Piston core PS1506, a repeat of core PS1387, was collected from a midslope bench on the continental margin on the southern limb of the Weddell Gyre in the vicinity of cores PS1388 and PS1389. At these core sites in the Weddell Sea, polynyas enabled continuous primary productivity and benthic life during glacial periods. PS1506 is situated at 2426 m water depth. The core is beneath the depth of the average modern saturation horizon based on the carbonate chemistry of eastern Weddell Sea waters but above the local CCD (carbonate compensation depth).

Dredge sampling was carried out aboard the James Clark Ross (cruise no JR77 ) during Feb and Mar 2004. The dredge target area was along the eastern segments of the West Scotia Ridge, an ocean spreading centre which stopped spreading about 10 million years ago. The spreading centre has high topographic relief and contains an axial rift, which has flanks that are suitable for dredging. The plan was to map the spreading centre using the swath bathymetry system, and then to use this map to locate the best dredging sites. Thirteen dredges were successful in recovering oceanic rocks of mixed sizes, up to and including very large boulders and dredge paths of up to 1 km were followed.

Biological tissue samples from octopus species collected from the Southern Ocean, James Clark Ross cruise no. JR147/145. A large collection of tissue samples from deep sea and Antarctic target groups had already been collected in previous cruises. The specific objective of this cruise was to target three species of octopus, Pareledone charcoti (peak abundance 100m depth), Pareledone turqueti (peak abundance 100-200m) and Adelieledone polymorpha (peak abundance 250-350m), for the micro-evolution (i.e. population genetics) component of the project. Most of the octopuses were captured with an otter trawl, due to its relatively large sampling area and the fact that it can be trawled quickly (4 knots) which prevents octopuses from swimming out of it.

DNA sequencing data from octopus samples collected in the Southern Ocean. A small tissue sample was taken from the mantle of each octopus and placed immediately in 70 - 80 % ethanol for preservation, in preparation for DNA extraction.

Genetic profiling data relating to studies on Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba, that document the sequence of expression of genes over the moult cycle and the spatial-temporal expression of clock genes. This work was carried out to examine rhythmic behaviour patterns in this species - namely diel vertical migration and the moult cycle - and the functioning of the genes that underlie these behaviours. Circadian entrainment experiments were carried out twice during the Discovery 2010 summer cruise (cruise no JR177) using krill caught in nets at latitudes of 60S and 52S. Krill samples from each net were processed and preserved for subequent analysis using molecular biology technique to isolate canonical clock genes.