Abstract:

Depth-discrete and surface plankton samples were collected during CONCORDE cruise PTS01 (October 28th-November 5th, 2015) using two gear types: a Bedford Institute of Oceanography Net Environmental Sampling System (BIONESS) and a Neuston. The BIONESS (0.25 m2 opening) is a depth-discrete sampler that was fitted with 333-µm mesh nets and 202-µm mesh nets and the Neuston (1 x 2 m frame) was fitted with a 505-µm mesh net that sampled at the air-sea interface. Biological samples were collected generally between the 15 and 40 m depth contours between the Chandeleur Islands and the Alabama/Florida border to assess the horizontal and vertical distribution, species composition, and abundance of zooplankton and ichthyoplankton under low freshwater discharge conditions characteristic of the Fall.

Suggested Citation:

Hernandez, Frank, Culpepper, Carla, Deary, Alison. 2017. Zooplankton abundance and distribution from the middle corridor and mixing array region of the Point Sur (PTS01) cruise track, northern Gulf of Mexico, October-November 2015. Distributed by: Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative Information and Data Cooperative (GRIIDC), Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/N7XP730K

Purpose:

Zooplankton and ichthyoplankton were collected to estimate their abundance and distribution in relation to biological and physical factors associated with freshwater discharge. In addition, specimens from plankton net samples are used to confirm or support ISIIS identifications.

Data Parameters and Units:

Cruise, Sample Date (UTC), Station, Gear, Tow #, Sample ID, Net #, Depth Bin (m), Depth Bin Category, Mesh Size (um), Swept Volume (m3), Plankton Displacement Vol (ml), Individual count (Actinula larvae, Amphipod, Anthozoan larvae, Ascidian larvae, Barnacle cyprid, Barnacle nauplii, Bivalve larvae, Brachiopoda (lingula larva), Calanoid copepod, Cephalopod, Chaetognath, Cladoceran, Copepod nauplii, Crab megalopa, Crab zoea, Ctenophores (larval), Cumacean, Cyclopoid copepod, Doliolid, Echinoderm, Ectoprocta (Bryozoa larvae), Ephyra, Euphausiid , Gastropod larvae, Harpacticoid copepod, Heteropod, Hydroid polyps, Hydromedusae, Isopod, Juvenile Crab, Lancelet, Larvacean, Stomatopods, Lobster larvae, Mysid shrimp, Nematoda, Nemertean pilidium, Nudibranchs, Ostracod, Other decapod, Parasitic copepod, Phoronida (actinotroch larvae), Platyhelminthes (flatworms), Polychaete larvae (trochophores), Polychaete, Pteropod, Pycnogonids, Salps, Scyphomedusae, Siphonophore, Sipunculid, Stomatopod, Tornaria Larvae, Unidentified organisms) Tow Number Sample Date (UTC) Station Depth (m) Start Time (UTC) Start Latitude Start Longitude End Time (UTC) End Latitude End Longitude 003 10/29/2015 MCORR 17.5 13:01 30.1286667 -88.1237167 13:48 30.0994000 -88.1245167 006 10/30/2015 MCORR 17.9 13:15 29.1276000 -88.1246833 13:40 30.1141333 -88.1270167 007 10/30/2015 MCORR 42.9 21:21 29.5686000 -88.1347667 21:46 29.5611333 -88.1503500 011 11/1/2015 MCORR 17.9 12:06 30.1260833 -88.1255000 12:24 30.1155667 -88.1250000 012 11/1/2015 MCORR 17.9 12:48 30.1282500 -88.1247500 13:06 30.1168167 -88.1238667 013 11/1/2015 MCORR 39.0 20:49 29.6277667 -88.1343333 21:14 29.6030000 -88.1397500 014 11/1/2015 MCORR 39.8 21:39 29.5988333 -88.1462833 22:06 29.5864167 -88.1531333 018 11/4/2015 A2 ARRAY 62.0 14:04 29.2581333 -88.8030167 14:51 29.2768833 -88.8165000 019 11/4/2015 A6 ARRAY 57.0 22:09 29.3439833 -88.6424667 23:06 29.3688167 -88.6699667 020 11/5/2015 A3 ARRAY 28.0 8:20 29.3679000 -88.8493833 9:16 29.3386167 -88.8666000 021 11/5/2015 A7 ARRAY 18.0 12:35 29.3243833 -88.9712333 13:42 29.3222833 -88.9340167 022 11/5/2015 A4 ARRAY 64.0 15:22 29.2832167 -88.7060000 16:18 29.2963833 -88.6792667

Publications:

Dzwonkowski, B., Greer, A. T., Briseño-Avena, C., Krause, J. W., Soto, I. M., Hernandez, F. J., … Graham, W. M. (2017). Estuarine influence on biogeochemical properties of the Alabama shelf during the fall season. Continental Shelf Research, 140, 96–109. doi:10.1016/j.csr.2017.05.001

Parra, S. M., Greer, A. T., Book, J. W., Deary, A. L., Soto, I. M., Culpepper, C., … Miles, T. N. (2019). Acoustic detection of zooplankton diel vertical migration behaviors on the northern Gulf of Mexico shelf. Limnology and Oceanography. doi:10.1002/lno.11171

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