Abstract:

This dataset contains neuston ichthyoplankton data collected on board the R/V F.G. Walton Smith during Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Plankton Survey Walton Smith 4 (WS4) in the Gulf of Mexico from 2011-04-21 to 2011-05-26. This survey (WS4, chief scientist: Malinda Sutor) was part of a series of NRDA cruises conducted in 2010 and 2011 to evaluate the distribution and densities of ichthyoplankton and other zooplankton in northern Gulf of Mexico waters potentially affected by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (DWHOS). The dataset includes the original data (for reference only - unedited, as received from NRDA) and clean data (for analysis – edited, QC and non-pertinent parameters removed). Datasets include sampling event data (e.g., time, latitude, longitude, depth, volume filtered) and specimen data (e.g., taxonomic identification, length, number of individuals).

Suggested Citation:

Zapfe, Carley, Verena Wang, and Frank Hernandez. 2019. Neuston ichthyoplankton data collected during NRDA Plankton Survey Walton Smith 4 (WS4) in the northern Gulf of Mexico from 2011-04-21 to 2011-05-26 on board the R/V F.G. Walton Smith Cruise WS1107. Distributed by: Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative Information and Data Cooperative (GRIIDC), Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/n7-cj8g-bh71

Purpose:

This data was collected as part of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) response to the 2010 MC252 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Taxonomic data were acquired from the Deepwater Horizon Plankton Assessment Archive (DWHPAA).

Data Parameters and Units:

Archive number (number assigned to the sample in the Deepwater Horizon Plankton Assessment Archive, typically one archive number per field sample id), cruise name, cruise number, station id (B# stations are from the NOAA SEAMAP Grid), DayNightSample (time of day associated with the sample where D (day) is 1 hour after sunrise to 1 hour before sunset, N (night) is 1 hour post-sunset to 1 hour pre-sunrise), DeepShallowSample (general depths targeted by MOCNESS tow, where S is shallow (0-160 m) and D is deep (0-1500+ m)), field sample id (unique identifier for each depth discrete net sample within the neuston tow), sample date (MM/DD/YY), sample date start (MM/DD/YY), sample date end (MM/DD/YY), sample time (hh:mm:ss am/pm, local time), tow start time (hh:mm:ss am/pm, local time), tow end time (hh:mm:ss am/pm, local time), upper depth (m), lower depth (m), maximum deployment depth (m), volume (volume of water filtered through the net, m^3), volume source (source of volume number such as MOCNESS instrument file), StartLat (start latitude of tow, decimal degrees), StartLon (start longitude of tow, decimal degrees), EndLat (end latitude of tow, decimal degrees), EndLon (end longitude of tow, decimal degrees), latitude (target coordinates, not actual sampling coordinates), longitude (target coordinates, not actual sampling coordinates), sampling notes, flow meter start (starting number on the flowmeter), flow meter end (ending number on the flowmeter), filter method (gear/net type used), sample_taxon_id (unique identifier for the taxonomic sample, field sample id + sort category + unique identifier), sort_category (sample type, where I = ichthyoplankton < 25 mm, I25 = ichthyoplankton > 25mm, and N = nekton), taxon (lowest taxonomic identification), aliquot (portion of the field sample quantified for ichthyoplankton specimens), displacement_volume (displacement volume of the field sample, ml), number_of_vials (number of vials containing specimens from taxonomic sample), description (life stage assigned to specimen at time of identification), min_meas (smallest specimen measurement, mm), max_meas (largest specimen measurement, mm), RND1-10 (measurements taken of randomly selected specimens, mm), measured_count (number of specimens measured), not_measured_count (number of specimens not measured), total specimens (total number of specimens in the vial), identifier comments, rank (lowest taxonomic level of the identification taxon name), kingdom, phylum, subphylum, superclass, class, subclass, infraclass, superorder, order, suborder, superfamily, family, subfamily, tribe, genus, species. Please note the above data parameters and units are for the clean data (edited – QC and non-pertinent parameters removed). The dataset also contains the original data (unedited – as received from NRDA), where additional parameters are available. All definitions and headers are included in the read me file. Blank cells indicate that data was not available.

Methods:

Data were acquired from the Deepwater Horizon Plankton Assessment Archive (DWHPAA) and National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). The dataset authors are curating the deep-pelagic plankton data for analysis and were not part of the sample collection effort. To obtain further original data not included in this dataset (i.e., additional gear types and sort categories) please email nmfs.sec.mslabs.dwhpaa@noaa.gov. Original data were received as multiple Microsoft Access database files (e.g., field data, taxonomic data). Files were joined, filtered by cruise, gear (Neuston), and sort category (i.e., fishes - ichthyoplankton and nekton). Original NRDA data as received from DWHPAA (post-format/filter) are included in this dataset for reference only. Clean NRDA data have undergone QC by the dataset authors. Data have been reviewed and edited for accuracy (e.g., corrections to depth, volume, latitude, and longitude based on Neuston files and cruise plans). Samples without corresponding volume data were considered non-quantitative and were removed from the dataset.

Instruments:

1x2 m Neuston frame outfitted with a .950mm mesh net.

Provenance and Historical References:

Data provided in this dataset are generated from the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Plankton Processing Plan. Stations sampled are on the Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (SEAMAP) Gulf of Mexico grid.

Individual Files: