Pacific Marine Energy Center benthic physical conditions, macrofauna, and groundfish abundances
From 2010 to 2015, box core grabs were collected at permanent stations around the Pacific Marine Energy Center - North Energy Test Site (PMEC-NETS) off Newport, Oregon. At each box core station a conductivity, temperature, depth (CTD) cast was conducted. These data include the CTD from the bottom of the cast, sediment grain size analysis, total organic carbon and nitrogen analysis (for the first 3 years only) and macrofaunal organism abundances as retained on a 1 mm mesh sieve. From 2012 to 2015, additional box core grabs were collected around two of the anchors deployed at PMEC-NETS to assess potential changes to sediment conditions and/or organism abundances. From 2013 to 2015, box core samples also were collected in and around the South Energy Test Site (PMEC-SETS). The CTD, grain size, and organism abundances are included. Additionally from 2010 to 2015 beam trawls were conducted at 9 stations (a subset of the box core stations) around PMEC-NETS and CTD casts were conducted before the start of each trawl. Again the CTD data from the bottom of the cast are included. Organism data are fish densities based on the estimated number of meters covered by the trawl. No trawls were conducted at PMEC-SETS.