A total of 19 stations were sampled between August and October 2011 onboard the Canadian research icebreaker CCGS Amundsen. Two stations were sampled both in August and October to assess seasonal variability in stable isotope composition. At each station, a USNEL box corer (0.25 m2) was deployed to collect seafloor sediments for the determination of stable isotope composition and pigment (Chl a + phaeopigments) concentrations. From each box core, surface sediments (upper 1 cm) were sampled as three sub-cores using a 60 ml disposable syringe (2.6 cm diameter with a cut off anterior end). Sediment samples were immediately frozen at -20 °C for stable isotope analysis and at -80 °C for pigment analysis.
Megabenthic invertebrates were principally collected with an Agassiz trawl (effective opening of 1.5 m and a net mesh size of 40 mm, with a 5 mm cod end liner) with average trawling time and speed of 5 min and 1.5 knots, respectively. At three stations, invertebrates were collected with the box corer. Trawl and box corer catches were washed over a 2 mm sieve under running sea water onboard and 1 to 3 individuals of the most abundant community representatives were collected at each station. Specimens were frozen immediately at -80 °C and identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level in the lab.
