Collection Data

Page Contents: Section | Significance | Background | Location & Dates | Taxonomic Contents | Documentation | Description of Collection | Collection Inventory | Collection Assets

Arabian Sea Collection 1994

Section Responsible for Processing

MBC

Significance

The Arabian Sea in the north-western Indian Ocean is believed to be globally significant as far as biogeochemical fluxes are concerned. "The seasonal reversal of winds leads to strong seasonal upwelling of nutrient-rich water from the depths along the narrow continental shelf resulting in high surface productivity and high export particle flux from the euphotic zone (Quasim, 1982; Sen Gupta and Naqvi, 1984; Nair et al., 1989)." Understanding the relationship between the deep-sea benthic system and the upper ocean processes is essential in forming a comprehensive view of the biogeochemical cycling in the Arabian Sea.

Background

The R. R. S. "Discovery" Cruise 211 was funded by the U.K. Natural Environment Research Council in a grant to J. D. Gage and the subsequent research was funded by both NERC (Research Grant GR3/8927) and the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) at the Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory.
Selected publications resulting from this collection include:

Boetius, A., K. Lochte, 2000. Regional variation of total microbial biomass in sediments of the deep Arabian Sea. Deep-Sea Research II 47: 149-168.

Cook, A. A., P. J. D. Lambshead, L. E. Hawkins, N. Mitchell, L. A. Levin, 2000. Nematode abundance at the oxygen minimum zone in the Arabian Sea. Deep-Sea Research II 47 : 75-85.

Creasey, S., A. Rogers, P. Tyler, D. Jollivet, 2000. Genetic and morphometric comparisons of squat lobster, Munidopsis scobina (Decapoda: Anomura: Galatheidae) populations, with notes on the phylogeny of the genus Munidopsis. Deep-Sea Research II 47 : 87-118.

Gage, J. D., L. A. Levin, G. A. Wolff, 2000. Benthic process in the deep Arabian Sea: introduciton and overview. Deep-Sea Research II 47: 1-7.

Gooday, A. J., B. J. Bett, S. S. Bowser, C. R. Smith, 2000. A large testae protist, Gromia sphaerica sp. nov. (Order Filosea), from the bathyal Arabian Sea, 2000. Deep-Sea Research II 47: 55-73.

Gooday, A. J., J. M. Bernhard, L. A. Levin, S. B. Suhr, 2000. Foraminifera in the Arabian Sea oxygen minimum zone and other oxygen-deficient settings: taxonomic composition, diversity, and relation to metazoan faunas. Deep-Sea Research II 47 : 25-54.

Koppelmann, R., P. Schafer, R. Schiebel, 2000. Organic carbon losses measured by heterotrophic activity of mesozooplankton and CaCO3 flux in the bathypelagic zone of the Arabian Sea. Deep-Sea Research II 47 : 169-187.

Lamont, P. A., J. D. Gage, 2000. Morphological responses of macrobenthic polychaetes to low oxygen on the Oman continental slope, NW Arabian Sea. Deep-Sea Research II 47 : 9-24.

Levin, L. A., J. D. Gage, C. Martin, P. A. Lamont, 2000. Macrobenthic community structure within and beneath the oxygen minimum zone, NW Arabian Sea. Deep-Sea Research II 47: 189-226.

Meadows, A., P. S. Meadows, F. J. C. West, J. M. H. Murray, 2000. Bioturbation, geochemistry and geotechnics of sediments affected by the oxygen minimum zone on the Oman continental slope and abyssal plain, Arabian Sea. Deep-Sea Research II 47 : 259-280.

Murray, J. M. H., P. S. Meadows, A. Meadows, F. J. C. West, D. M. Wood, 2000. Micro-scale geotechnical variability in continental slope and abyssal sediments influenced by the oxygen minimum zone in the Arabian Sea. Deep-Sea Research II 47 : 281-301.

Ramalingeswara Rao, B., M. Veerayya, 2000. Influence of marginal highs on the accumulation of organic carbon along the continental slope off western India. Deep-Sea Research II 47 : 303-327.

