This Classification Catalog shows example images for all biotic labels used in developing the Antarctic Seafloor Annotated Imagery Database (AS-AID). This catalog represents a snapshot of the database at the time of publication of the associated data-paper. The labels used are based on the Australian Morphospecies Catalog, which is an extension of the CATAMI classification scheme. All underlying data are publicly available on Squidle+ (https://squidle.org). Up to 16 randomly selected images are presented for each classification, alongside a table with the following information: • Found in campaigns: a list of all campaigns in AS-AID in which this organism has been detected • Total annotations: the total number of annotations for this label • VME-taxa: whether this label is identified as a CCAMLR Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem taxa

This dataset contains image annotations for 21 Antarctic research campaigns between 1985 and 2019, recorded as part of the Antarctic Seafloor Annotated Imagery Database (AS-AID). This snapshot of the AS-AID annotations comprises of a total of 632,252 expert annotations. Annotations are based on the Collaborative and Automated Tools for Analysis of Marine Imagery (CATAMI) classification scheme and have been reviewed by experts. Three annotation sets exist for each campaign: point grid annotations of 108 points per image, bounding box annotations for mobile fauna, and bounding box annotations for select benthic species which are classified as Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem species. All annotations are also accessible through Squidle+ by following this persistent link: https://squidle.org/geodata/explore/map?filters=%7B%22platform_ids%22%3A%5B%2222%22%5D%7D This dataset can be used to investigate species distributions, community patterns, provide a reference to assess change through time, and can be used to train algorithms to automatically detect and annotate marine fauna.  

This data is from experiments conducted at IMAS Taroona laboratories on predation of urchins by the Southern Rock Lobster. Four experiment types were conducted, including live urchins, urchin roe and trimmed urchins. This data directly supports the publication https://doi.org/10.1071/MF23140

The data here presented shows the relationship between sea urchin numbers and algal cover in the Western Mediterranean. Data was collected in several underwater surveys using subdivided quadrats. The grazing effect of urchins on the macroalgal community was evaluated.

This dataset contains stable isotope and tracking data from adult female Antarctic fur seal collected at three breeding colonies across the Southern Ocean: • Marion Island (2008–2018) • Bird Island, South Georgia (2008–2012) • Cape Shirreff, South Shetland Islands (2008–2012) The dataset includes: • Stable isotope data from whole blood and whiskers • Compound-specific amino acid isotope data (δ¹⁵NAA) from whole blood • GLS-derived tracking and environmental data Samples were collected from adult female seals captured between February and April prior to winter migration. Whole blood samples provide dietary information integrated over approximately 2–3 months, while sequential whisker sections provide longer-term isotopic records spanning multiple years. Bulk stable isotope values (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) and compound-specific isotope analysis of amino acids (CSIA-AA) provide information on trophic ecology and foraging habitat across multiple temporal scales, from recent feeding behaviour to multi-year dietary histories recorded in whiskers. The dataset also includes light-based geolocation (GLS) tracking data from adult females equipped with geolocator loggers during the inter-breeding migration period. Tracking variables include timestamps (GMT), estimated geographic positions (latitude and longitude), uncertainty metrics, and associated environmental variables such as sea surface temperature (SST) and absolute dynamic topography (ADT), where available.

Biotelemetry devices, including satellite transmitters and archival Global Positioning System (GPS) loggers, were deployed on shy albatrosses, short-tailed shearwaters, and both Australian and long-nosed fur seals. Tags were deployed during the breeding season to maximise data on foraging behaviour and habitat use. This record currently contains tracking data from breeding adult shy albatross (Thalassarche cauta). Additional tracking data from migratory short-tailed shearwater (Ardenna tenuirostris), the endemic Australian fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus), and long-nosed fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri) will be added at a later date. The shy albatross collection includes raw tracking data, and filtered processed tracks fitted with a state space model (Jonsen et al., 2023). These data include the following variables: birdID, breeding phase, tracker type, date/time, locations in latitude and longitude (for both the raw and fitted), and uncertainty metrics.

This metadata record supports the following paper (abstract below): Green, D.B., Bestley, S., McMahon, C.R., Lea, M.A., Harcourt, R.G., Guinet, C. and Hindell, M.A., 2025. Elephant seal dive behaviour responds consistently to changes in foraging success regardless of sex or ocean habitat. PeerJ, 13, p.e20378. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20378 This metadata record links to a Figshare repository that includes the analysis dataset along with workflows (and a readme) for creating it, running the analyses within the paper, and reproducing the figures. A complete record of the seal tracking data supporting this study can be found on the IMOS AODN data portal, along with additional data on depth, temperature and salinity collecetd by the seal tags. This can be accessed through the following URL: https://portal.aodn.org.au/search, and selecting the side tabs: "Biological platforms" --> "land-sea mammals" Paper Abstract Understanding how air-breathing diving animals moderate their dive behaviour when foraging successfully is foundational in the study of their foraging ecology. Yet, this fundamental relationship remains unresolved with previous research pointing to inconsistent relationships, differing nominally according to sex, habitat type and scale. Empirically testing the relationships between dive effort responses and foraging success is further hampered because of challenges obtaining concurrent measures of behavioural responses and foraging success at sea. We compiled a multi-decadal dive dataset from 609 southern elephant seals, including their dive responses (transit rate, and relative dive and surface recovery duration) and buoyancy – changes in which provide an indirect measure of body condition change and foraging success. Using this dataset, we tested how seal dive behaviour alters when foraging remotely at sea. We found that as foraging success increased, seals increased transit (ascent, descent) rates and decreased relative dive durations for a given depth, with no response in surface recovery. Our results were consistent across sexes and foraging habitats, and account for the general effects of buoyancy on dive behaviour. The homogeneity of these findings suggests that there is a general functional response in which elephant seals perform, on average, shorter, steeper dives during periods of successful foraging. Importantly, we can align these results with predictions from the marginal value theorem (MVT), that a forager should remain in a patch only until gains drop below the neighbourhood mean. Our findings have broad-based implications for how ecologists interpret dive responses of wild marine animals, demonstrating the value of seeking independent in situ information on foraging success.