Abstract:

The data submitted here are the result of a 27-month field study and concurrent quarterly nutrient addition bioassays. For the field study, data were generated from 59 sampling events across 6 sites representing an estuarine-nutrient gradient. This dataset includes nutrient, physical-chemical, and phytoplankton community data and was used to quantitatively describe drivers of environmental conditions and the influence of environmental conditions on phytoplankton community dynamics. For the nutrient addition bioassays, data were generated from four experiments conducted in July 2017, October 2017, January 2018, and May 2018, aimed at determining the role of pulsed nitrogen inputs in driving phytoplankton growth and community dynamics. This dataset includes nutrient, physical-chemical, and phytoplankton community data from the initial water collection, and nutrient and phytoplankton data from experimental time points (T0, T24 hr, T48 hr).

Suggested Citation:

Tominack, Sarah A., Kenneth C. Hayes and Michael S. Wetz. 2021. Physical, chemical, and biological data for the quantitative description of phytoplankton dynamics in Corpus Christi Bay, Texas from 2016-08-04 through 2018-10-31. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/NCPYG0DH

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to quantify phytoplankton community dynamics, environmental drivers, and short-term (48 hour) phytoplankton community response to pulsed nitrogen inputs.

Data Parameters and Units:

Chlorophyll a (µg/L), Bacterial Abundance (cells/mL), Dissolved Organic Carbon (µM/L), Total Dissolved Nitrogen (µM/L), Total Organic Carbon (µM/L), Total Nitrogen (µM/L), Ammonium (µM/L), Nitrate + Nitrite (µM/L), Nitrite (µM/L), Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen (µM/L), Dissolved Organic Nitrogen (µM/L), Ortho-Phosphate (µM/L), Silicate (µM/L), Conductivity (µS/cm), Salinity (na), Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L), Dissolved Oxygen Saturation (%), pH (na), Temperature (°C), Total Depth (m), Secchi Disc Depth (m), Stratification Index (na), Secchi % Total Depth (m), Days Since Last Rainfall (days), Days Since Last Rainfall > 0.1 inch (days), phytoplankton biovolume (µm^3/mL), phytoplankton abundance (cells/mL) Empty cells represent non-existent data. BDL values are denoted by bdl (0.02 µM for nitrate + nitrite, and 0.005 µM for phosphate). Example R scripts for statistical analyses and data wrangling are also included. The version of R used for this study was 3.5.2.

Methods:

For the field study portion, data were collected from six sites throughout the Corpus Christi Bay system across 27 months. Sampling occurred weekly during the fall, twice monthly during the spring and summer, and once monthly during the winter. At each event, physical-chemical parameters were measured with a YSI and grab samples were taken from the water surface (upper ~20 cm of the water column). For the experimental portion, data were collected during four nutrient addition bioassays conducted during the summer, fall, spring, and winter (one each season). Experimental time points were initial water collection, T0 following nutrient amendments, T24, and T48 hours.

Individual Files: