The Southern Ocean Radiolarian (SO-RAD) dataset: a new compilation of modern radiolarian census data

Abstract. Radiolarians (holoplanktonic protozoa) preserved in marine sediments are commonly used as palaeoclimate proxies for reconstructing past Southern Ocean environments. Generating reconstructions of climate based on microfossil abundances, such radiolarians, requires a spatially and environmentally comprehensive reference dataset modern census counts. The Radiolarian (SO-RAD) includes counts 238 radiolarian taxa from 228 surface sediment samples located the Atlantic, Indian, southwest Pacific sectors Ocean. This compilation is largest derived SO-RAD may be palaeoceanographic reconstructions, or studying biogeography species diversity. As well describing data collection collation, we include recommendations guidelines cleaning subsetting users unfamiliar with procedures typically by community. available to download https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.929903 (Lawler et al., 2021).