Distribution of macrobenthic communities of the coastal marine ecosystem of Chrysi island (Crete, Greece, Spring 2023)

This study is the first to examine the species composition and population density of macrobenthic communities living in soft-bottom sediments within the sublittoral zone surrounding Chryssi and Mikronisi islands. Data were gathered from sediment samples taken during a baseline survey conducted between April 23rd and May 1st, 2023. A grid of eleven sampling stations was established around the two islands, covering water depths of roughly 10 to 30 meters, with samples collected using a Smith–McIntyre grab (0.1 m²). The sediments were predominantly coarse-to-medium and fine-to-very-fine sand, a characteristic linked to the intense hydrodynamic activity found on both the northern and southern sides of the islands. The resulting dataset offers an evaluation of soft-bottom macrobenthic community structure in the region, and forms part of a broader environmental baseline assessment conducted around Chryssi and Mikronisi islands under the project #34;Implementation of the Action Plan Measures for Chryssi Island,#34; funded by the Region of Crete / Sub-Regional Unit of Lasithi.

Default

IdentificationAbout this resource

Alternate Identifier

10.25607/5iced5

Alternate Identifier
https://ipt.medobis.eu/resource?r=chrysi-macrobenthos-2023
Publication Date
2026-03-17
Title

Distribution of macrobenthic communities of the coastal marine ecosystem of Chrysi island (Crete, Greece, Spring 2023)

Abstract

This study is the first to examine the species composition and population density of macrobenthic communities living in soft-bottom sediments within the sublittoral zone surrounding Chryssi and Mikronisi islands. Data were gathered from sediment samples taken during a baseline survey conducted between April 23rd and May 1st, 2023. A grid of eleven sampling stations was established around the two islands, covering water depths of roughly 10 to 30 meters, with samples collected using a Smith–McIntyre grab (0.1 m²). The sediments were predominantly coarse-to-medium and fine-to-very-fine sand, a characteristic linked to the intense hydrodynamic activity found on both the northern and southern sides of the islands. The resulting dataset offers an evaluation of soft-bottom macrobenthic community structure in the region, and forms part of a broader environmental baseline assessment conducted around Chryssi and Mikronisi islands under the project #34;Implementation of the Action Plan Measures for Chryssi Island,#34; funded by the Region of Crete / Sub-Regional Unit of Lasithi.

Dataset Language

ENGLISH

 
Dataset Creator
Dataset Creator
Dataset Creator
Metadata Provider
Associated Party
Associated Party

CUSTODIAN_STEWARD
  Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research - Dimitra Mavraki (Data manager)

Thalassocosmos, Former American Base

,

Heraklion

,

Crete

,

71003

,

GREECE

Dataset Contact
Keywords (GBIF Dataset Type Vocabulary: http://rs.gbif.org/vocabulary/gbif/dataset_type_2015-07-10.xml)

  • Samplingevent

Keywords (none)

  • macrobenthos

Keywords (none)

  • soft-bottoms

Keywords (none)

  • Chryssi island

Keywords (none)

  • protected marine ecosystem

Keywords (none)

  • Mediterranean Sea

Keywords (GBIF Dataset Subtype Vocabulary: http://rs.gbif.org/vocabulary/gbif/dataset_subtype.xml)

  • Specimen

Geographic Coverage

Geographic Description

Chrysi Island, Crete, Greece

Bounding Box

West Bounding Coordinate

25.568

East Bounding Coordinate

25.862

North Bounding Coordinate

34.965

South Bounding Coordinate

34.789

Temporal Coverage

Range of Dates

Begin Date

2023-04-26

End Date

2023-05-01

Taxonomic Coverage

Taxonomic Classification

Taxonomic Rank Name

Phylum

Taxonomic Rank Value

Mollusca

Taxonomic Classification

Taxonomic Rank Name

Phylum

Taxonomic Rank Value

Arthropoda

Taxonomic Classification

Taxonomic Rank Name

Phylum

Taxonomic Rank Value

Annelida

Taxonomic Classification

Taxonomic Rank Name

Phylum

Taxonomic Rank Value

Echinodermata

resourceLicensesLicense Information

Intellectual Rights

This work is licensed under a

Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License

.