Rogers, A. D., 2000. The role of the oceanic oxygen minima in generating biodiversity in the deep sea. Deep-Sea Research II 47 : 119-148.

Smallwood, B. J., G. A. Wolff, 2000. Molecular characterization of organic matter in sediments underlying the oxygen minimum zone at the Oman Margin, Arabian Sea. Deep-Sea Research II 47 : 353-375.

Smith, C.R., L.A. Levin, D.J. Hoover, G. McMurtry, J.D. Gage, 2000. Variations in bioturbation across the oxygen minimum zone in the NW Arabian Sea. Deep-Sea Research II 47: 227-257.

Suthhof, A., T. C. Jennerjahn, P. Schafer, V. Ittekkot, 2000. Nature of organic matter in surface sediments from the Pakistan continental margin and the deep Arabian Sea: amino acids. Deep-Sea Research II 47: 329-351.

Collection Location and Dates

The study area is the northwestern Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, along the continental margin off southern Oman and the adjacent Owen Basin. Samples were collected on a five week cruise on the R. R. S. Discovery, Cruise 211, during the months of October and November 1994. Samples were taken at various depths (from 50 to 3400 meters), and lay on a transect that ran through the oxygen minimum zone (OZM). Many of the papers produced from this study, focus on the effects the OZM has on the biogeochemical, ecological, and genetic factors of the environment.

Taxonomic Contents

Collecting emphasis was mostly on meiofauna.

Documentation

Papers pertaining to this study can be found in the journal, Deep-Sea Research II volume 47 (2000). Copies of these papers are in the NHMLAC Polychaete office.

Description of Collection

The bulk of this collection is unsorted material preserved in 10% formalin, later transferred to 70% ethanol. There are 102 jars of identified polychaetes, some containing multiple vials. Fifty jars each containing multiple jars are unidentified taxa. An additional 380 jars contain meiofauna. The collection is housed at the NHMLAC Polychaete Collection Room.

Collection Inventory

All lots are comprised of fine, silty sediment. Jar inventory is as follows:
16 - 32oz.,
54 -16 oz.,
132 - 6 oz., and
127 - 4 oz. jars.

Collection Assets

Date View or Retrieve File Information
12/10/2014 Retrieve [860.0 kB] Smith, C.R., L.A. Levin, D.J. Hoover, G. McMurtry, J.D. Gage. 2000. Variation in biodturbation across the oxygen minimum zone in the northwest Arabian Sea. Deep-See Research II, 47: 227-257.
12/10/2014 Retrieve [216.6 kB] Lamont, PA. and J.D. Gage. 2000. Morphologial responses of macrobenthic polychaetes to low oxygen on the Oman continental slope, NW Arabian Sea. Deep-Sea Research II, 47: 9-24.
12/10/2014 Retrieve [495.8 kB] Levin, L.A., J.D. Gage, C. Martin, P.A. Lamont. Macrobenthic community structur within and beneath the oxygen minimum zone, NW Arabian Sea. Deep-Sea Research II, 47: 189-226.
12/10/2014 Retrieve [72.0 kB] Gage, J.D., L.A. Levin, G.A. Wolff. 2000. Benthic processes in the deep Arabian Sea: introduction and overview. Deep-Sea Research II, 47: 1-7.
12/10/2014 Retrieve [256.1 kB] Gooday, A.J., J.M. Bernhard, L.A. Levin, S.B. Suhr. 2000. Foraminifera in the Arabian Sea oxygen minimum zone and other oxygen-deficient settings: taxonomic composition, diversity, and relation to metazoan faunsa. Deep-Sea Research II, 47: 25-54.
08/02/2009 Retrieve [22.0 kB] Excel spreadsheet file from L. Harris.
05/08/2008 View [2080.7 kB] Unsorted sediment in museum-grade glassware. Photo by K. Omura.
11/15/2001 View [988.4 kB] Unsorted samples presently shelved in Polychaete Collection Room.

Curatorial Status (Click to view)