The objectives of this study were (i) to repeat the surveys carried out in earlier expeditions to the Weddell Sea to assess the dynamics of Antarctic benthic communities, and (ii) to explore the shelf ice "hanging gardens" discovered in Drescher Inlet in other parts of the Weddell Sea in relation to potential factors governing the "seeding" of the shelf-ice with benthic organisms (e.g. rising platelet ice) and food supply (e.g. tidal currents).