Data Trawler - Survey Details

SS2010_T04    - is a Marine National Facility voyage

Period: 2010-11-02 19:00 to 2010-11-07 21:00 UTC

Duration: 5.08 days

From: Sydney To: Hobart

Region: South Eastern Australian Shelf

Ship: Southern Surveyor [details]

Description: Southern Surveyor Transit Voyage ss2010_t04, Sydney to Hobart. 3-8th November 2010. Scientific Objectives - The focus of this program is to give students a taste of what it is like to live and work on an ocean going research vessel and to expose them to some of the different sampling methods and equipment that are used in biological research programs. The students will have three (quasi) scientific aims, which will contribute to our knowledge about Australian waters, as follows: 1) to characterise the macro-fauna inhabiting a unique geological feature (reef) off the coast of Wollongong; 2) to examine the effect of depth on species composition in Bass Canyon and 3) to examine the trophic relationships between euphausids and larval fish, extending the work of the Taylor cruise (ss2010_v08). To a large extent aims 1 and 2 align with those of Dr Rudy Kloser (CMAR) and complement the piggyback project of Dr Ronald Thresher, which will provide the students with a window into another benthic habitat. For Kloser, the voyage provides an ongoing opportunity to use vessel transit time to complete a national mapping of the upper-mid slope seabed with multi-beam mapping and associated ecological interpretation. The upper-slope and mid-slope seabed 100 m to 1500 m depth range, are regions important for regional marine planning, biodiversity and conservation assessments and fisheries habitat mapping. On this voyage we will use a ongoing and developing piece of equipment, the Benthic Optical Acoustic and Grab sampler (BOAGS), which can survey, by video and acoustically, and selectively sample (surface fired Smith-Macintyre grab) the benthos. The benthic sampling carried out by the students will supplement BOAGS. Conversely and importantly, BOAGS will allow the students to survey a much broader area and ensure the correct gear is deployed, thereby increasing their exposure to deep sea fauna. In addition, depending on what is obtained, some of the benthic material collected (macro f

Leader: S Holmes (USYD)

Project: National Facility External Users: S. Holmes (University of Sydney) [details]