Percy Sladen Trust Expeditions to the Abrolhos Islands
Encyclopedia
The Percy Sladen Trust Expeditions to the Abrolhos Islands were two scientific expeditions, conducted in 1913 and 1915 under the leadership of Professor William John Dakin and funded by the Percy Sladen Trust. These expeditions conducted extensive research into the natural history of the Houtman Abrolhos
, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean
off the coast of Western Australia
.
The first expedition lasted for three weeks from November 1913; the expedition members were Dakin and Wilfred Alexander. The pair undertook shore collecting, biological observations on various islands, some geological observations, and dredging in the lagoon
s and between the island groups. The resultand collections and observations were sufficiently important to warrant a second visit, and accordingly a second expedition was funded. The second expedition lasted for four weeks from October 1915; this time Dakin's companion was A. Cayzer. More hydrographic equipment was carried the second time, and a great deal of time was spent in dredging.
The Percy Sladen Trust expeditions were only the second scientific expeditions to the islands, the first being a visit by William Saville-Kent
in the 1890s. The expeditions ultimately contributed substantially to published information on the biota of the archipelago. Publications that stemmed from the expedition are as follows:
Despite this large list of papers, not all of the collected specimens were written up; for example, of the molluscs collected, only the opisthobranchs were written up.
Houtman Abrolhos
The Houtman Abrolhos is a chain of 122 islands, and associated coral reefs, in the Indian Ocean off the west coast of Australia. Nominally located at , it lies about eighty kilometres west of Geraldton, Western Australia...
, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
off the coast of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
The first expedition lasted for three weeks from November 1913; the expedition members were Dakin and Wilfred Alexander. The pair undertook shore collecting, biological observations on various islands, some geological observations, and dredging in the lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
s and between the island groups. The resultand collections and observations were sufficiently important to warrant a second visit, and accordingly a second expedition was funded. The second expedition lasted for four weeks from October 1915; this time Dakin's companion was A. Cayzer. More hydrographic equipment was carried the second time, and a great deal of time was spent in dredging.
The Percy Sladen Trust expeditions were only the second scientific expeditions to the islands, the first being a visit by William Saville-Kent
William Saville-Kent
William Saville-Kent was an English marine biologist.Born in Sidmouth, Devon, his childhood was marred by the death of his mother, the murder of his half-brother and conviction of his sister Constance to twenty years in prison...
in the 1890s. The expeditions ultimately contributed substantially to published information on the biota of the archipelago. Publications that stemmed from the expedition are as follows:
Despite this large list of papers, not all of the collected specimens were written up; for example, of the molluscs collected, only the opisthobranchs were written up.