Resource License

License Name

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

URL
https://spdx.org/licenses/CC-BY-4.0.html
Identifier

CC-BY-4.0

 

Distribution

Online

URL
https://ipt.medobis.eu/archive.do?r=chrysi-macrobenthos-2023
 

Additional Metadata

Metadata

GBIF Metadata Block

Date Stamp

2026-04-14T08:24:01Z

Citation

Maidanou M, Chatzigeorgiou G, Koulouri P (2026). Distribution of macrobenthic communities of the coastal marine ecosystem of Chrysi island (Crete, Greece, Spring 2023). Hellenic Center for Marine Research. Sampling event dataset https://doi.org/10.25607/5iced5 accessed via GBIF.org on 2026-04-14.

Logo URL
http://ipt.medobis.eu/logo.do?r=egyptexpeditionbryozoa
Collection

Distribution of macrobenthic communities of the coastal marine ecosystem of Chrysi island (Crete, Greece, Spring 2023).

Speciment Preservation Method

ALCOHOL

 

Project

• Project

Title

Implementation of the Action Plan Measures for Chryssi Island, Region of Crete/sub-regional Unit of Lasithi.

Personnel

Individual Name

Given Name

Maria

Surname

Maidanou

Role

AUTHOR

Personnel

Individual Name

Given Name

Georgios

Surname

Chatzigeorgiou

Role

CONTENT_PROVIDER

Personnel

Individual Name

Given Name

Panayota

Surname

Koulouri

Role

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Abstract
Funding

Region of Crete / sub-regional Unit of Lasithi

Study Area Description

Descriptor

A grid of eleven stations, Chryssi island, (Crete, Greece)

Design Description

Description

This study aimed to enhance understanding of the structure and spatial variability of soft-bottom macrobenthic communities around the marine area of Chryssi and Mikronisi Islands.

 
 

Methods

• Method

Method Step

Description

"1) Macrofauna

one replicate per station



2) Water Column Analysis

Parameters: photosynthetic pigments, organic carbon, and nutrients



3) CTD Profiling

In situ measurements of temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR)



4) Sediment Analysis

one replicate per station

Parameters: granulometry, photosynthetic pigments, organic carbon and in situ measurements of redox potential and temperature. "

Sampling

Study Extent

A grid of 11 stations at Chryssi island was established to assess the qualitative and quantitative composition of the main macrobenthic faunal groups inhabiting soft-bottom substrates.

Sampling Description

At each station, one sediment sample was collected using a quantitative Smith–McIntyre grab with a sampling surface of 0.1 m². The location of each station was recorded with a FURUNO SFN-70 satellite navigator, and water depth was measured using a SIMRAD K-400 echo sounder of the research vessel PHILIA of the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR). Samples were sieved on board through a 0.5 mm mesh and preserved in 75% ethanol buffered with seawater. Back to the laboratory, macrobenthic organisms were extracted from the sediment, counted, and identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level using both a stereoscope and a microscope.

qualityControl

Description

All samples were processed following a consistent protocol, and species identifications were cross-validated by expert taxonomists. Data management adhered to the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable), ensuring that both metadata and datasets were machine-actionable and appropriately connected through persistent identifiers and established community standards (Wilkinson et al., 2016). Taxonomic and occurrence data were standardized using Darwin Core terms, a globally recognized framework for structuring and exchanging biodiversity information (Wieczorek et al., 2012). Scientific names were harmonized through the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) using the Taxon Match tool (WoRMS Editorial Board, 2025). Additional measurements and contextual information were standardized using controlled vocabularies from the NERC Vocabulary Server, improving interoperability across marine data repositories (BODC, 2025). Finally, the dataset underwent validation with the LifeWatch EMODnet Biology Quality Control Tool (Perez et al., 2024), which assesses Darwin Core Archive files against EMODnet Biology data quality criteria.