Abstract:

This dataset contains fine-scale zooplankton interactions and life-stage distributions obtained aboard the R/V Point Sur, PTS03, south of Perdido Bay on 2016-07-26. The data were collected from an in-situ imaging system deployed in the northern Gulf of Mexico along a transect. The imagery data were analyzed for life stage (doliolids) and different types of ecological interactions (Liriope spp and chaetognaths) to generate fine-scale maps of where different life stages or interactions were occurring. The accompanying R code (InteractionsPaperAnalysis.r) shows how the data were processed to generate figures for visualization and statistical tests. All examples of different interactions and regions of interest (ROI) from the raw in situ images are included in the dataset. Each ROI has the date and local time from when it was collected following this pattern: ID_Plankton_YYYYMMDDHHMMSS.SSS_Image#_xposition_yposition_width_height. The timestamp hours, minutes, seconds (to 1000ths) indicate the timestamp of the first image in a stack of a maximum of 430 images. The Image# and the timestamp can be used to calculate the exact time stamp of each image, using the number of seconds of data covered in a given stack of 430 images (25.165 seconds). The timestamp of each individual ROI (from the file name and Image#) can be used to match with the oceanographic data collected by the sensors on the imaging system. See the accompanying R code for how this was conducted. Cruise was led by chief scientist Dr. Christian Briseno-Avena.

Suggested Citation:

Greer, Adam and Luciano Chiaverano. 2021. Fine-scale zooplankton interactions and life-stage distributions obtained aboard the R/V Point Sur, PTS03, south of Perdido Bay on 2016-07-26. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/TNP55PE8

Purpose:

In-situ imagery data was collected and analyzed to identify information about ecological interactions or life stage-specific distributions when classifying to various life stages (doliolids) or examining different interactions detected within the images, specifically for Liriope spp., hydromedusae and chaetognaths.

Data Parameters and Units:

The chief scientist was Dr. Christian Briseño-Avena. Headers include: Abundance of different zooplankton species (individuals per cubic meter), unix_timestamp, altitude (meters), flor, forward velocity (meters per second), vertical velocity (meters per second), temperature (degrees C), depth of instrument and image (meters), salinity (ppt), par_ue (per meters squared) dissolved oxygen (mg/L), chlorophyll-a fluorescence (voltage), altitude check, Julian time (percentage of a day), latitude (degrees N) and longitude (degrees E) of the ship, and other parameters associated with vehicle position (pitch, roll, and heading in 0-360 degrees).

Methods:

Regions of interest were extracted from the images for particles >2000 pixels (3.3 mm equivalent spherical diameter). Different types of life stages and interactions were classified from these ROIs and merged with the oceanographic sensor data using the nearest time stamp. See R code within the .zip file containing the images and sensor data.

Individual Files: