Baltic Sea)

We provide sediment data (grain-size and -shape parameters) for samples collected on the sandy-beach water line of Ahrenshoop (Baltic Sea). The data are provided for two sampling dates: T0 (14 and 16 September 2021) and T2 (27 September 2023). Five sampling stations (AH01–AH05) were located on the sandy beach at Ahrenshoop. Latitude and longitude of each sampling location per station were recorded at each sampling date using a hand-held GPS application on a mobile phone. Sediment samples were taken at the beach-water interface using plexiglass cores (inner diameter 5.4 cm, surface area 22.9 cm2). The cores were inserted down to 15 cm sediment depth. Each core was sliced into three layers (0–5, 5–10 and 10–15 cm). For the current study, per station two replicates were taken at T0 and three at T2. The sediment remaining after decantation (32-μm sieve) was used for grain-size analyses. No remarkable amount of silt and clay was observed in the samples. Sediment samples were dried at 80°C for 24 h. Each sample was mixed to homogeneously distribute the sediment and then split using a Retsch PT 100 sample divider (vibratory feeding type DR 40). Particles larger than 2 mm were sieved off before splitting. A total of 10–15 ml of sediment was used to obtain shape descriptors and their distribution using a Sympatec QICPIC dynamic image analyser (dispenser: Gradis with an outlet width of 4.0 mm; feeder type: Vibri; range: M9). The data from the Sympatec QICPIC was obtained using a software PAQXOS v5.1.2. The shape parameters included median values for aspect ratio, convexity, elongation, roundness and sphericity. Median particle size [mm] was used as an additional grain size parameter. Percentiles of grain distribution are given in mm and Ф. Some particle size percentiles were used to calculate the sorting measure inclusive graphic quartile deviation (QDI): Ф5, Ф16, Ф84 and Ф95. Grain-size data (percentage of different grain-size fractions) obtained from mechanical sieving were presented beforehand (see “related works”, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13365183). The sediment data are part of a larger ecological study on the sediment-related changes in sandy-beach meiofauna communities, which included metabarcoding analysis (see “related works”, https://doi.org/10.3897/mbmg.8.127688). When using these data, please refer to the original article by Kapshyna et al. 2026 (citation see below). Comment: Our study is related to but not funded by the project ECAS Baltic: Strategies of ecosystem-friendly coastal protection and ecosystem-supporting coastal adaptation for the German Baltic Sea Coast https://deutsche-kuestenforschung.de/ecas-baltic.html本数据集提供采自阿尔恩斯霍普（Ahrenshoop，波罗的海）沙滩水边线的沉积物样品数据，涵盖粒度与形貌两类参数。本次数据涵盖两个采样批次：T0（2021年9月14日、16日）与T2（2023年9月27日）。阿尔恩斯霍普沙滩共设置5个采样站位（AH01–AH05）。每次采样时，均通过手机上的手持式全球定位系统（Global Positioning System, GPS）应用记录各站位采样点的经纬度坐标。 沉积物样品采自沙滩-海水界面，采样工具为有机玻璃采样管（内径5.4 cm，截面积22.9 cm²）。将采样管插入沉积物至15 cm深度后，将每根采样管切分为三层：0–5 cm、5–10 cm及10–15 cm。本研究中，各站位在T0批次采集2个平行样，T2批次采集3个平行样。经倾析（使用32 μm孔径筛网）后留存的沉积物用于粒度分析。样品中未检测到显著含量的粉砂与黏土。 将沉积物样品置于80℃下烘干24小时。先将每份样品充分混匀以保证沉积物分布均匀，随后使用莱驰PT 100分样器（振动进料型DR 40）进行分样。分样前先过筛去除粒径大于2 mm的颗粒。称取10–15 ml沉积物样品，使用新帕泰克QICPIC动态图像分析仪（进样器：Gradis，出口宽度4.0 mm；进料类型：Vibri；测量范围：M9）获取形貌参数及其分布特征。Sympatec QICPIC分析仪的数据通过PAQXOS v5.1.2软件采集获取。 形貌参数包含长宽比、凸度、伸长率、圆度及球形度的中值。粒径中值[mm]作为额外的粒度参数被纳入分析。粒度分布的百分位值以mm和Ф（Phi粒级单位）两种单位给出。选取部分粒径百分位值用于计算粒度分选系数——图解四分位偏差（QDI），所需百分位值为Ф5、Ф16、Ф84及Ф95。 通过机械筛分得到的粒度数据（不同粒度组分占比）已在前期研究中发表（详见「相关研究」，https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13365183）。 本次沉积物数据集是一项更大规模生态学研究的组成部分，该研究聚焦沙滩小型底栖动物群落的沉积物相关变化，包含元条形码（metabarcoding）分析（详见「相关研究」，https://doi.org/10.3897/mbmg.8.127688）。 若使用本数据集，请引用Kapshyna等人2026年发表的原始文献（引文见文末）。 备注：本研究与ECAS Baltic项目相关，但未获得该项目资助。ECAS Baltic项目全称为「德国波罗的海海岸生态友好型海岸保护与支持生态系统的海岸适应策略」，项目网址：https://deutsche-kuestenforschung.de/ecas-baltic.html